William L. Fisher Congressional Geoscience Fellowship

This fellowship represents a unique opportunity to gain first-hand experience with the legislative process on Capitol Hill. The successful candidate will spend 12 months (starting September 1, 2026) in Washington, D.C., working as a staff member in the office of a member of Congress or congressional committee. Fellows make practical contributions to the effective and timely use of geoscientific knowledge on issues relating to the environment, resources, natural hazards, and federal science policy.

Funding for the fellowship is provided through an endowment established by the AGI Foundation to honor William L. Fisher, the Leonidas T. Barrow Centennial Chair in Mineral Resources and Professor at the John A. and Katherine G. Jackson School of Geosciences at the University of Texas, Austin.

This one-year fellowship carries a stipend of $78,000 plus allowances for relocation, travel and health insurance.

Qualifications

Prospective applicants should have a broad geoscience background and excellent written and oral communication skills. Although prior experience in public policy is not necessary, a demonstrable interest in applying science to solving public problems is desirable. A Ph.D. in geosciences is required by the time of appointment. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or already eligible to work in the United States. Individuals who are federal employees, active duty military, or foreign service personnel at the time of the application deadline are not eligible to apply. Applicants must also be a member of one of AGI’s member societies.

How to Apply

Required materials:

To apply, interested candidates must submit the following materials as a single PDF document - using the instructions below by the application deadline.

• A cover letter - The candidate’s cover letter should include an addendum listing the society memberships with membership numbers, and the names and contact information of your three references.

• A statement of purpose - The statement of purpose should include your reasons for applying for this Fellowship, what you would bring to the Fellowship, and what you hope to gain from the Fellowship. It should be brief, no more than 1000 words in length.

• A curriculum vitae Applicants must also provide three letters of reference. Letters of reference should be submitted by the application deadline using the instructions below.

Application instructions:

• Send a PDF of your cover letter, statement of purpose, and curriculum vitae to: fellowships@americangeosciences.org](mailto:fellowships@americangeosciences.org).

• Make sure the subject line contains: Your name, the type and term you are applying for. For instance: Smith - Fisher 2026

• For letters of reference, please have them emailed directly to fellowships@americangeosciences.org with a subject line such as Smith - Letter of Reference

If you have questions, please send them to Christopher Keane.

Past Fellows