Congratulations to Nathan Schuldt, a post doctoral fellow in the Bindstadt Lab. Nathan has been named one of the 10 fellows to the seventh year of AAI's Public Policy Fellows Program (PPFP). The program engages postdoctoral fellows and junior scientists in public policy activities that impact biomedical research.
Nathan Schuldt, PhD, is a post doctoral fellow in the Binstadt lab. In the lab, the research is focused on understanding the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases with particular emphasis on immune-mediated cardiovascular disease as well as understanding the contribution of the nervous system to inflammatory arthritis. Dr. Shuldt also believes that as a research community we have an obligation to protect our past scientific discoveries in order to move forward. In his statement to the AAI PPFP application committee Dr. Schuldt wrote that "scientific research greatly influences our everyday lives in ways we often take for granted. As we adopt new technologies, we quickly forget what life was like without them. To some extent, that is the point: to improve and ease our way of life. While it would be impractical and exhausting to celebrate each innovation, we can be mindful of where they come from. Government funding is critical to scientific research and training. Without it, the careers of many scientists doing impactful research across various fields would be in jeopardy. I believe that we scientists must actively advocate on our own behalf in order to maintain these important government investments. I am very grateful to be included in the 2017-2018 AAI Public Policy Fellows Program. I thank AAI for this unique opportunity and look forward to learning more about how biomedical research policies are shaped and how I may serve as a better advocate for scientific research."
Dr. Schuldt's publications
To learn more about the program or to see the other 9 fellow platforms, see below.
The AAI Public Policy Fellows Program (PPFP)
The PPFP provides postdoctoral fellows and other junior scientists who are committed to a career in biomedical research with the opportunity to learn about and participate in the public policy and legislative activities of AAI. Up to 10 Fellows may participate annually. Each year's program commences on May 1, 2017 and runs through April 30, 2018.
Program Goals
The primary goals of the program are to 1) help AAI members, early in their careers, better understand the role of the President and Administration, Congress, and the National Institutes of Health in determining the policies that affect biomedical research; and 2) teach participants how best to advocate for, and help shape, these policies that guide their careers. The program will also help ensure that AAI has within its ranks a cadre of well-informed scientists who can help lead the organization's public policy efforts in the future.
Program Components
- Capitol Hill Day: Fellows come to Washington, D.C., for a two-day Capitol Hill Day (likely in March). They attend a training session with AAI staff and visit their Congressional representatives to advocate for biomedical research and increased funding for NIH. AAI pays for Fellows' flights, hotel, and other reasonable expenses (per the AAI PPFP Reimbursement Policy).
- AAI Annual Meeting Program: Fellows attend the AAI annual meeting (during their Fellowship year), including any public policy or PPFP sessions requested by AAI. Attendance at the meeting is at the Fellows' expense.
- Communication with AAI Public Policy Staff: The staff of the AAI Office of Public Policy and Government Affairs is in email and phone contact with the Fellows during their Fellowship year to keep them informed and to solicit their views on key topics. Fellows receive, and respond as appropriate, to emails and phone calls from AAI staff and/or other program participants during their participation year and complete a program evaluation at the end of their Fellowship.