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Samantha Staskiewicz
The College of New Jersey
AIP FYI Science Policy Communications Intern
American Institute of Physics
Final presentation
As the science policy communications intern for FYI, I completed a wide range of assignments such as writing sections of weekly newsletters, tracking amendments to legislation, and reporting back to the team on important science policy events. My favorite events to attend were House Science Committee hearings which taught me a lot about how science is prioritized and discussed by elected officials. I authored a full-length article on a hearing that surveyed threats posed by melting glaciers and ice sheets, such as sea-level rise and disruption of water supplies. My presentation will focus on the details of this hearing, specifically the witnesses’ recommendations to Congress on how to address the remaining knowledge gaps in the field.
I am a graduating senior from The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) with a major in physics, specialization in geophysics, and minor in environmental studies. The past three years I have served as an officer in my SPS chapter including the roles of secretary, treasurer, and president. I learned early-on in my undergraduate career that studying physics is applicable to a wide-range of scientific interests when I got involved in atmospheric science research at TCNJ. During the summer of 2018, I participated in a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (NSF REU) at Pennsylvania State University where my passion for atmospheric and climate science was solidified. I will be attending graduate school at Penn State in the Department of Meteorology and Atmospheric Science this upcoming fall.
With my passion for climate science comes the desire to educate and inform people on current environmental issues, and I have also been exploring the idea of pursuing a career in environmental policy one day. I am excited for the experience to work as this year’s AIP Science Policy News intern so I can get my feet wet in the world of public policy. I am also looking forward to meeting the other interns and exploring all that DC has to offer!