E/STAS manages a variety of fellowship programs that bring Ph.D.-level scientists and engineers to work at the Department of State for 1-2 years. The aim is to foster scientifically informed, evidence-based policy and practice by engaging scientists and engineers from a broad range of disciplines, backgrounds, and career stages to directly contribute their knowledge and analytical skills to the federal government. The 2010 Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review recognized the need to marshal technical expertise to solve 21st century problems through expanded fellowships such as these Science Fellow programs.
Science and Public Diplomacy
E/STAS works closely with the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES) and the Public Diplomacy bureaus to engage with publics abroad on issues of science and engineering. S&T Fellows have been recruited to add speaking engagements to their international travel, and E/STAS and its partners are working to offer speaking opportunities to more of the U.S. scientific and engineering communities.
Emerging and Transformational Technologies
E/STAS works with a wide range of U.S. and international partners to scan the horizon for emerging and transformational technologies that are likely to have significant effects on political and economic landscapes. E/STAS and its partners analyze and advise how this foresight can inform present-day decision-making.
The NeXXt Scholars Initiative seeks to engage and advance more young women from around the world in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers by preparing them to be the next generation of leaders in science, engineering and innovation. This partnership with 37 U.S. women’s colleges expands opportunities for young women from Muslim-majority countries to obtain a world-class undergraduate STEM education in the United States in an empowering and comfortable environment alongside American women students. The NeXXt Scholars Initiative will provide partnership, mentorship, and networking support for these International NeXXt Scholars and their college-nominated American STEM-Sisters, laying a solid STEM foundation and providing pathways to future research collaborations and economic empowerment.
The State Department, NASA, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and NIKE joined together to form LAUNCH in an effort to identify, showcase and support innovative approaches to global sustainability challenges. LAUNCH searches for visionaries whose world-class ideas, technologies or programs show great promise for making tangible impacts on society in the developed and developing worlds.
Defense Venture Catalyst Initiative (DeVenCI)
E/STAS is collaborating with the Defense Venture Catalyst Initiative (DeVenCI) at the Department of Defense (DoD) Rapid Reaction Technology Office to set up the first DeVenCI workshop series at the U.S. Department of State. The DeVenCI process involves interactive participation between the Venture Capital community, small innovative companies, and potential Department of State customers with the goal of accelerating identification and adoption of emerging commercial technologies to meet a wide variety of specific Department of State needs.
Pakistan-U.S. Science and Technology Cooperation Program
E/STAS works with partners in the Government of Pakistan and other bureaus at State and USAID to support the Pakistan-U.S. Science and Technology Cooperation Program. The program awards competitive grants to supports joint projects in fields of science, engineering, and health, strengthening cooperation between the U.S. and Pakistan, and supporting Pakistani development goals. More than 6,300 Pakistanis have received research and technical training in a wide range of development-related research and practical fields in projects supported by the program.
Global Dialogues on Emerging Science and Technology (GDEST)
Under the auspices of the E/STAS Global Dialogues on Emerging Science and Technology (GDEST) program, the State Department continues to support collaboration in the geospatial sciences between the United States and Sub-Saharan African countries in the public, private, NGO, and academic sectors. The purpose of the initial GDEST site visits/conference led by E/STAS and the Office of the Geographer and Global Issues (GGI) was to explore opportunities for establishing and deepening linkages and cooperation on geospatial sciences for sustainable development. Since then, GGI has led pilot projects to build baseline datasets on land use in Burkina Faso, Namibia, and Uganda in collaboration with U.S. and African partners. GGI continues to take the lead on projects to build geospatial baseline data and data distribution platforms in the Lake Victoria region.
