ASME Federal Fellows: Who are they?

Who takes a year to work in Washington, D.C., quickly settles into a small office, and tries to make a difference before the 12 months are over? Year after year, ASME Federal Fellows move to Washington to provide technical assistance to our nation's policy makers.

The decision to become a Federal Fellow is one in which you take great personal change in exchange for personal growth and, with any luck, large benefit to policy making. With this article, I hope to draw upon my experience as a former Federal Fellow — as well as those of my Fellow colleagues — to answer some basic questions about the Federal Fellows Program.

Who are they?

Donna Michalek, Prabhat Hajela, and Johné Parker were professors on sabbatical. Mike Molnar, Tom Mackin, Julie Pollitt, and Harry Armen each arranged a year off from industry positions. And Susan Skemp, Connie Lausten, and Patrick Quinlan had previous government, association, or nonprofit experience. These are just a few of the 78 who have served or are serving as ASME Federal Fellows. All are engineers. Public policy affects all aspects of the country, so all sectors need to contribute.

Why do they do it?

Most fellows catch a political bug somewhere before they apply. Some are asked to help on federal regulatory review panels through their employer and suddenly want to know more about the rules-making process. Others are activists over a hot issue in their town and end up enjoying working to change policy. Somewhere, these fellows got close to the political process and realized that there was a role they could play as an engineer. More important, most fellows recognize that they can make unique and substantial contributions within the process.

What did they trade the large office for?

OK, so government offices are usually small. But many fellows say what they give up in desk space they gain through Washington proximity. How many of us can walk to the Smithsonian on our lunch break or eat with a view of the Capitol building?

Does this year "off" really benefit their career?

Usually yes, in unexpected ways. Mike Molnar was just promoted to a new role in which he was seen as the ideal candidate in part due to his policy experience in the Office of Science and Technology Policy. He has since become his company's first director of environmental policy and sustainable development.

"Some would be surprised that I'd turn 'tree hugger' after 20 years in engineering and manufacturing, but it really involves the juxtaposition of technology, economic analysis, and public policy," Mike says now. "They wanted someone with manufacturing experience, advanced product development, financial skills, and some familiarity with government regulations and agency processes."

What do I say to these Washington Fellows?

Ask them how to make it happen. Ask them how they arranged a year off from their industry job — it's possible. Ask them how they planned their sabbatical and continued to manage their graduate student labs. Ask them how they achieved a big jump in their careers as a result of the fellowship. Ask them how they made significant policy happen.

How does all this happen?

Support for the Fellows Program comes from a variety of sources: corporations, institutions, ASME, and The ASME Foundation. The Foundation is a proud supporter of this public policy program and has provided funding through its grants program. To learn more about The ASME Foundation, contact Warren Leonard at leonardw@asme.org or go to www.foundation.asme.org.

How to find out more about the ASME Federal Fellows Program?

Visit www.asme.org/NewsPublicPolicy/GovRelations/Programs/
Federal_Government.cfm; or contact Kathryn Holmes, ASME Government Relations, (202) 785-7390; e-mail: holmesk@asme.org.

See you in Washington.

— Susan Ipri Brown
Former Federal Fellow
Chair, Federal Fellows Committee, Board on Government Relations

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