If you’re interested in a career in science policy, you won’t want to miss this unique opportunity to participate in a trip to Washington D.C. for Federal STEM Policy: An Inside the Beltway Look.
FEDERAL STEM POLICY: AN INSIDE THE BELTWAY LOOK
OCTOBER 20-22, 2026
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Hosted by the Vanderbilt University Office of Federal Relations in partnership with the Vanderbilt Health Office of Federal Relations, BRET Office of Career Development and Professional Development, Russell G. Hamilton Graduate Leadership Institute, Vanderbilt Graduate School Graduate and Postdoctoral Career Success, and Vanderbilt University Office of Postdoctoral Affairs.
Application Deadline extended to Thursday, September 17 at midnight
This two-day event will provide up to 20 Vanderbilt graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) an opportunity to learn how federal STEM policy is developed, implemented, funded, and shaped by evidence and national priorities, and the role that federal agencies, Congress, scientific societies, associations and coalitions play in informing and shaping science and engineering policy.
Participants will hear from professionals – including VU alumni – working across the federal STEM policy landscape and learn how scientific expertise, evidence, federal priorities, legislative processes, and budget decisions intersect in the development of national science and engineering policy. Sessions will provide a behind-the-scenes look at how policy priorities emerge, how federal investments in research and development are determined, and how individuals with STEM backgrounds contribute to policy development and implementation. Participants will also have the opportunity to hear from government scientists who work in federal laboratories; the workshop will conclude with a networking reception for participants and DC-area alumni.
For STEM graduate students and postdocs thinking about careers at the intersection of science, government, and public policy, the program will provide insight into the range of career paths available and the skills and experiences that can help prepare them for work in science and technology policy. Travel expenses will be paid for students and postdocs who are selected to attend, including hotel accommodations for the evening of October 20 and 21, roundtrip coach class airfare from Nashville to Washington, D.C., and the alumni reception. Participants will be responsible for their ground transportation/parking expenses in Nashville and Washington DC, as well as up to three meals not included with the program. Washington, D.C., has an excellent rail system, the Metro, which connects to the airport and has stops near the event hotel.
Individual grad students or postdocs will be sponsored to attend by one of the campus partners, depending on their program or department. Campus partners include Vanderbilt University Office of Federal Relations in partnership with the Vanderbilt Health Office of Federal Relations, BRET Office of Career Development and Professional Development (Jan Varadarajan, PhD), Russell G. Hamilton Graduate Leadership Institute, Vanderbilt Graduate School Graduate and Postdoctoral Career Success (Christina Keeton, PhD), and Vanderbilt University Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (Annie Evans).
Eligibility requirements
1. Applicants must be a current Vanderbilt University graduate student or postdoctoral fellow in a STEM field.
- PhD students who entered graduate school through the IGP or QCB, or one of the IGP-affiliated PhD programs, must have passed their qualifying exams before the application deadline.
- MS/MA students must have completed one full year of graduate work at VU by the time of application.
- Postdoctoral fellows may be appointed in a department in VU or VUMC.
2. Applicants must hold U.S. citizenship or permanent residency.
3. Applicants must be able to attend the full workshop in Washington, DC, on October 21-22, 2026; this will require departure from Nashville on October 20.
To complete your online application, you will need to upload the following:
1) a current CV or resume highlighting academic accomplishments, leadership and service, and other experiences related to your interest in this event;
2) a letter of interest (300-400 words) describing your interest in the role of science in policy-making and what you hope to gain from such an experience; and
3) a brief description (300 words) of your graduate or postdoctoral research, as you would describe it to a lay audience.
The deadline to complete the online application form and upload these documents: midnight (11:59 pm) Thursday, September 17, 2026.
If you have questions about the Federal STEM Policy program, application, or funding, please contact Dr. Jan Varadarajan, Assistant Director of Postdoc Support in the Vanderbilt School of Medicine, at janani.varadarajan@vanderbilt.edu.