Science Technology & Policy (STeP) Fellowship Pilot Program 2020-2024

The STeP Fellowship Pilot Program is a strategic initiative by the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) to bridge the gap between scientific research and policy-making in Latin America and the Caribbean. The program places scientists in host institutions for two years, providing them with professional development in leadership, communication, and science diplomacy. The IAI manages the training and networking, while host institutions provide stipends and define national priority areas. Initial cohorts were launched in Argentina and Mexico in 2020, with the program utilizing a model based on the AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships.

• The STeP program addresses a regional challenge in Latin America and the Caribbean where, despite increasing research capacity, the uptake of science to inform policy remains difficult due to unpredictable politics and unequal resource distribution.
• The fellowship consists of a two-year professional development program for scientists and policy makers, focusing on three core pillars: Leadership, Communication, and Science Diplomacy.
• Responsibilities are split between the IAI and host institutions: the IAI provides training, international event access, and networking, while host institutions define priority sectors, provide stipends, and assign supervisors.
• The pilot program's initial 2020 implementation involved host financing and coordinating institutions in Argentina (CONICET and Asociación Argentina de Consorcios Regionales de Experimentación Agrícola) and Mexico City (SECTEI).
• The program's training pillars are modeled after the objectives of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science & Technology Policy Fellowships program.

APA

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (2020). Science Technology & Policy (STeP) Fellowship Pilot Program 2020-2024. https://archive.iai.int/administrador/assets/images/ckfinder/files/STeP%20Program%20Charter%20V3(1).pdf

Chicago

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research. Science Technology & Policy (STeP) Fellowship Pilot Program 2020-2024. 2020. https://archive.iai.int/administrador/assets/images/ckfinder/files/STeP%20Program%20Charter%20V3(1).pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research |title=Science Technology & Policy (STeP) Fellowship Pilot Program 2020-2024 |date=2020 |url=https://archive.iai.int/administrador/assets/images/ckfinder/files/STeP%20Program%20Charter%20V3(1).pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{interamericaninstituteforglobalchangeresearch2020science, author = {{Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}}, title = {{Science Technology \& Policy (STeP) Fellowship Pilot Program 2020-2024}}, institution = {Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}, year = {2020}, url = {https://archive.iai.int/administrador/assets/images/ckfinder/files/STeP%20Program%20Charter%20V3(1).pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }