Bi-Annual Performance Report Narrative

(AFPI) in partnership with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), aims to provide scientific and technical expertise to the U.S. government, particularly the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The program's mission is to connect science with policy and foster a network of science and engineering leaders who understand government and policymaking. The 2022-23 STPF program year marked the program's 50th anniversary and the 40th year partnering with USAID. To commemorate this milestone, STPF organized events and communications to publicize the anniversary to its various stakeholders. This included special stories on STPF's website, celebratory events at the AAAS Annual Meeting, and the launch of new initiatives to engage, support, and activate its 4000+ strong alumni network. During the reporting period, STPF conducted activities to connect with and support fellows in their placements. This included facilitating the "Fellowship Impact Plan" (FIP) assignment, organizing site visits, providing individual guidance to address challenges, and hosting a "Career Summit" in February 2023. The program manager also held virtual "office hours" each month as a standing way for fellows to have the opportunity to connect with their program manager. STPF organized two events to bring together current fellows and connect them with alumni of the program. The first event was a "Fellow Brownbag" hosted on December 19, 2022, which brought together current fellows from various government agencies. The second event was a USAID-specific alumni panel held on February 23, 2023, focused on career development and aligning fellowship activities with long-term career goals. The STPF professional development team organized monthly training events for fellows on topics such as policy and the federal government, communication, leadership, and networking and career strategies. The STPF finance team also managed the travel and training budget and approval process for fellows, allowing them to take advantage of opportunities to advance their learning and participate in office activities in the field. STPF supported the management of current placements for two overseas postings during this reporting period, including placements in Niger and Peru. The overseas fellows may have an opportunity to stay on at their Mission if there is a mechanism to keep them on, and STPF and USAID staff communicated these potential options to the fellows and mentors in March 2023. Each fellow is required to submit a FIP at the start of the program year, which maximizes the benefit of the fellowship experience for the fellow and their host office by linking fellow goals and activities to the mission of the STPF program. To assist fellows in the development of their FIPs, the STPF hosted a two-part "Fellowship Impact Plan Workshop" in October 2022. Fellows were also required to submit a Mid-Year Report by March 15, providing feedback to STPF about their experience in the program and placement, and reporting on contributions they are making to their host office. STPF engaged with partners through in-person and virtual site visits, which provided an opportunity to understand the goals and needs of fellows and host offices and inform how STPF can best support them. Site visits were overwhelmingly positive, with fellows reporting strong learning opportunities and host offices appreciating the contributions fellows can make. STPF also participated in webinars, conferences, campus visits, university-organized career fairs, and fellow-led campus information sessions to engage with institutions of higher education and other partners.