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2017–2018 GSA-USGS Congressional Science Fellow Report
Communication is
Key to Success
Melanie R. Thornton
My interest in earth science began at a young age, as family
trips involved visiting national parks and appreciating conserva-
tion efforts. Yet I can’t deny my passion for being outside and in
nature may have been the subtle influence that sparked joy in
wanting to learn more about the natural environment. I recognize
how my early experiences affected my understanding of our
responsibilities toward a sustainable future. Realizing that I could at the last minute, I did not have ample time to complete this task.
influence natural resource policies needed in our communities,
I felt compelled to shape science advocacy. I knew that working
in Washington, D.C., would provide first-hand experience about
policy making at the federal level. The dream I had of becoming
a fellow seemed to be a necessary step after completing my
academics, since I wanted a chance to learn how I might impact a
changing world through legislation.
As the 2017–2018 GSA-USGS Congressional Science Fellow,
I arrived in Washington, D.C., in August 2017 just a few months
after receiving my doctorate and ready for orientation and place-
ment. I am one of 35 Science Policy Congressional Fellows in a
program organized and run by the American Association for the
Advancement of Science (AAAS). In addition to GSA, other
scientific and engineering professional associations support
Ph.D. scientists as fellows to work on the Hill. I serve my fellow-
ship in the Office of Senator Tom Udall (D-NM), where I’m
engaged in policies and issues related to water, natural resources,
biofuels, fisheries, and science. The access to research, collabora- the importance of strengthening and fine-tuning my own com-
tive decision making, and stakeholder engagement has increased
my appreciation for the political process. Thus far, this year-long
fellowship has provided ample experience to communicate com-
plex scientific issues and policies, understand the inner workings
of Congress, and learn the importance of relationships and
collaboration.
It did not take long for me to realize that success as a congres-
sional staffer is driven by effective communication. When I first
started as a fellow, I was amazed at the ability of congressional
staffers to quickly digest, distill, and clearly communicate com-
plex policy issues to colleagues, constituents, and particularly to
the member of Congress. A common exercise for a new congres-
sional fellow is to summarize a broad scientific policy topic into
one page or less. I was tasked with drafting a memo to summa-
rize the Renewable Fuel Standard, a complicated biofuels policy
with so much jargon it would make your head spin. I started by
summarizing the policy to two pages, then distilled it further to
one page, cut it down to a paragraph, and ultimately ended with a
few bulleted sentences. Oftentimes congressional staffers will be
lucky to get the member of Congress to read the first paragraph
of a memo, given the demands of their schedule, therefore it is
important to be straightforward, concise, and relevant in all
forms of communication.
48 GSA Today | July 2018
The pace of work and the interactions with colleagues and
stakeholders are quite different from an academic environment.
My most notable experience thus far was having to write Senator
Udall a vote recommendation memo for a bill in under two hours.
Senator Udall is a member of the Commerce, Science, and
Transportation Committee, and must be well-prepared for execu-
tive session. Since a number of bills and nominations are voted
on, members of his staff research, review, and compile draft vote
recommendations into a staff memo prior to the committee meet-
ing. There was a controversial ocean fisheries bill on the agenda
of one particular meeting, and since this agenda item was added
I quickly conferred with ocean policy experts, Committee staff,
and ocean fisheries stakeholders. I grasped as much as I could
about ocean fisheries policy, including the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management Act so that I could ade-
quately inform the Senator. Ultimately, I learned that picking up
the telephone is much faster than researching a topic solo. This
experience illuminated the importance of communication and
that synthesizing information quickly and succinctly is a require-
ment in working as a legislative staffer on the Hill.
As I reflect on the experience halfway through the GSA-USGS
fellowship, I think of the number of benefits that this fellowship
has provided. I have had a front row seat in shaping science pol-
icy, learning from many experienced congressional staffers and
serving the public and geoscience community. My congressional
science fellowship has broadened my worldview, deepened my
understanding of how public policy works, and changed my per-
ceptions of science and environmental advocacy. I have learned
munication and scientific policy writing skills. Regardless of the
level of education and knowledge a person holds, the ability to
communicate well can provide advantages in careers and experi-
ences going forward.
The manuscript is submitted for publication by Melanie R.
Thornton, 2017–2018 GSA-USGS Congressional Science Fellow,
with the understanding that the U.S. government is authorized to
reproduce and distribute reprints for governmental use. The one-
year fellowship is supported by GSA and the U.S. Geological
Survey, Department of the Interior, under Assistance Award
Number G17AP00132. The views and conclusions contained in
this document are those of the author and should not be inter-
preted as necessarily representing the official policies, either
expressed or implied, of the U.S. government. Thornton works in
the office of Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) and can be contacted by
e-mail at Melanie_Thornton@tomudall.senate.gov.