DOCS Alum Reflects on year working in LA. Senator Cassidy's Office

January 14, 2025

Oceanography & Coastal Sciences alum Robert Feder spent the last year working in the office of Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy as a Knauss Fellow. Here's what he's learned.

Robert Feder in Washington, DC

Robert Feder in Washington, DC.

– Photo credit: Robert Feder

Knauss Fellowships, which are awarded by NOAA's SeaGrant program, place early career professionals in a federal office for a year, giving them the opportunity to learn more about policy and public administration while applying their scientific knowledge and experience. Feder, who graduated with a Master's degree from DOCS in 2023, was named a 2024 Fellow. His appointment ends February 1st.

How are you liking DC?
I love DC! I’ve always wanted to live here. The public transit is great, and there are so many incredible (and free) activities happening at any given time. I do miss south Louisiana, though. There are, unfortunately, no bayous or beignets in the district.

What are your basic duties and responsibilities?
My basic duties are to analyze, draft, and advance environmental policies that make life better for Louisianans. When Senator Cassidy expresses interest in a policy goal, restoring our state’s coastal wetlands or plugging abandoned oil and gas wells, for example, it is my job to make sure he has the information necessary to write sound policy and make informed decisions.

Give us a rundown of your daily schedule.
I’ll start the day off by reading the news to familiarize myself with current developments in the state of Louisiana, the U.S. Congress, and the field of environmental policy. I’ll then attend a congressional hearing and witness Senators debate, amend, and vote on federal policies related to energy and natural resources, the environment and public works, or scientific research. I’ll summarize the main points of the hearing for other members of Senator Cassidy’s energy and environment team before taking a lunch break at my desk. I’ll work through the post-lunch slump by grabbing coffee with a new colleague and expanding my network of environmental policy staffers on the Hill.

Constituents and other stakeholder groups frequently visit our office when Congress is in session, so I’m typically looped into several constituent meetings a week. After a busy day of running around, I will often try to reserve a few hours of desk time at the end of the day. I’ll tuck into some research related to policies I am drafting on behalf of Senator Cassidy and then rework the text of those policies to reflect the best, most up-to-date information available. Once the clock strikes 6 pm, I’ll pack my bags, brace myself for the cold of DC winter, then head to a networking event!

What issues have you been working on? Anything you are particularly excited or passionate about?
The main throughline of my fellowship has been carbon credits. Carbon credits represent one metric ton of emissions reductions from the atmosphere. Many businesses are eager to offset their emissions at Point A by purchasing emissions reductions, or carbon credits, at Point B — we hope that Point B is the great state of Louisiana. Louisiana has incredible opportunities for businesses to generate carbon credits by, for example, restoring or creating salt marshes in Barataria Basin or by plugging abandoned oil and gas wells in National Wildlife Refuges. I have had the opportunity to draft policies that will make it easier for Good Samaritans to restore our coast or plug our wells while simultaneously improving the efficacy of the voluntary carbon market. My main motivation has always been to restore our state’s coast and always will be.

How did your time at CC&E prepare you for this job?
There was a tremendous amount of on-the-job training, particularly with respect to learning Senate rules and procedure. But working on working on the Hill is not terribly different from being a grad student! American democracy really is just one big experiment. My time at CC&E sharpened by research and experimental design skills, and I feel far more confident in my ability to craft sound, evidence-based federal policies.

Now that you’ve worked in a senator’s office, what do you want people in Louisiana to know about the federal legislative process?
I hope folks know that there are good, hard-working people who show up to work every day with the goal of finding solutions to the challenges we face.  

Any advice for students who are interested in being Knauss Fellows?
Apply! The Knauss Fellowship is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to help shape the nation’s coastal and marine policy.