Science Policy Fellow

Julia Simpson

Biology and Spanish

The Global Change Center  awarded the 2019 Undergraduate Science Policy Fellowship to Julia Simpson to attend the Washington Semester Program during summer semester this year.  Ms. Simpson is the sixth student to receive this award.

Julia is a junior double majoring in Biology and Spanish at Virginia Tech, with a minor in Creative Writing.  She is interested in the intersections between microbiology and national security, and holds ambition to work with an agency such as the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases in the future.  Julia also has a passion for writing and activism, and intends to grow her experience in the political realm so that she can effectively contribute to the fields of science writing and public policy making.

During the summer of 2018, Julia worked as a research technician for the MouseLight project at Janelia Research Campus, a neuroscience research facility in northern Virginia, and the experience both solidified and amplified her excitement about a career in science. Currently, when she isn’t attending classes, Julia occupies her time serving as an undergraduate TA for Biology 1106; conducting research in microbial ecology under Steven McBride; writing and editing for The Interloper; and most recently, working as Events Chair for the newly-formed creative writing club on campus, CreativiTEA.