New APS Education Fellow Goes to Washington

The American Physical Society has selected its first fellow to send to the Department of Education as part of the new Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Education Policy Fellowship. Julia Mundy, who recently defended her PhD thesis in applied physics, will go to the Department of Education to work on science and math education policies.

“I think it’s a great opportunity,” Mundy said. “There hasn’t been a strong presence of scientists in the Department of Education so I’m really excited for the opportunity.”

The APS and AIP jointly announced the formation of the new fellowship in September 2013. The goal is to bring a PhD scientist into the Department of Education for two years to consult on STEM policies.

“It’s exciting,” said Tyler Glembo, the APS government relations specialist who helped set up the new program. “The Department of Education is really the place to make important systemic changes.”

Mundy will work with the department’s STEM lead, Camsie McAdams. Though specific plans are still being finalized, she’ll likely be working on new STEM initiatives at the department including the STEM Innovation Network, STEM Innovation Hubs, the STEM Teachers Pathway Initiative, and the STEM Master Teacher Corps.

Mundy received her bachelor’s degree in physics and chemistry and her masters in chemistry from Harvard University in 2006. After that, she spent two years teaching science through Teach for America, first in Baton Rouge with students who had been evacuated from New Orleans because of Hurricane Katrina, then in New Haven, Connecticut. She then attended Cornell for her doctorate in applied physics.

“As a high school science teacher, you’re immersed in science education policy,” Mundy said. “I was really interested after college in working as a teacher to provide high-level educational opportunities to all students.”

The APS has been trying to establish such a fellowship at the Department of Education for years. The Society was one of the founding partners of the AAAS Congressional Fellowships in 1973, but placing individuals at the Department of Education has proven more difficult. In September when the other AAAS policy fellowships start up, the STEM Education Policy Fellow will join the rest of the cohort.

“Forty years ago APS was one of the founding member societies of the AAAS fellowships, and once again APS is leading the way,” Glembo said. “There has never been a fellow [of this kind] at the Department of Education.”