IAI Science Technology & Policy (STeP) Fellowship Pilot Program 2020-2024 Professional Development Work Plan

The IAI STeP Fellowship Pilot Program (2020-2024) provides a professional development framework for scientists and policymakers in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The program is structured around three training pillars: Science Diplomacy, Communication, and Leadership. It aims to equip fellows with the soft skills and transdisciplinary approaches necessary to inform policy on global change and sustainable development. The plan includes specific learning objectives, such as writing policy briefs and mastering science diplomacy, and establishes a networking strategy to foster multinational collaboration and create an alumni impact database.

• The STeP Fellowship is the first program of its kind implemented at the national level in Latin America and the Caribbean, modeled after the AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowship.
• The program's professional development is centered on three pillars: Science Diplomacy, Communication, and Leadership, with the goal of creating a common language and mechanisms to bridge science and policy communities in the LAC region.
• The pilot program initially worked with fellows in Argentina and Mexico, with plans to expand to Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Trinidad and Tobago in 2021.
• The Communication pillar focuses on professional, digital, and science communication, including specific training on how to write effective policy briefs and the use of digital platforms like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to build community.
• The Science Diplomacy pillar aims to teach the fundamentals of science policy and advisement, specifically focusing on three uses of science diplomacy: informing foreign policy, facilitating international science cooperation, and improving international relations.
• The Leadership pillar emphasizes a transdisciplinary (TD) approach to problem-solving for global change and sustainable development, integrating knowledge from multiple disciplines and societal actors.
• The networking plan seeks to establish an Inter-American platform to encourage multinational collaborations, support fellow career development, and create an Impact Database of alumni, supervisors, and mentors.

APA

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (n.d.). IAI Science Technology & Policy (STeP) Fellowship Pilot Program 2020-2024 Professional Development Work Plan. https://archive.iai.int/administrador/assets/images/ckfinder/files/STeP%20PD%20%20Networking%20Plan_V3(1).pdf

Chicago

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research. IAI Science Technology & Policy (STeP) Fellowship Pilot Program 2020-2024 Professional Development Work Plan. n.d. https://archive.iai.int/administrador/assets/images/ckfinder/files/STeP%20PD%20%20Networking%20Plan_V3(1).pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research |title=IAI Science Technology & Policy (STeP) Fellowship Pilot Program 2020-2024 Professional Development Work Plan |url=https://archive.iai.int/administrador/assets/images/ckfinder/files/STeP%20PD%20%20Networking%20Plan_V3(1).pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{interamericaninstituteforglobalchangeresearchndiai, author = {{Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}}, title = {{IAI Science Technology \& Policy (STeP) Fellowship Pilot Program 2020-2024 Professional Development Work Plan}}, institution = {Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}, url = {https://archive.iai.int/administrador/assets/images/ckfinder/files/STeP%20PD%20%20Networking%20Plan_V3(1).pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }