Overview of the Mansfield Fellowship Program, 2023/2024: US - Japan Collaboration

B. Vasel

NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory (GML), Boulder, CO 80305; 720-310-5530, E-mail: brian.vasel@noaa.gov

The Mansfield Fellowship Program—named after Mike Mansfield, former U.S. ambassador to Japan, U.S. Senate majority leader, and U.S. congressman from Montana—is a unique professional development and international exchange program for federal employees.

The program provides unparalleled access to the Japanese government, and allows Fellows to experience the culture and language in order to become true experts on the country.  Through intensive language studies and professional placements within Japanese government ministries, participants in the program gain an insider's view of this close friend and ally of the United States.

The Mansfield Fellowship Program is a two-year professional development opportunity funded by the United States Department of State and also receives significant in-kind support from the government of Japan.  The program begins with one year of Japanese language and cultural training prior to deployment. The 12 months each class spends in Japan includes a seven-week homestay and intensive Japanese language program in Ishikawa Prefecture followed by ten months of professional placements in Tokyo. During the year in Japan, Fellows will develop an in-depth understanding of the Government of Japan (GOJ) and its policymaking process. Fellows also establish relationships with their counterparts in GOJ and the business, professional and academic communities.  

In 2021, GML’s Brian Vasel was selected as part of the 27th class of Mansfield Fellows.  This poster will provide an overview of the Mansfield Fellowship Program and highlights of his year (2023-2024) working in Japan to promote collaboration between NOAA and Japanese researchers.

Figure 1.

Visit to the Japan Airlines maintenance facility hangar at Haneda Airport (Tokyo) to see the CONTRAIL instrument installed in the cargo hold of the aircraft. The CONTRAIL program has measured greenhouse gas concentrations from commercial aircraft for almost 20 years.