My name is Drew Roberts and I am spending the summer as an AIP Mather Policy Intern, working with the minority staff in the House Science, Space, & Technology Committee. In the fall, I will begin my senior year as an undergraduate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where I am double majoring in physics and political science, as well as minoring in mathematics. I grew up in Hickory, North Carolina before attending high school and college in North Carolina's Research Triangle, but am excited to get the opportunity to explore the Washington, D.C. area.

I am passionate about bridging the gap between science and policy-making. As a life-long follower of both the scientific and political communities, I look forward to contributing to both. It is my hope that I can foster a stronger dialogue between researchers and politicians, for the sake of improving the effectiveness of both. Over the course of the summer, I plan to participate in a wide variety of activities – both on Capitol Hill and in the wider D.C. area – in order to learn as much as possible about the political environment and culture. In the future I hope to be able to use both my university research experience with the lessons I learn this summer on the Hill to find a career where I can positively affect my community and the world.