How has being an AGU Congressional Science Fellow affected my career up to this point? This is a bit like asking someone to describe the effect of obtaining a college degree on their subsequent career. Certainly life would have been different but in what ways is a little hard to know.I can say that my perspective on politics, politicians, and the role of scientists (and citizens in general) in public policy has been markedly altered. I have been politicized, in the sense that I am more aware of the need to participate in public debate and to put more of the policy perspective into some of my lectures. Most students have responded very positively to getting this kind of information. I have also given a number of lectures on science and public policy and found that many scientists are anxious to become better informed about “how the system works.”