The Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship (AEF) Program provides unique opportunities for accomplished K-12 science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) educators to serve 11 months in a Federal agency or U.S. Congressional office. Einstein Fellows bring their extensive classroom knowledge and experiences to their host offices to inform Federal STEM education efforts. To be eligible, applicants must be U.S. citizens who are currently employed full-time in a U.S. public or private elementary or secondary school or school district. Applicants must have been teaching full-time in a public or private elementary or secondary school for at least five of the last seven years in a STEM discipline.
Each year, Einstein Fellows bring their expertise, practical insights, and real-world experiences as classroom teachers to Congress and to branches of federal government to contribute to the educational outcomes of research, award, and instructional programs at their sponsoring agencies. As a result, the Fellows gain knowledge, resources, and broader perspectives on national educational issues that can then be brought back to their classrooms or to leadership positions in their districts or elsewhere.
AEF Program applications must be submitted by November 19, 2021, at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, through the online application system. Additional information about the program, including eligibility requirements, program benefits, application requirements, and access to the online application system, may be found at https://science.osti.gov/wdts/einstein.
The AEF Program is administered by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science and coordinated by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE). Partnering agencies who are sponsoring the eighteen 2021-2022 Einstein Fellows include the Library of Congress, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of Interior, and the U.S. Geological Survey. In addition to sponsoring placements at DOE headquarters, DOE sponsors up to five placements in U.S. Congressional offices.
Professional development opportunities for Einstein Fellows include chances to attend hearings and briefings on Capitol Hill and to attend and participate in panel discussions held at national organizations. Fellows also participate in other activities, including visits to resources such as the Smithsonian Institution, National Academy of Sciences, and the Library of Congress.
Some outstanding contributions of past Einstein Fellows include:
- Implementing major components of national STEM education programs;
- Initiating collaborations and partnerships among Federal agencies;
- Advising on policies that seek to improve K-12 education in the United States;
- Creating web-based science education tools; and
- Establishing and evaluating national and regional programs centered on diversity and equity reform and teacher retention and preparation in STEM.