A Fungus Researcher from Georgia Is Heading to Washington to Help Shape Science Policy
Olivia Asher spends her research days using genomic sequencing and computational tools to understand the hidden negotiations that happen underground - specifically, how arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi interact with their plant hosts and the microbiomes that surround them. It is the kind of fundamental biology that rarely makes headlines but underpins agriculture, carbon cycling, and ecosystem health worldwide.
This summer, she will swap the computational lab for Capitol Hill.
The fellowship and what it involves
The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) and the Southeastern Universities Research Association (SURA) have selected Asher as their 2026 Public Policy Fellow. The program places early-career scientists in Washington, D.C., where they work directly with policy staff to gain experience in science advocacy and the mechanics of federal decision-making. It is designed to address a persistent gap in scientific training: most PhD programs produce people who know how to do research, but not necessarily how to communicate its relevance or navigate the policy environments that shape science funding.
Asher, a PhD candidate in bioinformatics at the University of Georgia, has been building toward this kind of work for years. She has collaborated with the local advocacy group Science for Georgia on data center regulation, served as a Policy and Event Coordinator for the Coalition of Athens Scientists, helped organize a town hall for local mayoral candidates, and completed the AIBS Writing for Impact and Influence Course in 2025. That course directly led to a guest column published in The Red and Black, a local Athens newspaper. She has also completed policy training with the National Science Policy Network and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
The case for scientists in policy spaces
Asher applied for the fellowship as, in her words, "the perfect way to gain more policy experience while building upon my biology knowledge and personal connection to research universities in the Southeastern United States." Her view of why this matters is direct: "scientific engagement in policy helps make sure scientific evidence is considered in decision making."
That is not an abstract position. Federal decisions about research funding, environmental regulation, agricultural policy, and public health priorities all hinge on how well scientific evidence is understood and weighed by decision-makers. Fellows like Asher serve as translators in both directions - helping scientists understand how policy is made, and helping policymakers understand what science actually shows.
AIBS Chief Executive Officer Scott Glisson described her as "a promising future leader in the science policy community," noting her commitment to science-informed decision-making. SURA President and CEO Sean Hearne pointed to her background spanning local advocacy and national-level work, including a stint as a Department of Energy Graduate Fellow at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
The broader program
SURA is a consortium of more than 50 universities focused on collaborative research and education; AIBS is a nonprofit scientific association dedicated to the biological sciences. Their joint fellowship is financially supported by both organizations and is aimed at young scientists who want to understand the policy world without permanently leaving research behind.
Whether Asher's summer in Washington shifts her trajectory toward a policy career, deepens her ability to advocate for her own research area, or simply adds another dimension to her scientific training, the selection reflects a recognition that mycorrhizal biology and federal decision-making are not as separate as they might appear. The underground networks she studies help feed the world. The policy processes she will learn about this summer help determine how much funding and attention those networks receive.