AERA Names First Congressional Fellow


June 2016

AERA has announced the selection of Jenna R. Sablan as the first-ever AERA Congressional Fellow. Sablan holds a research position at Loyola Marymount University. Her year-long appointment as a Congressional Fellow commences on September 1. She will be working as staff to a congressional committee or on the personal staff of a member of Congress in Washington, D.C.

Sablan, whose work focuses on college access and readiness, has a Ph.D. in Urban Education Policy from the University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education. In addition, Sablan holds an MA in Economics from USC as well as two B.A.s—one in Political Science and another in Interdisciplinary Studies: Social Policy—both from American University. Sablan’s research interests and expertise emphasize culturally relevant ways of understanding students’ access to college.

“Dr. Sablan brings a strong background and commitment to using rigorous education research to inform education decision and policy making,” said AERA Executive Director Felice J. Levine.

“The AERA Congressional Fellowship is a highly competitive offering for education researchers at early or later career stages,” Levine said. “It provides them with an opportunity to learn about policy making on the ground and simultaneously bring their knowledge and expertise as an education scientist to education policy discussions on Capitol Hill.”

AERA is partnering with the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Science and Technology Fellowship Program to provide this opportunity to AERA members. Sablan’s fellowship year will begin with a comprehensive two-week orientation, after which she will decide among placement opportunities in congressional offices on Capitol Hill. Professional opportunities continue throughout the year through AERA activities and continued interaction with other Congressional Fellows from other fields.

The 2016–17 Congressional Fellowship Selection Committee included Stella Flores (New York University), AERA President Vivian L. Gadsden (University of Pennsylvania), Jane Hannaway (Georgetown University and American Institutes of Research), AERA Executive Director Felice J. Levine, William Schmidt (Michigan State University), Deborah Stipek (Stanford University), William Trent (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign), and Martin West (Harvard University).

The call and online application for applicants for the 2017–18 fellowship year will be available on the AERA website on August 1, 2016. The application deadline will be December 15, 2016.

Related:

AERA Inaugurates Congressional Fellowship Program,” AERA Highlights, December 2015