Internship at Aspen Policy Academy
Posted: 12/23/2025
About the Company/Organization:
Aspen Policy Academy
Type: Other
Size:
https://aspenpolicyacademy.org/
The Aspen Institute’s Policy Academy helps community leaders and experts across the political spectrum elevate their voices, influence key decisions, and strengthen democracy from the ground up. We believe that the people closest to problems are best positioned to come up with solutions, so we work to empower citizens to have a say in the decisions that affect them. Our innovative training programs and resources equip people across sectors – from tech to the environment, science to civic engagement – with the skills to shape critical policy efforts. We’re building an America where everyone is engaged in our democratic process—and has the power to make a difference.
Internship Project/Opportunity
Location: San Francisco, CA or Remote
Anticipated internship dates: June 2026
Target intern experience level: Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students, Postdocs
https://aspenpolicyacademy.org/program/science-and-technology-policy-fellowship/
Important Information
The Fellowship will run full-time from June 1-26 in a hybrid format – virtually from June 1-12 and in-person in San Francisco from June 15-26.
Applicants must be 21 or older, be based in the US, and have science, environment, or tech expertise.
Fellows will receive a $5,000 base stipend for participating in the program. Those who join the optional project phase will receive an additional $2,500, and top projects will be eligible for additional awards.
Application Timeline
- December 18-February 5: The application is open.
- Mid-March: Finalists will be notified and invited to do a video interview.
- Mid-April: Fellows will be admitted.
- June 1: The Fellowship starts.
Before applying, please review the information below, including details on eligibility and asked questions, and consider attending one of our upcoming informational webinars on January 14 and January 29.
The Curriculum
The Science and Technology Policy Fellowship consists of: 1) a mandatory full-time policy bootcamp that teaches fellows the basics of policymaking, including practical exercises, and 2) an optional, remote, and part-time final project.
The policy bootcamp includes:
- An orientation introducing fellows to the Fellowship, the other members of their cohort, and the policymaking process;
- Regular classes exploring what policy is and how to identify problems, define alternatives, develop relevant outputs, and communicate with stakeholders; and
- Action-oriented practical exercises, such as “how to write a policy memo” and “how to give an elevator pitch,” founded on real-world problems provided by our partners.
Fellows then have the opportunity to work remotely, for a minimum of 10-12 hours a week, on a final project. Fellows who choose to complete this project are required to create a suite of substantive policy outputs (e.g., draft regulations, toolkits for policymakers, white papers, op-eds, an app, etc.) and present them to policymakers. Fellows do not need to decide whether they would like to participate in the project phase until the policy bootcamp begins.
Contact: Email