The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is the world’s largest general scientific society, an international non-profit with a mission to promote, defend and support science as method to improve humankind.

Founded in 1848, AAAS serves 272 affiliated societies and academies of science throughout the world and publishes the peer-reviewed general science journal Science.

One of the group’s unique contributions to public science in the United States is its fellowship program, by which it selects and places PhDs, medical doctors, and engineers from various technical disciplines and sectors throughout the U.S. Government for one to two years through a highly competitive process.

The program began in 1973, and since 1982, fellows at USAID have brought a thirst and energy to better understand development and apply their expertise to reach across boundaries to solve problems.

Recent fellows have provided technical and medical assistance in Haiti; helped to stand up the new Bureaus for Food Security and Policy, Planning, and Learning; provided critical technical assistance in the development of climate-related strategies; and much more.

For the upcoming 2011-2012 fellowship year, USAID will have over 40 fellows, 39 based in Washington, and one in the Indonesia mission—the first overseas fellow in nearly two decades.