Bhushan, former ASME Congressional Fellow, Encourages Members to Participate in the Federal Government Fellowship Program

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Professor Bharat Bhushan, PhD, PE, believes there is a need for more technical engineering and scientific guidance on Capitol Hill, where only five to 10 percent of Congressional staff who prepare legislation typically have science or engineering degrees.

Bhushan, an Ohio Eminent Scholar and The Howard D. Winbigler Professor, Director, Nanoprobe Laboratory for Bio- & Nanotechnology and Biomimetics and Affiliated Faculty Member, The John Glenn School of Public Affairs, The Ohio State University, served on the Republican staff of the Committee on Science, Space and Technology (SST) in the House of Representatives for one year.

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Bharat Bhushan (left) with the Honorable John Boehner (R-OH), the current Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
During his term as an American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Congressional Fellow, Bhushan selected witnesses, prepared questions for subcommittee hearings, prepared op-ed pieces and research overviews, among other duties. 

“I would like to see engineers and scientists also have some background in science public policy,” Bhushan said.  “What I am hoping is that people really do become professional staff members and more of them run for elected office.”

Bhushan and Ohio State are doing their part.  The university recently approved a new minor program in engineering and public policy.  Bhushan is teaching a joint course in science policy at the university’s John Glenn School of Public Affairs, where he was invited to join as an Affiliated Faculty Member.

“My job is to be a champion for science policy,” Bhushan commented. “I’d like to see more engineers get interested in policy making rather than leaving it to people who have no background and appreciation for engineering, science and technology.”

 Read the full article on the ASME website at https://www.asme.org/about-asme/news/asme-news/former-congressional-fel…

Category: Faculty