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ICANN Fellowship Selection Committee

ICANN Fellowship Program


Superseded by https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/committee-2012-02-25-en

9 September 2016

The ICANN Fellowship Selection Committee (FC) is responsible for assessing all vetted Fellowship applications received through the online application system, to determine which applicants have best met the posted Applicant Selection Criteria for the program.

Additionally, committee members are asked to:

  1. Act as a resource to the ICANN Board and staff by providing information and feedback on the planning, implementation and evaluation of the Fellowship program as needed during their time of service
  2. Conduct outreach in support of the Fellowship Program and to help create a pool of potential future members of the selection committee

Membership Makeup

  1. The FC shall be made up of no less than four and no more than five representatives from the global Internet community who have a strong history of experience with some specific sector (s) of the Internet Ecosystem including but not limited to technical Internet issues; work in government, academia, commercial or non-commercial work; work with ICANN or other Internet entities; work involving underserved and /or under represented countries and/or Internet related development work, or affiliation/knowledge of other fellowship programs.
  2. Makeup to reflect more sector balanced than regionally balanced
  3. Membership is at the invitation of ICANN staff, who may utilize recommendations from the ICANN communities to canvas for potential candidates

Terms of Service

  1. Members are asked to serve for a minimum of one year (3 rounds) and a maximum of two years (6 rounds), starting with members selection in calendar year 2017
  2. Members may resign at any time if circumstances arise that prevent them from effectively performing their function
  3. Members transition off the FC one member at a time when possible to maintain continuity of experience and information
  4. The FC will meet in person at an ICANN Public meeting once per year, preferably at either Meeting A or C. If required, additional meetings of the FC shall be held via conference call during the Fellowship application assessment period

Application Assessment and Decision Making Process

  1. The number of fellowships available will vary dependent on number of qualified candidates, the location of meeting, and budgetary constraints per round
  2. Each FC member assesses the application responses which relate to the posted applicant criteria:
    • Why a new applicant or returning alumni feels participation in ICANN and specifically in the Fellowship Program is important for this particular meeting
    • Has this country where the applicant resides ever been represented at ICANN meetings before; is it considered underserved and/or under represented within ICANN?
    • Has the applicant ever attended an ICANN Public meeting before? If so, what experience has been gained, how was this utilized
    • Has the applicant ever been selected as a Fellow and if so, how was that experience utilized and what are the goals for this meeting based on that experience
    • What is the applicant's knowledge base and level of expertise about ICANN, either from a newcomer or alumni point of view
    • Is the applicant themselves in a position or is the applicant from a group, organization or governmental department that makes it possible for him/her to influence Internet policy at home or in his or her region
    • Has the applicant expressed financial hardship and/or efforts to fund self previously through other means in order to attend
    • Is the applicant willing to complete feedback material as well as actively participate in ICANN work, in and away from ICANN Meetings as well as remain engaged in the Fellowship Alumni network
    • Based on feedback received from ICANN Global Stakeholder Engagement and Policy staff, does this applicant bring needed expertise and experience into a region, sector or community within ICANN
  3. FC members individually assess and score each application using the Applicant Selection Criteria and Assessment Scoresheet. The FC members will then send that individual scoring information to ICANN, which is summarized within the application database.

ICANN Staff will fill the slots for each Program based on these assessments and scores, mindful of the need for quality candidates from all regions and sectors, including those from underserved and/or under represented communities, along with sectors that still lack diverse representation within ICANN.

Current Committee Members:

  • Aftab Siddiqui – Asia Pacific: Serving through Summer 2018 (Chief Technologist at Eintellego Networks Pty Ltd, an active member of APNIC, appointed by APNIC to the ASO Advisory Committee, Co-Chair SANOG PC).
  • Sorina Telenau – Europe: Serving through Summer 2019 (Currently working on regional Internet Governance Programs, previously held a seat on the GAC for Romania and is an alumni of the Fellowship Program).
  • Demi Getschko – Latin America: Serving through Fall 2016 (Director and President of NIC.br as well as a former member of the ICANN Board)
  • Christine Arida – Western Asia: Serving through Spring 2016 (Director for Telecom Services and Planning at the NTRA of Egypt, was among the team who first introduced the Internet in Egypt, as well as launching Egypt's Arabic ccTLD, a member of IGF MAG and secretariat of the Arab IFG; member of the Middle East Strategy Working Group (MESWG)
  • Gaongalelwe ("Gao") Mosweu – Africa: Serving through Summer 2017 (Vice President of Botswana Information Technology Society; Country Marketing & Communications Manager at IDM Botswana; Passionate about ICT for Development; Member of the BOCRA Advisory Committee of .bw. Nominated as an Emerging Leader of the Digital World in 2011 by Diplo Foundation)

Past Committee Members:

  • Vanda Scartezini – Latin America – served 3 years / 9 rounds
  • Steven Huter – North America – served 3 years / 9 rounds
  • Erick Iriarte Ahon – Latin America – served 2 ½ years / 8 rounds
  • Pierre Ouédraogo – Africa – served 1 1/2 years / 5 rounds
  • Ayman El-Sherbiny – Western Asia – served 1 year / 3 rounds
  • Hong Xie – Asia Pacific – served 3 years / 9 rounds
  • Nashwa Abel Baki – Western Asia – served 3 years / 9 rounds
  • Alejandro Pisanty – Latin America – served 3 years /10 rounds
  • Tatiana Chirev – Eastern Europe - served 3 years / 10 rounds
  • Fahd Batayneh – Western Asia – served 3 rounds * now ICANN staff
  • Mouhamet Diop – Africa – served 3 years / 10 rounds
  • Gaurab Raj Upadhaya – Asia Pacific – served 3 years / 10 rounds
  • Nelly Stoyanova – Europe – served 3 years / 10 rounds
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