UGA Bioinformatics doctoral student selected for AIBS and SURA public policy fellowship
2026-03-04
(Press-News.org) The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) and the Southeastern Universities Research Association (SURA) are pleased to announce that Olivia Asher has been selected for the 2026 AIBS & SURA Public Policy Fellowship. This professional development opportunity provides young scientists with valuable first-hand experience in science policy.
Olivia Asher is a Ph.D. candidate in bioinformatics at the University of Georgia (UGA), where she uses genomic sequencing and computational analysis to understand the interactions between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, their microbiome, and their plant hosts. Passionate about public service and science-informed policy, she has gained significant experience collaborating with local advocacy group Science for Georgia on data center regulation and serving as a Policy and Event Coordinator for the Coalition of Athens Scientists, where she helped organize a town hall for local mayoral candidates. To further sharpen her advocacy skills, she completed the AIBS Writing for Impact and Influence Course in 2025. The communication techniques she refined in this course directly led to her publishing a guest column in The Red and Black, a local newspaper in Athens. Additionally, Asher has completed extensive policy training with the National Science Policy Network and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Ms. Asher applied for this fellowship as 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.” She contends that “scientific engagement in policy helps make sure scientific evidence is considered in decision making.” She firmly believes that “by collaborating with people with different perspectives and areas of expertise, scientists can help build beneficial policies for our nation.”
Ms. Asher will work closely with AIBS and SURA policy staff in Washington, DC, this summer to gain first-hand experience with science policy and advocacy efforts that inform federal decision-making.
“AIBS is delighted to partner with SURA to welcome Ms. Asher as our 2026 Fellow,” said AIBS Chief Executive Officer Scott Glisson. “Her commitment to science-informed decision-making makes her an outstanding choice for this fellowship and a promising future leader in the science policy community.”
“Ms. Asher has shown a strong dedication to working at the nexus of science and policy, from organizing local town halls to serving as a Department of Energy Graduate Fellow at Los Alamos National Lab,” said SURA President and Chief Executive Officer Sean Hearne. “We look forward to supporting Ms. Asher as a burgeoning leader in science policy here in Washington, DC, through our partnership with AIBS.”
The AIBS & SURA Public Policy Fellowship is financially supported by AIBS and SURA. SURA is a national consortium of over 50 universities dedicated to advancing collaborative research and education and to strengthen the scientific capabilities of its members and the nation. AIBS is a nonprofit scientific association dedicated to advancing the biological sciences for the benefit of science and society. More information about the program is available at https://io.aibs.org/policy-fellow.
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[Press-News.org] UGA Bioinformatics doctoral student selected for AIBS and SURA public policy fellowship
