Sep-Oct 2025 | Fellowship Focus

Adriana Bankston: Congressional Sponsorship at Work for the Future of Science

Adriana Bankston with Representative Foster, standing side by side outside the U.S. Capitol.
On the Hill, Adriana Bankston, inaugural STPF fellow sponsored by the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy, is championing a fight for science. Through legislation, drafting letters and speeches, organizing Congressional briefings, and publishing articles in support of the scientific research endeavor, Adriana has left her mark.
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Carrero-Martínez kneeling on the ground at the Henryk Arctowski Polish Antarctic Station, behind a penguin in the foreground.

Global Impact, Island Origins: STPF Alumni with Puerto Rican Roots in Science Diplomacy

Careers after the Science & Technology Policy Fellowships (STPF) are anything but linear. For example, alumni could transition from expertise in cell biology to a focus on ocean conservation, like
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A collage of seven black and white photos of shells and fragments examined by Campbell and her team.

The Microscopic Deepsea Creatures That Just Might Lead Us to Life on Other Planets

Humanity has wondered about our place in the universe for millennia. With such an abundance of life forms on our own planet, could it be possible that Earth alone harbors life? Scientists like Susan
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Featured Fellows
Amanda
Berhaupt

As Health Policy Director at the National Center for Health Research, a non-profit think tank, Amanda (2021-22 Congressional fellow) engages with staff in Congress and federal agencies to learn their priorities and serve as a resource. “The Fellowship expanded my understanding of what was possible for my career by learning about the legislative process and the layers of priorities for Members that shape patients’ access to healthcare and nutrition providers, and the impact on quality of life,” she shares.

Michael
Masuda

“I never would have chosen to stand up and run for Congress, especially during the times we find ourselves in, without the experience and knowledge I gained through the AAAS STPF [fellowship],” said Michael. At the core, Michael (2021-23 fellow at State Dept.) considers himself an engineer, not a politician, and in this time when “we need leaders willing to challenge politics as usual so we can stop fighting and start addressing our common challenges,” he intends to “build bridges toward a better future for America.”