John DeFeo, 2025 Mather Policy Intern - NIST

Biography

SPS Chapter: Michigan State University
Hello! My name is JJ DeFeo, and I am going into my Junior year at Michigan State University. I am a triple major in Political Theory, Physics, and Philosophy of Science, with minors in “Science, Technology, Environment, and Public Policy”, and “Philosophy and Law”. I am from southeastern New Hampshire and am very excited to spend my summer in DC working at NIST as one of the Mather Science Policy Interns. I am very passionate about combatting science skepticism in policymaking and in the social science side of academia.
At MSU, I am class president, president of MSU Star Wars Club, a JMC Student Senator, a member of the MSU Dodgeball Team. Outside of just school, I am extremely involved with politics on all levels, having worked for multiple competitive congressional campaigns, with several other campaign experiences.After I graduate, I want to pursue a PhD in Public Policy with a focus on Science Policy Studies, studying how science succeeds and fails to interact with public affairs.

Internship

Host: Mather Policy Intern - NIST