Application

APPLICATIONS: The application period is now open. The application process for the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship is carried out online.

 

ELIGIBILITY: Each applicant must meet the following criteria:

Be a U.S. citizen at the time of selection (March 30);

Have a minimum of five years full-time classroom teaching experience prior to completing the application;

Have been teaching full time in a public or private elementary or secondary school for at least five of the last seven years; provide three recommendations one of which is from a school district official;

Be currently employed full-time in a public or private elementary or secondary school or school district. 

 

KEY DATES:

On-line application opens	October 1, 2009
Deadline for fellowship application	January 13, 2010
Application Review	5 Weeks
Approximately 24 semi-finalists will be notified and travel arrangements made to interview in Washington, DC	Week of Feb. 15, 2010
Interviews in Washington, DC for Congressional and Agency Positions	March 13-16, 2010
Finalists selected and notified	by April 10, 2009
Congressional Fellows interviewed and placements finalized	May - Sep. 2010
Fellows arrive in Washington, DC	August 2010
Orientation meeting for the 2010-2011 Einstein Fellows	August 30 - 31, 2010

SELECTION CRITERIA: Fellowship selections are based on evidence of:

Excellence in teaching science, mathematics, or technology;

An experimental and innovative attitude in their approach to teaching;

Sustained professional growth in science or mathematics in the art of teaching;

Professional involvement and leadership;

I nterpersonal and communication skills needed to serve in the public policy environment; and

Knowledge of national, state, and local policies which affect education. 

 

Albert Einstein Fellows bring to Congress and appropriate branches of the federal government theextensive knowledge and experience of classroom teachers. They provide practical insights and "real world" perspectives to policy makers and program managers developing or managing educational programs. During the Fellowship, each Einstein Fellow receives a monthly stipend of $6000.00 plus a $1000.00 monthly cost of living allowance. In addition, there is a moving/relocation allowance as well as a professional travel allowance.

Some of the outstanding contributions of Einstein Fellows have included:

Drafting legislation and influencing policy that seek to improve K-16 education in the United States; Initiating collaborations and establishing partnerships between federal agencies;

Designing and implementing national science, math, and technology education programs;

Creating web-based science education programs;

Establishing and evaluating national and regional programs centered on school reform and teacher preparation in science, mathematics, and technology; and Creating and producing educational curricula and products with national distribution.

 

DURATION OF FELLOWSHIP: Einstein Fellows usually spend a school year in a professional staff position in the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, at the Department of Energy (DOE), or at other federal agencies such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), or the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). 

 

STIPEND: Fellows receive a monthly stipend of $6000 along with a $1000 monthly cost of living allowance. In addition, there is a moving/relocation allowance as well as a professional travel allowance.