THE GRADUATE SCHOOL

Schmidt Science Fellows Program Applications Due June 17

Northwestern University will nominate up to seven doctoral students/alumni for the Schmidt Science Fellows Program conducted in partnership with The Rhodes Trust.

The program allows students with extraordinary records of leadership in STEM to spend 12-24 months conducting research tangentially related yet pertinent to their doctoral work in a world-class laboratory and participate in a series of global seminars. Fellows will enjoy an annual stipend of $100K and their conference expenses covered in full.

Doctoral students and alumni with a demonstrable record of leadership who have defended or will defend a Northwestern PhD between June 1, 2021 and July 30. 2022 should send e-pardoe@northwestern.edu a single PDF file that includes the following components: curriculum vitae and response to the following application prompts.  The doctoral adviser and 4-7 additional recommenders should email confirmation of the applicant’s eligibility and a letter of support to the same address.

Materials must arrive by 8:00 AM CDT on Thursday, June 17 to receive consideration. The fellowship requires all applicants to successfully complete a university conduct check.

Applicants will learn the outcome of the campus process and nominees will register their online applications by Thursday, July 1.

The nominees will have until Tuesday,August 31 to prepare their final applications.

Please review the program details below:

PROGRAM STRUCTURE

A one-year postdoctoral placement in a leading laboratory, anywhere in the world to undertake research at a distinct interdisciplinary pivot from your PhD

$100,000 USD personal stipend

Bespoke academic and professional mentoring with renowned international experts

A Global Meeting Series in international locations delivering training in:

• Leadership & management
• Personal effectiveness
• Funding & finance
• Broadening interdisciplinary perspectives
• Engaging in society
• Developing communities

Candidate Criteria

In order to be eligible for nomination to the Schmidt Science Fellows application process, candidates must meet the following requirements:

• Have conducted their graduate degree in the natural sciences (Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Earth Sciences), Engineering, Mathematics, or Computing – and all sub-disciplines therein.

• Have completed, or expect to complete, all of the requirements for the conferral of their PhD in one of these fields between 1 June 2021 and 30 July 2022.

• Be available for the entire period of the 2022 program, from July 2022 to September 2023 including attendance at each Global Meeting (whether virtual or in person, as conditions allow).

Individuals wishing to be considered for the Schmidt Science Fellows program must be nominated by a designated senior official at one of our nominating institutions and successfully complete a university conduct check.

We are committed to equality of opportunity for all candidates. Applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, gender, gender identity, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, parental status marital or civil partner status, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, nationality, religion or belief.

Please note, the application and selection process, as well as the delivery of the Schmidt Science Fellows program, is only available in English and all engagement with the program must be in English.

Selection Criteria

We are looking for the brightest minds in the natural sciences, mathematics, engineering, and computing who are interested in broadening their horizons, pivoting from their PhD research and pursuing a challenging and rewarding period of study with the world’s leading academics and institutions. Schmidt Science Fellows are expected to be future science leaders and should demonstrate a keen interest in harnessing interdisciplinarity, and interaction with wider society, to galvanize collaboration, and lead and inspire teams to accelerate discovery.

Applications for the Schmidt Science Fellows program will be judged against the following selection criteria:

• Intellect
  • Extraordinary Achievement
    Clear record of academic achievement of the highest quality in the sciences and an extraordinary degree of intelligence.
  • Scientific Curiosity
    High degree of intellectual curiosity combined with energy and creativity; a record of continuous innovation and/or use of new technologies.
• Programmatic Fit
  • Alignment with the Program
    Interest in pursuing 12-24 months of postdoctoral study in a field different from the applicant’s PhD discipline and a belief that interdisciplinary science and the taking of appropriate scientific risks are important for the advancement of discovery.
  • Collaborative Spirit
    History of effective collaboration with diverse team members.
• Leadership
  • Global Ambition for Social Good
    Desire to use one’s personal talents and science to make a positive difference in society and the world.
  • Character and Leadership
    Genuine and demonstrable potential for science leadership; displaying perseverance, resilience, a moral compass, and a galvanizing force of personality.

Following a rigorous screening and interview process, the class of Schmidt Science Fellows will be announced in July 2022.

Research Statement

We ask you to provide an indicative title describing the area of research you intend to pursue; a research statement describing your potential postdoctoral studies and, as the area of postdoctoral study during the Fellowship must be sufficiently different from the field of study in which you received your doctorate, we also ask that you provide a brief outline describing the interdisciplinary elements of your proposal.

Title for the proposal*

Present a clear outline of the interdisciplinary nature of your proposal (in up to 200 words)*

Describe your Post-doctoral research plan (in up to 1000 words). This does not have to be linked to a specific lab at this stage.*

Options for Placement:
The aim of this section is to prompt you to start thinking broadly, deeply, and globally about where you may undertake your Fellowship placement early in the application and selection process.

Please briefly describe your goals for Placement and we then request that you consider and outline three potential host labs for your Fellowship studies. At least one of these should be outside of the country in which you are studying for your PhD and at least one of these should be in a lab outside of the USA. We do not require you to have contacted potential host labs (although you may choose to do so), and we do not require you to have secured a position at this stage.

Name:

Reason for consideration (max 150 words)*:

Personal Statement:
We ask that you provide a personal statement describing your personal motivations and interests and a separate statement outlining how the Schmidt Science Fellowship would benefit you.

Describe your personal motivations, qualities and interests (in up to 500 words)*

Describe how the Schmidt Science Fellows program would benefit you (in up to 500 words)*

Research Highlights:

The reviewers will have reviewed all of your application materials. However, should you progress to the Final-Selection interview stage we would like to provide you with the opportunity to highlight up to three outputs which you feel are particularly impactful (note, this does not necessarily have to be peer-reviewed / published work if you wish to highlight other kinds of output).

Please provide a short summary (for a non-specialist audience) of three research outputs that you would like to highlight and then briefly describe the scientific / wider impact (or potential impact) of this piece of work.

Contact

Please contact Elizabeth Lewis Pardoe, Director, Office of Fellowships (e-pardoe@northwestern.edu), with any questions.

Categories: Fellowships