The American Institute of Physics and the Department of State are creating a new science fellowship allowing a physical scientist or engineer to spend a year working on the science and technology aspects of foreign policy issues. The selected fellow will provide scientific expertise to the department while “learning firsthand how scientific and technical knowledge can contribute to the nation’s foreign policy,” the announcment said. Norman Neureiter, science and technology adviser to the secretary of state, said the department’s regional bureaus, which cover specific geographical areas, are weak on science, and that’s where he hopes to assign the AIP fellow. The range of problems faced by the bureaus includes everything from mad cow disease in Europe to cybersecurity in Asia, he said. The idea for the fellowship originated with the AIP governing board more than a year ago, when concerns were expressed about the lack of scientific expertise within the...

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