Category: Funding Opportunities

Opportunities for funding graduate education.

2014 James Smithson Fellowship Program

The Smithsonian Office of Fellowships and Internships (OFI) is currently accepting applications for the 2014 James Smithson Fellowship Program.

Named after our founder and funded through the generosity of past Smithsonian National Board Chair Paul Neely, this premier fellowship offers post-doctoral scholars in the fields of science, the humanities and the arts an opportunity to study the intersection between research and public policy in our nation’s capital.

This program combines the best of the Smithsonian’s vast scholarship and collections with its unparalleled access to leading thought leaders and policy-makers.

Fellowships last one year and include a stipend of $50,000.

Application deadline for the 2014 cycle is January 15, 2014.

Candidates must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and not more than five years beyond receipt of their Ph.D. degree by December 31, 2013.  Candidates with professional degrees are also eligible to apply.

2014 Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program

The Smithsonian Office of Fellowships and Internships (OFI) is currently accepting applications for the 2014 Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program.

Through this flagship fellowship program, graduate, pre-doctoral, and post-doctoral students – as well as conservationists and senior scholars – have the opportunity to delve into independent research and study across an incredible range of disciplines.

Smithsonian Institution Fellows have access to unparalleled collections, world-class scholars, and state-of-the-art facilities to explore science, art, history, and culture.

Fellowship awards range from 10 weeks to 2 years with stipends ranging between $6,500 to $50,000.

Application deadline for the 2014 cycle is January 15, 2014.

The program is open to US citizens and Non-US citizens. Applicants whose native language is not English are expected to have the ability to write and converse fluently in English.

California Science and Technology Policy Fellowships

CONTRIBUTE TO THE SCIENCE POLICY DISCUSSION IN CALIFORNIA BY APPLYING FOR A 2014-2015 CALIFORNIA SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY FELLOWSHIP!

Offered by the California Council on Science and Technology (CCST), the California Science and Technology Policy Fellowships place professional scientists and engineers in the California State Legislature for one-year appointments. These professional development opportunities enable fellows to work hands on with policy-makers to develop solutions to complex scientific and technical issues facing California through their interaction with the legislative process.

Student, Alumni and Faculty Research Opportunities at ORNL

Opportunities for qualified students and faculty to participate in hands-on research in a real-world setting with award-winning scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) – Oak Ridge, TN.

Higher Education Research Experiences (HERE)
  • Undergraduates, Post-BS and AAS, MS, PhD and Faculty – Science, Engineering, Technology and Mathematics (STEM) majors
  • Stipend based on academic status
  • Travel/Housing assistance (if eligible)
  • Full-time and part-time appointments
  • Professional development activities
  • Minimum GPA  – 2.5/4.0
  • U.S. Citizen or Legal Permanent Resident (LPR)

Nuclear Engineering Science Laboratory Synthesis Programs (NESLS)

  • Undergraduates, MS, PhD, and Post-MS or Postdoctoral – Majors related to Nuclear Science and Nuclear Policy; Engineering; Physics; Nuclear Medicine
  • Stipend based on academic status
  • Travel/Housing assistance (if eligible)
  • Full-time and part-time appointments
  • Professional development activities
  • Minimum GPA  – 3.0/4.0
  • Open to U.S. and International Citizenship
Visit http://www.orau.org/ornl or contact ORNL Education Programs at ornledu@orau.org for more information!

Summer Research – National Center for Toxicological Research

Summer research opportunities are available at the National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Jefferson, Arkansas.  This program is designed for science and mathematics students preparing for future careers in toxicology, regulatory science, or related scientific disciplines.  Selected individuals will participate in research projects on the biological effect of potentially toxic chemicals and the solutions to toxicology problems that have a major impact on human health and the environment.

Application deadline March 7, 2014

Applicants must be U.S. citizens at least 18 years of age at the time of appointment.
Must be students in good standing at an accredited U.S. college or university, or accepted as an entering graduate or professional student at an accredited college or university, with a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or higher (based on a 4.0 scale).

NSF and NASA announces funding opportunities

For Financial Support in Graduate School: Bridge to the Doctorate, IGERT and NSF Grad Research Fellowship programs provide generous stipend and tuition support for students through the National Science Foundation.

For Postdoc opportunities: More than 250 openings nationwide.

Check out NASA OSSI, a one-stop-shop for students applying for NASA opportunities.

For other NASA-supported internships, fellowships and scholarships

PEER-Power Africa funding opportunity – partnerships between US and African universities

Program Synopsis: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the National Sciences Foundation (NSF) are working together to support the third cycle of Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER) Science. PEER Science is a competitive grants program that invites scientists in developing countries to apply for funds to support research and capacity-building activities on topics of importance to USAID and conducted in partnership with their NSF-funded collaborators.

Contact Information: PEER Science is being implemented by the National Academies, which will manage the proposal review process and disburse and monitor grants awarded. Beyond the current program cycle, it is expected that solicitations for PEER Science will be issued at least annually, with details to be posted at http://www.nationalacademies.org/peerscience. For further information, please contact the program staff atpeer@nas.edu.

Topics: Areas in which both NSF and USAID have strong mutual interests include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Food security topics such as agricultural development, fisheries, and plant genomics
  • Climate change impacts such as water sustainability, hydrology, ocean acidification, climate process and modeling, and environmental engineering
  • Other development topics including disaster mitigation, biodiversity, water, and renewable energy

When writing their proposals, developing country applicants should consider how their proposed research and/or capacity building activities will contribute to USAID’s development objectives. Collaborative projects involving multiple developing countries that explore regional issues related to these development objectives are encouraged. Pending the availability of funds and the receipt of meritorious proposals, the majority of PEER Science funding will be awarded to projects related to the USAID development areas of interest specified above. Applicants are encouraged to consult the list of projects funded in Cycle 1 and Cycle 2 of PEER Science and in the special PEER-PIRE 2012 cycle for examples of the topics and types of projects supported. Proposals focused on basic science topics without clear relevance to USAID development objectives are strongly discouraged. In addition, no health-related research will be supported under PEER Science. Researchers working on health-related topics may wish to explore opportunities offered by the PEER Health Program.

For more information: http://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/dsc/peerscience/PGA_071743

Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship program

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi currently awards fifty-one Fellowships of $5,000 each and six at $15,000 each to members entering the first year of graduate or professional study.  Each active Phi Kappa Phi chapter may select one candidate from among its local applicants to compete for the Society-wide awards.

Eligibility:
Open to all active Phi Kappa Phi members or those who have:
  • accepted membership by June 30, 2014
  • applied to enroll as a full-time student in a post-baccalaureate program of study during the coming academic year
Please note:  Students registering in all professional and graduate fields are eligible.
Applicants who have successfully earned 10+ credit hours of graduate study or its equivalent on or before April 15 are not eligible.

Contact your chapter for application deadline information.  Chapter may submit one application to Society headquarters by April 15, 2014.  Recipients will be notified by June 1, 2014.

NPSC announces graduate fellowships

The National Physical Science Consortium is a partnership between government agencies and laboratories, industry, and higher education. NPSC’s goal is to increase the number of American citizens with graduate degrees in the physical sciences and related engineering fields, emphasizing recruitment of a diverse applicant pool.

The online NPSC application is now open here.  The deadline is December 8, 2013.  Applicants at any stage of their graduate program may apply, as long as they will be available to accept two summers of paid internship.

The NPSC Graduate Fellowship is unique in being:  open to all American citizens; lasting for up to six years; providing a $20,000 annual stipend; covering tuition; allowing a fellow also to hold a research or teaching assistantship; including one or two paid summer internships with a government agency; providing a mentor and the opportunity for a lasting relationship with the sponsor.

If you have interned, have been employed or are employed by a government agency or laboratory, ask your mentor or research supervisor to nominate you directly for an NPSC fellowship. Contact NPSC for details.

NRC announces Associateship Programs for 2014

The National Research Council (NRC) administers competitive graduate postdoctoral and senior research awards on behalf of 26 U.S. government research agencies and affiliated institutions with facilities at over 100 locations throughout the U.S. and abroad.

Annual stipends for recent PhD recipients for the 2014 program year range from $42,000 to $80,000 depending upon the sponsoring laboratory, and are appropriately higher for senior award recipients.  Graduate entry level stipends begin at $30,000 and are higher for additional experience.