The General Services Administration (GSA) welcomed 48 new technologists this week to the second annual cohort of the U.S. Digital Corps fellowship program.
The early-career technologists will be spread across 13 Federal agencies, joining the program’s inaugural 2022 cohort of 38 fellows who are in their second year of service. Nine agencies will welcome additional fellows, while four agencies will welcome fellows for the first time.
“For the second year, we’re bringing a diverse and highly talented group of technologists into government through the U.S. Digital Corps,” GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan said in a press release. “Growing this corps is another way we’re driving innovation and modernization while ensuring that Americans get the services they need – when they need them – from their government.”
The White House announced the two-year fellowship program in 2021, in collaboration with the General Services Administration (GSA), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Office of Personnel Management, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).
The fellows will support Federal agencies with skills such as software engineering, product management, design, data science and analytics, and cybersecurity.
“After seeing how much our 2022 fellows were able to accomplish in their first year – from innovative long COVID research to helping shape our forthcoming HHS data strategy and deliver a streamlined resource for Americans seeking behavioral health supports – HHS looks forward to continuing our partnership with the U.S. Digital Corps and expanding our cohort in 2023,” said Andrea Palm, deputy secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
The new cohort will tackle key government priorities through their projects. For example, one project includes supporting GSA teams focused on customer experience and equity within the Technology Transformation Services’ Public Experience Portfolio and the GSA Office of Customer Experience.
The fellows will aid the administration in tackling timely issues and bring greater expertise in areas like data science and AI. They will also advance President Biden’s commitment to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) in the Federal workforce.
“I’m thrilled to see the U.S. Digital Corps bring more talented early-career technologists into federal service with its 2023 cohort,” said Dr. Dominique Duval-Diop, chief data scientist at OSTP. “In an environment where developments in data science and artificial intelligence are happening daily, it’s crucial that we have a wide array of technical perspectives at policy tables to ensure these developments benefit all Americans and protect against potential harms.”
