The Program

Based within the AAAS Center of Science, Policy & Society Programs, the Scientific Responsibility, Human Rights and Law Program (SRHRL) addresses ethical, legal and human rights issues related to the conduct and application of science and technology.

The Internship

The Program has a long-standing commitment to providing substantive internship opportunities for undergraduates, graduate students, and post-docs from all fields of science and engineering, as well as law students.

Interns work closely with AAAS staff across a range of projects, helping to prepare proposals, organize meetings, contribute to publications, manage computer databases, draft web content, and participate in on-going research. They also have the opportunity to attend relevant conferences and meetings in the Washington, D.C. area, and write for the Program's newsletters.

Information about projects on which past interns have worked is available here.

Internships are unpaid. The Program will accommodate students interested in receiving course credit. Requests for course credit must be pre-approved by your academic department and must be indicated in your application.

Have questions about the internship experience? Contact a current intern!

Special Offerings

Geospatial Technologies and Human Rights project intern
(year-round opening)

The Program is interested in an intern with experience in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing to work with the Geospatial Technologies and Human Rights Project.

Emerging Leaders in Science & Society (ELISS) project intern
(Summer 2013)

For summer (2013), the Program is offering a special opportunity to devote part of the internship to assisting with activities related to the Emerging Leaders in Science & Society project. ELISS is a new grassroots effort hosted by AAAS that will prepare graduate and professional students to collaborate across boundaries to solve real-world problems throughout their professional and civic lives. ELISS is looking for an intern to join the organizing committee.

Requirements

• An interest in the intersection of science and technology, human rights, ethics and the law.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Strong academic background. All fields will be considered.
• Scheduling is flexible, but interns are expected to work at least four days per week for a minimum of 30 hours per week.
• Internships are for a minimum of 10-12 weeks, with preference given to candidates who can intern for at least 12 weeks.

Geospatial Technologies and Human Rights project intern
(year-round opening)

The Geospatial Technologies and Human Rights project intern will devote 15-20 hours of the AAAS internship to the project. The project seeks an undergraduate or graduate student currently enrolled in geography, remote sensing or a related field. Recent graduates are also welcome to apply. Applicants with GIS or image processing experience (e.g., ArcGIS, ERDAS Imagine, etc.) are preferred. Please note in your application cover letter whether you wish to be considered for this position.

Emerging Leaders in Science and Society (ELISS) project intern
(Summer 2013)

The ELISS project intern will devote 10-15 hours of the AAAS internship to research and program development for the pilot class, including the incoming student orientation. Currently enrolled graduate or professional degree students, or those graduated from such a program within the last year are preferred. Undergraduate students with relevant  experience are also welcome to apply. Please note in your application cover letter whether you wish to be considered for this position.

To Apply

To apply or inquire about current internship opportunities, send a cover letter indicating your dates of availability and a resume to Rebecca Carlson by email with "AAAS Internship" as the subject line, or by mail at the following address:

Attn: Rebecca Carlson
American Association for the Advancement of Science
1200 New York Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20005

Deadlines for Application

Winter/Spring - November 15
Summer - March 15
Fall - July 15

International Applicants

International applicants must be in posession of the proper documents (student visa, green card, work visa) to work in the United States before their application will be considered.