MiST Fellowship

Michigan Science, Technology, and Public Policy Fellowship
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What is the MiST Fellowship?

  • A two-year fellowship for post-graduate scientists, engineers, and technologists working in the nonpartisan Legislative Service Bureau (LSB) in Lansing and state agencies to be determined.
  • The University of Michigan will administer the fellowship program, working in collaboration with the LSB, Michigan State University, and six other public PhD granting institutions in the state.
  • Fellows will research requests from legislators about science and technology topics to produce policy briefs and reports that support decision makers.
  • Additional programming will provide training on state governance, best practices in policy research, rules and procedures, and networking opportunities for career advancement.

Why a state science & technology fellowship?

  • Cultivate evidence-based decision making and expertise in science and technology for Michigan policymakers
  • Encourage scientists, technologists, and innovators to develop careers in public policy and government
  • Encourage fellows to build long-term careers in Michigan and to provide STEM leadership in state civic circles
  • Join ten other states and the AAAS in their successful fellowship programs and coordinate with alumni and state legislators to bring their expertise to the federal level
  • Michigan policy can influence national policy in the following areas: clean water initiatives, advanced manufacturing, and AI innovation.

MiST has already gained significant bipartisan support from state legislators and associations as well as every PhD-granting institution in the state of Michigan."

Mandy Gagel, Project Manager for the Michigan Science, Technology, and Public Policy Fellowship program

 

MiST fellows will also have opportunities for broader impact as they join the networks and share in the success of ten other state fellowship programs and the American Association for the Advancement of Science federal fellowship program.

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This dashboard was developed through a partnership between TechCongress, RKO Consulting, and Radicle Consulting. It will be updated at least on an annual basis and its data is available for download here.

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State government partner

Michigan Legislative Service Bureau (LSB)

The Research Division in the LSB provides confidential, objective, non-partisan research products directly to members of the Michigan Legislature. Research products include legal research and analysis, legislative history and evolution of regulatory schema, multi-state policy surveys, and multi-disciplinary source material and analysis. Fellows will be working with the Bureau in Lansing, and state agencies to be determined.
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Michigan capitol building in Lansing, viewed from below

Significant Issues in Michigan that could benefit from fellows' research and expertise:

  • Public sanitation: drinking water safety and treatment, landfill regulation, environmental implications
  • Healthcare: vaccine safety, puberty blockers and transgender health, diabetes treatment and GLP-1 usage, In vitro fertilization and parental rights
  • Food and agriculture: food additives, organic farming, GMO safety, pesticides in food, nutrition recommendations
  • Natural resources: Great Lakes water protection, invasive species, conservation efficacy
  • Technology regulation and role in government: artificial intelligence (AI) expansion, AI generated “deep fakes,” use of AI in government regulatory and decision making processes, cryptocurrency, ransomware attacks, regulation of social media and foreign app developers, electronic voting and voter roll maintenance, technology use in schools and public safety
  • Infrastructure: environmental effects of data centers, engineering and security of domestic cyber infrastructure, efficacy of impact studies for large scale infrastructure projects

The fellowship is scheduled to launch in early 2026, and information will be posted about the application process here.

For questions, contact Mandy Gagel at [email protected].