CCST S&T Policy Fellows

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) will host its 2017 Annual Meeting in Boston this coming weekend, February 16th through 20th. The conference theme this year is a fitting one for CCST — “Serving Society Through Science Policy” — and CCST staff, CCST Science Fellows, and Science Fellows alumni will be participating. Join us […]

Are you a UC San Diego graduate student, postdoc, or faculty member curious about career futures in science policy? We have an event for you. The UCSD Graduate Student Association will host CCST Deputy Director Amber Mace, PhD, at their next GrAdvantage Career Night. Come hear about Amber’s own experience transitioning from academic research to a […]

Are you a UC Santa Barbara graduate student, postdoc, or faculty member curious about career training in science policy? We have an event for you. The UCSB Graduate Division and the UCSB Center for Science and Engineering Partnerships will host an info session on the CCST Science & Technology Policy Fellowship on Friday, January 27th, […]

Dear Friends and Colleagues, What does public service and social impact mean to you? For nine PhD scientists, making impact and serving the public will mean a year of training and working as legislative staff in the California State Legislature in 2017. I am thrilled to officially introduce the 2017 Class of our CCST Science […]

Emily Berry, PhD, and Gabriella Nepomuceno, PhD, are members of the 2016 Class of CCST Science & Technology Policy Fellows. Berry received her PhD in Cell Biology from UC San Francisco and conducted her thesis research at the Gladstone Institutes, where she studied how factors important during normal heart development can be leveraged to improve […]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California Council on Science and Technology is now accepting applications for the 2018 Class of the CCST Science & Technology Policy Fellowship. Completed applications are due on February 28th, 2017. The CCST Science Fellows program is open to those holding a PhD or equivalent degree in science and engineering, and in social science […]

At CCST, we believe in science, and having science inform California’s policies. If you also believe that science has a role in our society and in our government, then we invite you to become a Friend of CCST this #GivingTuesday! Programs like our CCST Science & Technology Policy Fellowship are funded entirely through philanthropic giving from charitable foundations […]

With September’s arrival, schools are back in session, and so is the U.S. Congress. And with that, we have many updates with Washington DC connections to share from our CCST Science Fellows alumni! Let’s take a look at this roundup of Capitol-to-Capitol news. We first want to extend our congratulations and farewells to Erin Arms ’16 and Estevan […]

If you’re a scientist or engineer who is exploring career training in the public policy realm, then please join us for our upcoming webinar to learn about our CCST Science & Technology Policy Fellowship: CCST Science Fellows Program Info Session Wednesday, September 14, 2016 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Pacific Registration Link: https://cc.readytalk.com/r/111ihxcbha91&eom Share on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/306298773074808/ We’ll provide […]

Sarah Carvill, PhD, is a member of the 2016 Class of CCST Science & Technology Policy Fellows. She received a BA and PhD in Environmental Studies from UC Santa Cruz, where her dissertation focused on timber policy and water quality on California’s North Coast. In addition, Carvill holds an MS from University of Montana, where […]

Dan Brumbaugh, PhD, is a member of the 2016 Class of CCST Science & Technology Policy Fellows. He received his PhD in Zoology from the University of Washington, where his research focused on how marine organisms adapt to their environments. Immediately before coming to Sacramento, Brumbaugh was a researcher at the University of California, Santa […]

Neela Babu, PhD, was a CCST Science & Technology Policy Fellow in 2013 and spent her CCST year placed with the Office of Assemblymember Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley, 2008-2014). She came to the Legislature with her PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Cornell University, where she designed environmental water resource systems. Babu is based in […]

Dear Friends and Colleagues — The California Council on Science and Technology (CCST), in partnership with the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the Simons Foundation, is now providing multiple grants for institutions to explore the creation of science and technology policy fellowship programs in their state legislature. We invite you to submit a letter of […]

Mark Elsesser, PhD, was a CCST Science & Technology Policy Fellow in 2013 and spent his CCST year placed with the Office of Assemblymember Ken Cooley (D-Rancho Cordova). He came to the Legislature with a PhD in Chemical Engineering from University of California, Santa Barbara, where he developed methods to synthesize, assemble, and observe a […]

Water in California is a regular highlight in national news — and recently, CCST Science Fellows were right in the mix. Dan Brumbaugh ’16, John Thompson ’16, and Sarah Carvill ’16 were on hand for the March 30th snow survey conducted by the California Department of Water Resources. They joined Frank Gehrke, the DWR Chief of […]

John Thompson, PhD, is a member of the 2016 Class of CCST Science & Technology Policy Fellows. Thompson received his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from Northwestern University, where his research focused on the design of metal alloys in coordination with the International Space Station. Thompson received a BS in Physics with a Minor […]

Sarah Brady, PhD, was a CCST Science & Technology Policy Fellow in 2014. She came to Sacramento with a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Oregon, where her research focused on how sunlight and heat decomposes plastics. Brady spent her CCST year placed with the Office of Assemblymember Susan Bonilla (D-Concord), where she continues to […]

Congratulations to An-Chi Tsou ’13 (photo above) on her appointment as Senior Policy Advisor in the Bureau of Medical Marijuana Regulation at the California Department of Consumer Affairs. Tsou came to the CCST Science Fellows program with a PhD in Bioengineering from the UC Berkeley-UCSF Bioengineering Graduate Program and a BS in Engineering Science from Smith College. Her placement was with the Office […]

Renita Polk, PhD, is a member of the 2016 Class of CCST Science & Technology Policy Fellows. She received her PhD in Human Genetics and Molecular Biology from Johns Hopkins University, where her research sought to reveal the genetics behind congenital heart defects in people with Down syndrome. Polk completed her undergraduate studies in Genetic […]

You’ve been getting to know our CCST Science Fellows on our blog. With the release of our 2015 Annual Report this month, I invite you to learn a bit about our organization — the California Council on Science and Technology (CCST). CCST is a nonpartisan, impartial, not-for-profit organization established via an Assembly Concurrent Resolution in 1988. We are modeled after the National […]

A seasoned professional in the development and nonprofit community, Pat Callahan has joined the California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) as its Major Gifts Officer. Callahan has more than 25 years of experience in fundraising, specializing in major gifts and establishing funding partnerships. She was most recently the Executive Director of the Healthcare Foundation […]