doctoral research fellow meaning

• Defining Postdoc Fellows and Associates

Postdocs are appointed with the title postdoctoral fellow or postdoctoral associate depending on the type and source of funding. MIT Policies and Procedures provides detailed descriptions and requirements for  postdoctoral associate  and  postdoctoral fellow  appointments.

Postdoctoral Associate

The MIT title of postdoctoral associate applies to those who are paid a salary by MIT. Their salary is usually charged to a grant or contract secured by their faculty mentor, and the postdoc's research must be related to the aims of the grant or contract. 

Because these funding sources can be charged for employee benefit rates, postdoctoral associates are eligible for all  MIT employee benefits  as described by MIT's Benefits Office.

Postdoctoral Fellow

The MIT title of postdoctoral fellow applies to scholars who receive financial support in the form of a fellowship or stipend, usually from an outside agency, either directly or distributed through MIT on behalf of the sponsor. Typically, fellows are responsible for applying for a fellowship award. Fellowships allow postdocs to determine their research activities. 

Because of their funding source and appointment type, postdoctoral fellows are not considered employees of MIT, which impacts  eligibility for various benefits  and programs.

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What is a postdoctoral researcher/fellow?

A postdoctoral researcher/fellow is someone conducting research after the completion of their doctoral studies, typically a  Doctor of Philosophy  (PhD). Generally, the research is conducted as part of a temporary position or appointment within the University and is usually in preparation for an academic position. The postdoctoral position can be paid and may or may not be open to international students. ECU postdoctoral positions are advertised on our Employment web page.

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Published: 2 Nov 2023

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The PhD Student’s Guide to Fellowships

A start-to-finish guide to help you land the perfect fellowship. Thousands of fellowships at your fingertips…

Search hundreds of schools for the master's YOU want......

When pursuing a PhD, you have so many factors to consider: the college you attend, the faculty within it, the degree and its value, and, perhaps most important of all: the cost. It’s no secret that graduate school can have a hefty price tag, but what may fly under the radar are all the scholarship, grant, and fellowship opportunities available to students on the doctoral track.

This guide is all about fellowships. It covers the types of fellowships out there, explains how they work, provides key steps to landing one, and includes a list of the 25 best places to find the right fellowship for you. Learn what it takes to get the fellowship you need to make your PhD more affordable.

The 25 Best Places to Find PhD Fellowships

Each year, PhD students apply for and earn thousands of fellowships to fund research projects, dissertations, and other doctoral-level studies in their chosen fields. While this is great news, too many graduate students miss out on tremendous funding opportunities for one major and painfully unnecessary reason: they don’t know where to look. They may be aware of two or three fellowship listings, or their advisor may steer them toward an internal directory, but there’s so much out there to explore, from other colleges, the government, and private foundations across the United States. To help you find the fellowship you need to pay for your PhD, here are 25 of today’s best directories, listings, and search tools to put thousands of fellowships at your fingertips.

Colleges & universities:

Columbia University’s fellowship search: Nearly 200 fellowship opportunities available and searchable by keyword: https://ogp.columbia.edu/urf/opportunities/search

Duke University: Duke’s funding opportunities database houses nearly 1,100 fellowships available to PhD students in dozens of subject areas: https://researchfunding.duke.edu/search-results

MIT Finding Fellowships: More than 100 fellowships listed in architecture and design, science and engineering, environment and energy, humanities, and policy research. They also have an extensive list of fellowships specific to women and underrepresented minorities: https://sfs.mit.edu/graduate-students/guide/finding-fellowships/

Rutgers University Grad Fund page: An interactive keyword and filtering search tool with hundreds of fellowships listed. The tool allows you to drill down by award level, degree level, program, citizenship, stage of study, and activity: http://gradfund.rutgers.edu/advanced-search/

Stanford University Fellowships, Internships and Service Programs (FISP) Database: A searchable database with an estimated 500 fellowships: https://haas.stanfo rd.edu/students/fisp

UC Davis’s external fellowship database: 180 fellowships searchable by awarding agency, discipline, and funding type. (predoctoral or postdoctoral): https://ogp.columbia.edu/urf/opportunities/search

UCLA’s graduate funding page: Contains ~150 graduate and postdoc funding opportunities for both UCLA and non-UCLA students. Amounts range from less than $1,000 to more than $100,000: https://grad.ucla.edu/funding/

University of Chicago Fellowship Database: One of the fullest and most comprehensive fellowship databases available: https://grad.uchicago.edu/fellowships/

University of Illinois – Urbana Champagne’s Fellowship Finder: One of the most comprehensive and user-friendly databases out there, it contains more than 1,000 external fellowships for PhD students to peruse: https://app.grad.illinois.edu/fellowship/

University of South Carolina’s Fellowships and Scholar Programs: Contains 189 fellowships categorized by academic areas, areas of interest, student standing, and year for funding: https://sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/fellowships_and_scholar_programs/national_fellowships/competitions_and_deadlines/index.php

USC’s Awards and Fellowships Database: https://awardsdatabase.usc.edu/

Yale University’s Searchable Database: This database has unique search options that allow you to narrow down fellowships by type, e.g. research, tuition support, study abroad, and more: https://yale.communityforce.com/Funds/Search.aspx

Private foundations:

American Association of University Women (AAUW): https://www.aauw.org/what-we-do/educational-funding-and-awards/

American Psychological Association (APA): The APA offers a range of fellowships and scholarships for graduate students. Of course, all fellowship opportunities reside in psychology and related fields: https://www.apa.org/apf/funding/scholarships/index.aspx

Fastweb: An annotated list of more than two dozen prestigious fellowships for PhD students across multiple subjects and backgrounds: https://www.fastweb.com/college-scholarships/articles/prestigious-scholarships-and-fellowships

Ford Foundation Fellowship Program: Awarded to qualifying students in research-based PhD and ScD programs in the sciences, engineering, and medicine: http://sites.nationalacademies.org/pga/fordfellowships/index.htm

H-Net: Has a searchable database of fellowships specific to the humanities and social sciences: https://networks.h-net.org/

The Hertz Foundation: http://hertzfoundation.org/

IBM fellowships: The company offers dozens of fellowship each year in scientific areas such as AI/Cognitive computing, blockchain, cloud computing, data science, internet of things, quantum computing, and security: http://www.research.ibm.com/university/awards/phdfellowship.shtml

The National GEM Consortium: http://www.gemfellowship.org/students/gem-fellowship-program/

Pathways to Science: Nearly 200 fellowships listed for a variety of science-related disciplines: https://www.pathwaystoscience.org/programs.aspx?

Peterson’s: A database of 440 graduate fellowships searchable and filterable by numerous variables: https://www.petersons.com/graduate-schools/graduate-school-scholarships/

U.S. government:

Fulbright Program: An international program from the State Department with hundreds of research and fellowship opportunities worldwide. https://us.fulbrightonline.org/

National Science Foundation: https://www.nsf.gov/funding/education.jsp?fund_type=2

U.S. Department of Energy Science Graduate Fellowship Program (DoE SCGF): Dedicated to exemplary doctorate-level students in physics, biology, chemistry, mathematics, engineering, computational sciences, and environmental sciences: https://www.energy.gov/scholarships-and-fellowships

Comparing Fellowships to Other Funding Sources

When pursuing a degree, you have a variety of funding options available: loans, grants, scholarships, fellowships, internships, and assistantships. Each of these has pros and cons depending your situation. As a PhD student, the most common forms of academic financing are scholarships, fellowships, and assistantships. Here’s a glance at all three, along with a rundown of the nuances you need to know before you apply.

Scholarships

First and foremost, scholarships are free money. They don’t need to be paid back in any way, shape, or form. This makes them ideal. Scholarships can be need-based (according to your finances) or merit-based (related to short-term or long-term academic performance). For example, organizations, business, colleges, etc., award scholarships for any number of reasons, from essay contests and giveaways to long-term potential and overall promise in the classroom. For more information, read our full guide to scholarships and grants for PhD students .

Assistantships

Mostly at the graduate level, an assistantship is basically a job on campus. The two most common forms of assistantship are teaching assistance (TA) or graduate research assistance (GRA). In the case of a TA, the graduate student may earn a stipend for leading undergraduate discussion groups or grading essays or exams. GRA duties may include helping a professor compile research for work on a manuscript.

Fellowships

So how do fellowships compare? Like scholarships, it’s free money. There’s absolutely no need to pay anything back to the granting organization. That said, some fellowships do come with a service commitment, which can last one or more years and involve interning. Unlike scholarships, most fellowships target a certain research topic or project at the graduate level. Because they’re mostly research-focused and specific to a student’s academic track, they’re often highly sought after by PhD students.

The Fellowship Fine Print

Are fellowship dollars taxable? Usually not. Fellowship funds that go toward tuition, fees, and other education-centered needs are tax-free and can’t be touched by Uncle Sam. However, any fellowship dollars that go toward travel, personal bills, or other non-education-related needs may be considered taxable income. Make sure you check with your college and an accountant when receiving (and using) your fellowship funds. The same goes for scholarship money, too.

Types of Fellowships

Finding the right fellowship begins with knowing your options. There may be thousands of fellowships out there, but they come from a variety of distinct sources, begin and end at different stages of the doctorate process, and often have unique requirements. Before diving down the research rabbit hole and filling out applications, start broad and narrow your search from there. This will help you better gauge the type of fellowship that fits your academic program and career path.

Fellowships by Funding Source

A doctoral program may weigh down your wallet, but most colleges and universities want to make the experience more affordable for you. Many institutions offer internal fellowships that give their own PhD students that chance to advance their research or dissertation work while contributing to scholarship at the university. These fellowships often run for the academic year and vary from $1,000 to $50,000, although most are enough to cover much or all of a student’s tuition, fees, and living expenses for the duration.

The government, non-profit organizations, and private companies all want talent. One way to attract the top minds of today and tomorrow is with money and opportunity. Specifically, funding advanced research in a student’s area of interest and that jives with the organization’s mission. Depending on the entity, external fellowships can run between $1,000 and $150,000+. These fellowships are highly competitive but can be equally as lucrative.

Fellowships by Doctorate Progress

Pre-dissertation.

Student-focused, i.e. coursework and exams. More flexible in topical area.

Dissertation research

Directed by topical area and a detailed student plan. If external, the organization wants to know if the student will have the faculty support and resources necessary to complete a top product.

Dissertation completion

To help student complete the paper and defense portion of the dissertation process.

Fellowships by Purpose

Teaching abroad.

Teaching fellows abroad help with courses under the supervision of course heads, who hold formal teaching appointments. Duties may include teaching sections, conducting tutorials, recommending grades, supervising independent study projects, and monitoring students’ progress toward their degrees.

Study abroad

Study abroad fellowships may cover language study or area-specific research or both. For example, the Camargo Foundation offers a two-month residential fellowship in Cassis, France for artists or scholars focused on French or Francophone culture.

Research projects

These fellowships cover research projects unrelated to dissertations. This could be anything with substantive research in the awarding organization’s area of focus. These types of fellowships can be found in numerous subjects, but often within health-related fields.

Fellowships by Coverage

Fellowships also vary by the type of compensation the PhD student receives. In many cases, the fellowship covers tuition, fees, and some or all of the candidate’s living expenses. However, fellowships also exist that either cover tuition & fees only, supply tuition waivers to non-residents, or, on the positive side, add in perks such as health benefits. When researching fellowships, make the stated compensation package has everything you need. The last thing you want to do is spend your time and energy applying to a full-time fellowship only to find out that it doesn’t include any help with rent.

Also keep in mind that fellowships, unlike many employment opportunities, do not include vacation time, travel expenses, holiday reimbursement, or other perks you may see with a private business. Make sure you plan for those, as well.

How to Apply for (and Win) a Fellowship

Now that you know where to locate fellowships and which types make sense for you, what’s the next step? How on earth do you go about preparing, applying, and getting your PhD foot in the proverbial door? Each fellowship and awarding organization is different, but a few common denominators exist regardless of where you’re applying. Here’s a look at four keys to applying for (and winning) a PhD fellowship:

Know the eligibility requirements…well. For every fellowship, know the requirements and follow everything to the letter. This includes the full list of all materials needed, as well as everything the awarding organization wants in a personal statement, research statement, work product submissions, etc. The last thing anyone wants is to fall short or get disqualified due to a technicality.

Know the organization’s goals…and how you fit. This might be the most important point. Departments, NGOs, non-profits, and private businesses award fellowships for a reason – to further their research and capabilities in a specific area, and/or to attract and retain top talent. When applying to a fellowship, take the organization’s mission to heart. Of course, you should be applying to fellowships that fit your academic and professional goals anyway, but highlighting that relationship in your application materials can go a long way.

Get recommendations…from the right people. Make sure your recommenders can speak to your qualifications personally and in detail. Select professors and mentors who know your strengths, weaknesses, and can discuss how you will contribute to the field and why you will succeed. Awarding organizations want to know, with as much certainty as possible, that they’re picking the right fellows.

Get feedback…from multiple qualified people. Similar to your recommendations, ask professors and other subject-matter experts for candid and constructive feedback. Many professors have either gone through the fellowship process before or have been fellows themselves. Not only can they help you with the big application asks, but also with the finer and seemingly trivial details.

Further Reading

We always try to include as much relevant information as possible. But with so many great websites out there, it would be crime not to share other fellowship resources that could help you find and earn the money you need. Check out these top online (and free) sources.

• How to Prepare for Prestigious National Scholarships , from the Office of National Scholarships and International Education, New Mexico State University
• How to Win a Graduate Fellowship , Michael Kiparsky, from Chronicle Careers, The Chronicle of Higher Education
• Preparing a Successful Fellowship or Grant Application , Ernesto Chávez, Miroslava Chávez-García and Luis Alvarez, from the newsletter of the Organization of American Historians: August 2009
• Scholarly Pursuits: A Guide to Professional Development During the Graduate Years , Cynthia Verba, from The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University

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• UK Universities – Academic Titles and Hierarchy Explained
• Doing a PhD

In UK universities, the academic titles and the order of their academic rank are: PhD student, postdoc research fellow, assistant lecturer, lecturer, senior lecturer, reader, professor, named professor and head of department.

Introduction

Understanding the academic titles and ranking hierarchy of UK universities is fundamental if you want a smooth start to your PhD. It’s a pity it’s also a topic which is commonly overlooked and not explained well nearly anywhere. With this in mind, we’ve outlined what the typical academic titles are, what they mean and where they sit in the overall hierarchy.

It’s important to note that not all UK universities follow the same terminology for academic titles. In fact, we’re increasingly seeing several universities adapt some of these titles to their own version. This is especially the case among Russell Group universities such as the London School of Economics (LSE) and University College London (UCL). Despite this, they still resemble their more traditional titles, so it’s still possible to distinguish the position and academic rank of a member of staff.

PhD Student

A PhD student is a postgraduate who is actively undertaking a research degree with a recognised institution.

The length of their studies depends on both their discipline and whether they are enrolled in a full or part-time programme. Usually, a PhD student will spend three to four years completing their degree.

During this time, they will undertake original research, produce a thesis and defend their work during an interview known as a ‘ viva ’. Besides this, they may also attend seminars and conferences, deliver presentations to their industry and collaborate with external institutions.

Upon successfully completing their doctorate, the individual will carry the title of Doctor (denoted by the initials ‘Dr’). This is true for all individuals regardless of which discipline their research relates to.

It’s worth noting that although a PhD is the most common doctoral degree, doctorate students could be anyone undertaking a DPhil, DBA, DProf, EdD, EngD, MD etc.

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

PostDoc Research Fellow/Research Assistant

A PostDoc Research Fellow or Research Assistant is a postgraduate doctorate holder working in research.

Whilst both positions undertake similar work, a PostDoc Research Fellow typically has greater independence and responsibilities. This means they can influence the overall direction of the research, and whilst a Research Assistant can do so as well it will be to a lesser extent.

Assistant Lecturer

An Assistant Lecturer is the most junior teaching position regarding the overall ranking of academic titles. They are usually only temporary positions, such as an individual covering for another lecturer during a period of absence.

Some Assistant Lecturers will be PhD students on Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs). GTAs are programmes which, alongside their studies, require a doctoral student to assist in the learning of undergraduate students. This will typically involve leading tutorials, marking coursework and hosting laboratory sessions. Besides this, they may also support lectures if their knowledge and relevant experience allow for it.

A Lecturer is also considered a junior academic staff member. Their primary responsibilities are on meeting the educational needs of students. As such, their most common duty is to teach but may also extend to undertaking research and minor administrative tasks.

Most lecturers will be PhD holders and so would be referred to as ‘Dr’. However, this isn’t always the case with some individuals who haven’t undertaken a doctorate but still possess extensive experience and knowledge to teach. Although these individuals are few, they are more common in non-STEM fields.

Senior Lecturer

The responsibilities of a Senior Lecturer extend further than that of a normal Lecturer, with the addition of leading and supervising research and greater administrative tasks.

A Reader is an academic individual with both senior-level experience and an international reputation for their academic or research contributions. In terms of hierarchy, they are more distinguished than Senior Lecturers, largely because of their international presence, but below Professors due to not having yet contributed as a substantial amount.

Interestingly, universities established after 1992 use the title ‘Principle Lecturer’ in place of Reader. Other than the terminology, the titles refer to the same position.

Note: Some universities adopt the academic title ‘Associate Professor’ instead of Senior Lecturer.

A professor is the highest academic title and denotes an individual at the top of their respective field. This individual would have made significant scholarly contributions to their field.

In EU countries such as Germany and France, a faculty member has to sit and pass a review before they can become a Professor. This review is undertaken by a panel of highly experienced academic professionals and requires the individual to produce a document outlining their contributions to their field before they can even be considered.

In the UK, a different approach is taken. Rather than being appointed by an independent review, it instead comes down to the university’s discretion whether they should be upgraded to a full professorship. However, nearly all UK universities mirror a very similar review process, with some universities also utilising independent panel members to ensure fair professoriate decisions are made.

According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency ( HESA ), approximately one in ten academic teaching staff members is a Professor.

Named Professor

A Named Professor is a Professor who has the honour of sitting in a ‘chair’. A ‘chair’ is a position named after an individual who made significant achievements in their field, and in some cases, dates back to individuals in the 16th century. Being a Named Professor is a prestigious professorship reserved for academics who have made achievements beyond that of a typical Professor role.

Note: Some universities, such as the University of Sheffield, adopt the academic title ‘Honorary Professor’ instead of Named Professor.

Head of Department

The Head of Department provides academic leadership to the department and is responsible for ensuring it upholds its high standards. The key activities of a Head of Department will differ depending on the breadth of its discipline and number of staff. However, their responsibilities will include ensuring the development of students, maintaining department-wide communication and overseeing research opportunities, financial management and overall quality assurance etc.

Faculty Dean

A Dean is in charge of the academic administration of a collection of related university departments known as a faculty.

There are many responsibilities to being a Dean, including:

• Representing all permanent staff members of the faculty.
• Undertaking strategic planning for the faculty’s direction and growth.
• Participating in internal review panels for staff title promotions.
• Lead research initiatives and facilitating faculty collaborations.

UK vs US Academic Titles

Other (not as common) professor positions.

Although not as common, a few universities also make use of the following titles:

• Visiting Professor  – A Visiting Professor is a professor who teaches on a short-term basis at one university, but officially belongs to another university.
• Professor Emeritus – A Professor Emeritus is an academic title in the UK given to retired professors who have made distinguished contributions to their field. Professors who are given this title usually continue to work with their university voluntarily.
• Research Professor  – A Research Professor is a full professor who specialises in research. Although they may teach from time to time, they will usually have very little ‘formal’ teaching responsibilities.
• Adjunct Professor  – An Adjunct Professor is a professor who primarily focuses on teaching and has a non-permanent contract. They are typically  non-tenured faculty positions and form most of the academic positions in US Higher Education Institutions.

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Postdoctoral Fellows are typically recent Ph.D. recipients who want to further their research careers by working in the labs of faculty members with complementary research interests.  These Fellows are usually invited by a Harvard faculty member to work in their lab. Candidates must have completed all of the requirements for the Ph.D., including thesis defense, before they can begin their appointment at Harvard. Postdoctoral Fellow appointments at Harvard University are yearly appointments, renewable for up to a maximum of 3-5 years.

Several of our faculty members have grants to support Postdoctoral Fellows. When these positions become available, they are advertised on our Psychology Department website and in the various online bulletin boards maintained by psychology journals, such as the American Psychological Society's  Observer  or the American Psychological Association's  Monitor .  

Several Postdoctoral Fellows come to Harvard with their own fellowship awards. These Fellows are usually divided into two groups. One group has fellowships that are administered through Harvard (e.g.,  NRSA  awards and other U.S. Federal awards) with one of the Harvard faculty members acting as the Principal Investigator. The other group has fellowships (usually through foreign institutions) that are paid directly to the Postdoctoral Fellow and are not administered through Harvard.  

Postdoctoral Fellows with funding administered through Harvard are eligible for benefits. The benefits payment structure can vary depending on whether the Fellow is paid from a faculty member's grant or from a fellowship. Benefits include 4 weeks of paid vacation, health insurance, dental insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, contributory life insurance, and tuition assistance. In addition, Postdoctoral Fellows, like all Harvard University employees, can purchase athletic stickers, discounted  MBTA  passes, and have access to a broad range of perks offered through Harvard University. 

The Department of Psychology sits within the Division of Social Science, which is strongly committed to creating and supporting a diverse workforce. Respect and fairness, kindness and collegiality, and trust and transparency are among the values we espouse and promote in our workplace culture. We work hard to ensure a healthy, inclusive and positive environment where everyone does their best work in support of Harvard’s mission. For more on our commitment to diversity, including, and belonging, see our departmental DIB Call to Action .

If you have questions regarding postdoctoral appointments, please contact Cass Ranno  in the Psychology Department Administrative Office. 

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National Academy of Sciences (US), National Academy of Engineering (US), Institute of Medicine (US), Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy. Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers: A Guide for Postdoctoral Scholars, Advisers, Institutions, Funding Organizations, and Disciplinary Societies. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2000.

Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers: A Guide for Postdoctoral Scholars, Advisers, Institutions, Funding Organizations, and Disciplinary Societies.

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3 Rights, Opportunities, and Responsibilities of the Postdoc

The fundamental purpose of a postdoctoral experience is to extend and deepen the postdoc’s scientific and technical abilities, either in the field of the doctorate or a different field. Because postdoctoral positions seldom require administrative or teaching duties, they provide unique opportunity for researchers to demonstrate originality, creativity, and productivity that will be primary contributors to their future success in research. In particular, postdocs have the opportunity to produce the lead or single author publications by whose quantity and quality they will be judged as they compete for their next professional position.

Responsibility for the postdoctoral experience is shared among the postdoc, adviser, institution, funding organization, and disciplinary societies. This chapter examines the rights, opportunities, and responsibilities of the postdoc, and the importance of postdoctoral activities in shaping a career.

• Rights of a Postdoc

When an adviser and institution accept a postdoc, that postdoc rightfully expects an experience that provides good training, education, and career enhancement. The following topics were discussed extensively by postdocs and advisers during COSEPUP’s focus groups and workshop in an attempt to determine “best practices.”

Clear terms of appointment

Practice description defining the postdoctoral position.

• The appointee has received a PhD or doctorate equivalent. 2
• The appointment is viewed as an apprenticeship—a training or transitional period preparatory to a long-term academic, industrial, governmental, or other full-time research career.
• The appointment involves full-time research or scholarship. 3
• The appointment is temporary.
• The appointee is expected to publish (and receive credit for) the results of research or other activities performed during the period of the appointment.

This definition draws on criteria suggested by the American Association of Universities (AAU, Committee on Postdoctoral Education, Report and Recommendations , Washington, DC, March 31, 1998) and by Vanderbilt University School of Medicine (presented by Roger Chalkey at COSEPUP’s December 1999 workshop on the postdoctoral experience).

E.g., the MD, DDS, DVM, or other professional degrees in science and engineering.

However, in some disciplines, such as mathematics, the postdoctoral experience commonly includes a major teaching element. Also, some postdoctoral experiences, such as the National Academies’ and AAAS Fellowships, introduce the postdoc to the field of public policy.

Once the postdoc is accepted, an appointment letter or contract should state the basic contractual framework, especially the stipend level, source of stipend, what benefits will or will not be provided (particularly medical), and for how long the grant that supports the postdoc is to be funded. (See Box, Appointment Letters .)

Practice Description Preparing for a Postdoctoral Position

The factors that determine a “good” postdoctoral experience are as various as the personalities involved. But certain key steps deserve careful planning.

Choosing a field . Foremost is the selection of the research area. A postdoctoral research project should be more than an extension of thesis research; it should lead to new skills and a broader outlook. The postdoc should understand in advance what portion of the work is likely to be transportable to his or her next position.

Finding a postdoctoral position . Most postdocs in our focus groups 4 found their positions through personal contacts—advisers, friends, and contacts from professional meetings. Many simply approached potential advisers directly with their qualifications and objectives. Few postdocs are hired after a simple response to ads in journals and on web sites, but such sources provide valuable tips about which institutions are hiring in which fields.

Choosing an adviser . Both experienced postdocs and advisers suggest a thorough investigation before signing on. Some postdocs place paramount importance on the prestige of the principal investigator; others emphasize mentoring ability. A researcher of renown has great power to help—or hinder—a career; a newer assistant professor may offer more attention, responsibilities, and a substantial role in building up a lab. In either case, it is desirable to: 1) arrange a personal meeting and 2) talk with current and former postdocs who have worked with that investigator or organization.

Several hundred postdocs, faculty, advisers, administrators, and federal agency staff generously offered their opinions, critiques, and personal experiences at 39 focus groups held around the country.

Higher compensation

Best practices questions to ask in choosing an adviser.

• What are the adviser’s expectations of the postdoc?
• Will the adviser or the postdoc determine the research program?
• How many postdocs has this adviser had? Where did they go afterward?
• What do current and past lab members think about their experience?
• Will the adviser have time for mentoring? Or should I seek out other mentors?
• How many others (grad students, staff, postdocs) now work for this adviser?
• How many papers are being published? Where?
• What is the adviser’s policy on travel to meetings? Authorship? Ownership of ideas?
• Will I have practice in grant writing? Teaching/mentoring? Oral presentations? Review of manuscripts?
• Can I expect to take part of the project away after the postdoc?
• How long is financial support guaranteed? On what does renewal depend?
• Can I count on help in finding a position?
• Will the adviser have adequate research funds to support the proposed research?

Best Practices Appointment Letters

By tradition, postdocs have often been invited to work in a researcher’s lab with no more formality than a phone call or a handshake. Institutions are now beginning the good practice of issuing a formal letter of appointment that contains important contractual elements. The following model is offered to faculty by the postdoctoral office of one university:

Initial Letter of Appointment Outline

• Offer of postdoctoral position, with brief explanation of research project.
• Effective date of appointment, amount of stipend, source (and expiration date) of funding, and payroll information.
• Length of appointment (e.g., annual, with reappointment contingent on satisfactory performance).
• Leave policy.
• Copy of institutional policies attached with letter.
• Health insurance information and requirements and a description of the other benefits provided and (equally important for the postdoc to know) not provided.
• Intellectual property policy and agreement (enclosed for signature).
• Work eligibility requirements for US citizens and foreign nationals.
• Request for proof of doctoral degree (diploma or registrar statement).
• Request for candidate’s signature and return of letter by given date.

In return for working on the adviser’s project and with low monetary compensation, the postdoc has the right to expect good mentoring: oversight, feedback, sympathetic consultation, and periodic evaluations. There should be opportunities to present posters and papers and to learn manuscript writing and grant proposal writing. The mentor-trainee relationship can be crucial in helping the postdoc understand the context of his or her research and the requirements of a career focused on advanced research.

The postdoc shares responsibility for making this relationship work, and should understand the multiple demands on the adviser’s time. Like any personal relationship, the success of mentoring depends on good will and clear communication by both parties.

Practice Description Postdoctoral Stipends

Many postdocs, especially in the life sciences, are dissatisfied with the package of compensation and benefits they receive. Stipends vary by a factor of two or more among institutions, some of which have now begun to experiment with more equitable formulas.

The NIH , because of its dominance in providing support for postdocs, sets a widely used standard with its National Research Service Award (NRSA) scale, whose stipends begin at $26,256 and peak at $41,268 after seven or more years of experience. The scale is not intended to be a model for others, but it has become a de facto benchmark for many institutions and funding organizations.

Amid complaints that the NIH scale is unfairly low for experienced researchers, a number of institutions have designed their own standards. The University of Iowa , for example, decided to set the salaries of postdocs paid from research grants at twice the graduate student stipend, partly on the basis that postdocs spend all their time on research and a student spends half time. This computes to a salary in the mid-to-upper 30s, and is accompanied by full benefits (except retirement and vacation accrual, which the university plans to include in the future).

The National Institute of Standards and Technology has decided on the standard of the average salary of a land-grant-university assistant professor—now about $50,000—plus $5,500 in travel allowance.

Other institutions have adopted different formulas to supplement stipends that are deemed insufficient. At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology , for example, the physics department brings any postdoc stipend up to a minimum of $32,000 to compensate for the cost of living in the Boston area.

The compensation issue has evoked the suggestion that stipends should be increased even if it means reducing the number of postdocs. Officials at the University of Notre Dame adopted this strategy for graduate students at the beginning of the 1990s on the premise that “getting better students was more important than getting more students.” They increased the undergraduate GPA and total general GRE scores of the graduate students accepted. It was not clear that the strategy reduced the number of applicants accepted, between 1992 and 1999.

It is clear that postdoc compensation is low relative to the compensation of others with comparable skills and education. Postdocs are also entitled to non-monetary forms of compensation, specifically, to guidance in furthering research and other career skills and in advancing a professional career. For many, these forms of compensation are necessary to a successful postdoctoral experience. Those who do not feel the need for guidance (e.g., people who have been post-docs for five or more years and function essentially independently believe they are already “junior colleagues” of their adviser) often express the greatest displeasure over low stipend levels. (For further discussion of compensation issues, see Levels of Funding in Chapter 6 .)

COSEPUP Survey Results Does Your Organization Establish Minimum and/or Maximum Stipend Levels for Postdocs? If “Yes,” Please Specify Dollar Values. If “No,” Why Not?

Slightly more than half the organizations answered “yes.” Among universities, minimum levels tended to follow the NIH scale (now $26,256 for the first year); a few were lower. At national laboratories and facilities, most salaries began in the $40,000–50,000 range, with lows between $30,000 and $40,000 and a high of $80,000. Some national labs offered “add-on” amounts for “critical skills,” from $2,000 to $10,000. In industry, stipends beginning between $30,000 and $40,000 were common.

For “no” responses, institutions listed a range of ambiguities that inhibited the establishment of uniform stipend levels, including the wide variety of job titles and policy differences among departments, schools, or laboratories. Several institutions reported that policies were being prepared.

Multiple mentors

Some advisers who are excellent researchers may have insufficient time or ability to be good mentors. For this reason, several institutions encourage and even require postdocs to seek out multiple mentors or “mentoring committees.” The purpose of such committees is not to alter the authority of the PI, but to provide additional perspective and feedback from experienced colleagues. In a broader sense, postdocs can benefit from a diverse community of mentors (representing a range of skills and experience), ranging from peers in the lab to senior investigators in other fields.

Health benefits

Postdocs who are categorized as employees usually have access to insurance and other institutional benefits, such as dental insurance, short-term leave, life insurance, and retirement funds. Problems arise, however, among postdocs who bring their own fellowships, which may or may not include health coverage. This problem is especially troublesome for postdocs with families. Some institutions are setting an example by requiring and/or providing universal access to health insurance for postdocs.

Support in planning a career and finding a job

A postdoc who focuses solely on research may neglect essential steps of career planning. These include acquiring technical and careers skills that will be needed for desired positions, preparing for the next grant or position, publishing results, and building a professional network. Both the adviser and the institution should be sources of assistance in all these areas.

Best Practices Is a ‘Hot Lab’ the Best Lab?

Many graduate students and pre-graduate students assume that a “hot topic” lab is the best lab for postdoctoral work, but hot researchers may or may not provide good mentoring. An indication of effective mentoring may be found in the published record. One mentor advises looking back 10 to 20 years in a major literature database (e.g., Medline for postdocs on the life sciences) and selecting first authors of excellent papers from the lab of the proposed mentor (in most biomedical labs the mentor is the last author). Then fast-forward to the most recent three years and check for citations from the first list of names, especially as first or last author. If the collective first authors of earlier years are producing first-rate, interesting papers today, their previous training may have played an important part. This method is helpful only for evaluating senior mentors; however, for more junior mentors, the best information may come from current and former lab members.

• Opportunities of Postdoctoral Experience

A postdoc is emerging from the world of students to the broader world of professional research. A postdoctoral apprenticeship offers numerous opportunities to make this transition.

Independence

In graduate school, it is common (though not universally so) for students to work within the structure of the adviser’s research program. Many, but not all postdocs work toward greater autonomy and self-direction. Especially in universities and smaller labs outside academia, the goal of the postdoctoral experience may be to become an independent researcher capable of every step of professional research: designing research programs, publishing as senior author, finding grant support for research, and supervising others. These postdocs may have the responsibility for a clearly defined program and work under the supervision of a single adviser. In other kinds of facilities, especially those of industry and government, postdocs may work in teams of dozens or even several hundred researchers. The goal here may not be to achieve independence in a literal sense, but to mature into interactive and effective team members.

Best Source of Job Advice for Postdoctorates: Biochemistry & Mathematics. Source: Science , 1999, Vol. 285, pp. 1518.

Professional meetings

Most postdocs are aware of the importance of attending professional meetings to network, to present the results of research, and to gain experience in the larger research community. Many postdocs, however, must depend for travel funds on their advisers, whose travel policies vary. Some advisers encourage postdocs to attend meetings; others are reluctant to provide travel funds or allow time for extramural activities. Most postdocs feel the need to attend a minimum of one national meeting a year, preferably two. NIH policy, for example, is to support the travel of its on-campus trainees to one meeting a year, with the opportunity for additional competitive travel awards.

Professional meetings provide excellent opportunities to meet colleagues and build a professional network of students, other postdocs, and senior researchers. Research communities are relatively small, and meeting one’s peers can have lasting importance in finding collaborators for joint projects and contacts who may lead to rewarding employment. For example, the American Chemical Society estimates that 75–85 percent of its members find their jobs through networking. 8 Networking is a process where “more is better,” because meeting the right person is often a matter of serendipity.

• Responsibilities of a Postdoc

Postdocs have dual responsibilities: They must acquire the experiences they need to advance their careers and contribute to the program of their adviser through research accomplishments and interaction with others. Meeting both objectives is most likely when the adviser and postdoc communicate well and share similar expectations.

Career development

Postdocs (with the support of their advisers) must take ownership of their professional development. They need to learn not only the use of new research tools, but also ways to access special resources (such as national and international labs, centers, and multi-user facilities) and to keep up with the exploding streams of scientific communication.

The chances for a satisfying career can be increased through regular attendance at seminars, “getting known” through publications and meeting attendance, course work related to the area of research, integrating research into teaching experiences, developing possible collaborations, and developing skills in grant writing, reviewing, and oral and written communication. This “continuing education” can increase versatility and the chance for a rewarding career.

Intrinsic to “taking ownership” of a career is the element of taking control, of making and seizing opportunities. Timidity is not productive. Rather than waiting for invitations or instructions, successful postdocs ask for what they need, find their own new resources, meet new people, and solicit invitations to speak about their work. Developing a proactive mindset hastens the journey from student to professional. Not all advisers will welcome such initiatives. Their negative reactions can often be ameliorated by improved communication. In very difficult situations, the postdoc may need to consider an alternative situation.

Communicating

Good communication is an essential responsibility of both postdoc and adviser. Postdocs must clearly articulate the skills or training they need; advisers must clearly explain the needs of the laboratory or institution. These needs are most likely to be met if the postdoc steps forward with questions and if the adviser takes the time to listen. The postdoc must also communicate with the institution when help is required.

Contributing to the institution

The more postdocs are able to support the program of their adviser, the greater their value as team members. This can lead to a richer research experience, the respect of other group members, and support in developing a career in the future. In addition to getting the work done, good practices include keeping up with the latest advances, communicating them to others (including the adviser), and interacting regularly with others in both the group and the institution. Expectations about the postdoc’s contributions to the immediate community should be discussed carefully with the adviser and other lab members.

Planning for departure

Departure should not be delayed without good reason; the postdoc should neither be pressured to work indefinitely for the adviser, nor become overly comfortable in what should be a finite apprenticeship. If success in the research has proved elusive, the postdoc may be tempted to extend the stay, even indefinitely. This is not always a wise course. These and related issues should be discussed openly between postdoc and adviser from the beginning of the appointment: When should the planning process begin? What are the obligations of adviser and postdoc during and after leaving? Who inherits intellectual property rights—and the project itself—at the point of separation? A good rule of thumb is that the postdoc should begin a systematic job search at least a year before the end of his or her term. In reality, of course, timing is often determined by a job offer. But expectations about departure should be broached and discussed both upon arrival and during periodic evaluations.

• Shaping a Career

Academia, government, or the private sector?

The postdoctoral tradition began in universities. Many faculty still place the highest value on careers in academia, and assume that their postdocs will follow them there.

Nonacademic careers, however, are both more common and more acceptable than in the past. In some fields (such as biotechnology, computer science, and electrical engineering), postdocs value nonacademic positions as highly as academic jobs. Even so, many postdocs lack up-to-date information about research careers. In a 1999 survey of junior scientists at the University of California at Berkeley, 55 percent of respondents said their advisers encouraged them to pursue academic jobs, but fewer than 1 percent were advised to obtain positions in industry, government, or the non-profit sector. 9 A second 1999 survey of post-docs at Berkeley indicated that the number anticipating careers as “a professor with an emphasis on research” had dropped from 69 to 59 percent since the beginning of their postdoctoral experience. Instead, they cited the goals of “research in industry or national lab,” “consultant,” or “start their own company.” The leading reasons given for this change were “difficulty obtaining an academic job” and “money.” 10

The first Berkeley survey noted a wide difference in salaries for academic and nonacademic positions. About half of the cohort of biochemists who earned PhDs in 1982–1985 were working outside academia in 1995. This group earned almost $22,000 more in median annual total salary (including all income sources) than those employed in the academic sector, where the median salary was $57,000.

Developing career skills

Once a postdoc can see the outline of a career, gaining the right skills can be the key to expanding choices and finding the right position. These skills include such general abilities as clear writing, public speaking, leadership, teamwork, teaching, and mentoring. Given the competition for research positions, experience in teaching can be a strong advantage, especially for academic employment. Teaching experience also prepares the postdoc to communicate with people who work outside research or specialize in other fields.

Job hunting

The job search usually begins with help from the adviser, whose professional contacts are invaluable. However, postdocs should also develop their own network of contacts. One adviser suggests: “Let your presence be known in the field; be as public as you can. Departmental meetings, professional meetings—take advantage of those ten minutes in the sun.” The search must be tailored to the desired sector. For example, teaching experience will be more valuable in an academic setting; an industry employer is likely to require evidence of good communication and team skills.

Career expectations and reality

The 1998 AAU study reported that two-thirds of postdocs expected to find a tenure-track position at a research university, but that only about one-fourth of “recent postdocs” had done so. (An additional one-fourth went to another postdoc and 10 percent went to non-tenure-track (but somewhat more regular than a postdoc) positions such as fellow, research assistant, and adjunct instructor.) A 10-year follow-up study of 23 PhD graduates from the 1987 class of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston showed similar results. Sixteen had permanent jobs, but only 10 were in research, with only five of those in tenure-track positions. Seven were still in postdoc positions a decade later. 11

Summary Points

Postdocs should have the opportunity to enhance their research experience, become independent researchers, become known through publishing and presenting their results at professional meetings, and advance their careers by networking with colleagues.

They have the right to clear terms of appointment, appropriate compensation and benefits, serious mentoring, and support in career planning and finding a regular position.

Postdocs have dual responsibilities: 1) to acquire the experiences they need to advance their careers, and 2) to contribute to the program through research accomplishments, personal growth, and interaction with others.

Postdocs share the responsibility with their adviser of communicating well regarding their progress and expectations.

In planning careers, more postdocs are finding opportunities in non-academic positions, but they must take the initiative to learn about acquiring the skills needed to qualify for entrance to growing employment areas, often outside their specialty.

Some women postdocs face special problems because of their gender, and have great difficulty in taking time to start a family.

Gaining the right skills can make a large difference in finding rewarding positions and expanding career choices. These include general abilities such as clear writing, public speaking, leadership, team-work, computer skills, teaching, and mentoring.

Profile A Successful Postdoctoral Experience

The elements of a successful postdoctoral appointment are as variable as the postdoctoral population. For one unabashedly upbeat postdoc on a laboratory fellowship (we’ll call her Sue), these elements included early preparation, supportive colleagues, a fascinating research topic, the opportunity to learn time management and self-reliance, and an effective—though somewhat distant—mentor.

• Early preparation : Even as a graduate student in geochemistry, Sue began building ties to the research group where she wanted to go as a postdoc. “To get the most out of an experience, you have to offer something. I did my graduate work in geochemistry; I wanted to work with a group in planetary physics, and I was able to show them that I had something to contribute. I began doing some projects with them while I was in graduate school, so the transition was relatively smooth. One of the best reasons to do a postdoc is to learn a new field, but it’s best to prepare the ground early.”
• Supportive colleagues : “I didn’t always know where I was going, but it was fairly easy to seek out good advice and constructive criticism both in my own institution and elsewhere. A big challenge, and a difference from graduate school, is that you’ve got to start putting together your own professional network of collaborators and friends with whom you’re going to be building your career. It’s a good habit to spend time every week meeting new people, networking, looking at people who are successful to see how they do it.”
• A topic of interest : “I loved my work, and this is one reason it was successful. I published 12 or 13 papers during three years as a postdoc, including one in Science. I got to work on a variety of problems without getting stuck in something too narrow. I was fortunate enough to have a great deal of freedom. I could follow my curiosity, and that allowed me to be very productive. I had the opportunity to propose my own research and get it funded.”
• Learning self-reliance : “I spun my wheels for the first few months, trying to figure out what to do first, but there were some advantages to that experience. If you’re going to be an independent researcher, sooner or later you’ve got to learn to fly the plane. When I was a grad student, I used to do all my own instrument work, because my time was cheap and there wasn’t anyone else to do it. When I became a postdoc, I was paid more and I had technical staff. I had a big adjustment in mindset about organizing better and making the wisest investments of my time.”
• Effective mentoring : “I saw my adviser several times a week. He wasn’t very involved with my research, but what he did was right for me. He was always supportive, gave me a long leash, and made sure I got to give talks at important conferences. He did this for all his postdocs—made sure that certain doors were unlocked. What you do with that advantage, once you go in that door, is your business. Again, you’re the one who’s going to fly the plane. In the end, I was fortunate enough to be hired by the same institution where I did my postdoc.”

Profile A Difficult Postdoctoral Experience

• Know when to cut your losses : In his first year, Joe tried several experimental approaches that failed to give results. His adviser was seldom in the lab to offer guidance, and Joe was slow to change direction. When he tried to consult other senior scientists, his adviser refused to allow it. “She felt this was interfering with her laboratory. In retrospect, I probably should have cut my losses and moved on. But there’s great pressure to keep going, to tough it out.”
• Understand your adviser’s policy on publication : In his third year, Joe had finally found a promising new direction, obtained results, and written them up for publication. His adviser, however, did not allow him to send out the paper because she felt it should be a “bigger story.” “The timing was critical for me. I had to be applying for jobs, and I had no publications. I was ready to have my work judged by my peers, and I was unable to do so. She finally rewrote and published the paper—after I’d left the lab.”
• Talk with former lab members before signing on : Joe talked only with current lab members, who he now knows are not in a position to be critical. Later he learned that he was the fifth postdoc to leave that particular lab without publications or jobs. “I should have talked with some former members, because they are freer to be honest. In a good training environment, postdocs are getting jobs and continuing their research. I might have saved myself a lot of difficulty.”
• Be clear about your agenda : He went on to do a second postdoc, with better—defined goals. “I needed publications, and I was frank about this with my second adviser. That lab was doing work in my field. I was offered a year’s support, and after that I knew I would be on my own. It was a fair offer, and clear. After nine months I was able to raise my own funding. I got my publications, the work came out well, and I entered the job market in good shape.”

NSF Issue Brief , December 2, 1998.

Numerous universities and some other institutions where COSEPUP held focus groups cited the NRSA scale in describing their mechanisms for setting postdoc stipends/salaries.

Nerad, M. and Cerny, J. “Postdoctoral patterns, career advancement, and problems,” Science , 1999, Vol. 285: pp. 1533–5. [ PubMed : 10477510 ]

As discussed in the Disciplinary Society Workshop sponsored by COSEPUP and held at the National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC, January 10, 2000.

Nerad, M. and Cerny, J. PhDs–Ten Years Later , a national study funded by the Mellon Foundation, 1999, with selected analysis funded by the NSF. A report on the study has been published in Science (cited above).

McPheron, L. and Nerad, M. “Results of a Survey of Postdoctoral Appointees at UC Berkeley,” University of California at Berkeley ([email protected]), 1999.

Bunk, S. The Scientist , 1998, Vol.12, 1, p.1.

• Cite this Page National Academy of Sciences (US), National Academy of Engineering (US), Institute of Medicine (US), Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy. Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers: A Guide for Postdoctoral Scholars, Advisers, Institutions, Funding Organizations, and Disciplinary Societies. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2000. 3, Rights, Opportunities, and Responsibilities of the Postdoc.
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What is the Value of a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship? Advance your research goals and diversify your skills before starting your professional career

The main goal of a postdoctoral fellowship is to develop your professional and academic skills while still under the mentorship of an experienced researcher. You will likely have more flexibility in terms of the funding you apply for and the direction of your research. The skills and experience you gain as a postdoc can be key to future applications to tenure-track faculty positions. A postdoc fellowship may also be advantageous to government agencies, nonprofit research organizations, research-focused corporations, healthcare centers, or other scientific/research-driven organizations, although not strictly required.

What should you expect from a postdoc fellowship?

• Further develop your skills to define a scientific question and test your hypothesis, with more independence than as a graduate student.
• Learn to run a lab of your own by mentoring junior scientists and laboratory staff.
• Find and apply for your own funding to demonstrate your ability to secure future funding.
• Learn to teach classes or seminars to develop the next generation of scientists.

Why should you pursue a postdoc fellowship?

• Diversifies your skill set outside of graduate work.
• Fills in the gaps in your technical knowledge.
• Provides time to refine your research goals.
• Pairs you with an expert in your field of choice in order to pursue research.
• Improves your technical and "soft" skills.
• Expands your publication record.
• Adds experience to your resume/CV.
• Expands your professional network.
• Offers an opportunity to change the focus of your research (or even change disciplines entirely).

One aspect to note is that while the average salary/stipend amount for a postdoc position is typically higher than that of the average graduate student, it may still be significantly lower than a permanent position in your field.

Meet some of the ORISE participants who are advancing scientific research and discovery

ORISE administers STEM education programs on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy and other federal agencies. The diversity of these programs enables individuals—whether undergraduate, graduate, postdoc, or faculty—to conduct collaborative research with national laboratories or at one of DOE's federal agency partners. Learn about how their research experiences have advanced their academic and professional careers.

Read success stories

Responsibilities of Postdoctoral Fellows and Faculty Supervisors

(revised 04/14/2021)

The Harvard Chan School of Public Health recognizes that postdoctoral research fellows are trainees working in an apprenticeship mode in preparation for a career as scientific professionals.  The mentoring provided to the postdoctoral fellow by the faculty mentor is critical to the fellow’s career development and advancement.

In addition, postdoctoral fellows are generally expected to function responsibly and autonomously within the school’s complex and decentralized environment.  Independent thinking and action are in fact requisite to successful careers in research.

Responsibilities of postdoctoral fellows include the following:

• Assume primary responsibility for the development of his or her research and career.
• Play an active role in seeking career and research advice, both from the faculty supervisor and from other faculty members as appropriate.
• Perform the research required by the faculty supervisor to a high standard and in accordance with all institutional and federal regulations.
• Participate in the postdoc career development and annual review process .
• Work in a collegial and cooperative manner with the faculty supervisor and other co-workers.

Responsibilities of Harvard Chan School faculty supervisors include the following:

• Ensure that mutually understood expectations and goals are in place at the outset of the postdoctoral training period.  This may be best accomplished during the review of the postdoc’s initial career development plan .
• Meet regularly (for example, once a month) to establish and foster a career development plan and to assess important aspects of the postdoctoral fellow’s progress.  In addition, complete the postdoc annual progress review as part of the postdoc career development and annual review process .
• Strike a reasonable balance between the postdoctoral fellow’s responsibility to participate in research directed by the faculty supervisor and opportunities to develop scholarship reflecting the postdoctoral fellow’s own interests.
• Respect the postdoctoral fellow’s individuality, working style, and career goals and be aware that the rate of progress of postdoctoral fellows will vary.
• Maintain an atmosphere in which the postdoctoral fellow feels free to approach him/her for advice or discussion of differences.
• Encourage each postdoctoral fellow to seek advice and collaborative opportunities from other faculty members, or even to identify a second mentor, since the training experience can only benefit from a variety of perspectives.
• Promote ethical standards for conducting research, including compliance with all institutional and federal regulations.
• Accord full recognition of the postdoctoral fellow’s contributions to scholarship, including appropriate authorship of published work.  (The School’s authorship guidelines provide guidance in this area.)
• Establish clear plans for how projects will be divided when fellows complete their training.
• Support the postdoctoral fellow’s use of the full benefits of his/her employment at Harvard Chan School, including vacation time.

Postdoctoral fellows and faculty supervisors may meet with Jennifer Ivers, Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, to resolve problems on an informal basis.  Harvard Chan School also provides a formal process for the resolution of issues that may arise between a postdoctoral fellow and his/her supervisor (see grievance policy ).

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Postdoctoral fellows

Postdoctoral fellows are individuals who have completed a doctoral degree and who are seeking the opportunity to train further in a particular area of research.

Postdoctoral fellows at UBC can be either employees or award recipients, depending on the job description, level of direction and nature of the research grant.

• A postdoctoral fellow is an employee where the individual plays a key role on a research team under the direction of and funded by the supervising faculty member.
• A postdoctoral fellow is an award recipient where the individual is awarded a competitive fellowship from an external granting agency, which may or may not be paid through UBC, or receives financial support from a sponsoring agency. Award recipients don't have an employment relationship with UBC. They independently work under the mentorship of a supervising faculty member at UBC.

For information specifically related to the different categories, such as benefits and leaves, please see  Postdoctoral Fellows as Employees  or Postdoctoral Fellows as Award Recipients .

Appointment type

Postdoctoral Fellows are researchers at UBC who are in training and work under the general supervision of a faculty member. Appointments as a Postdoctoral Fellow, according to Policy AP10 – Postdoctoral Fellows , are intended to be temporary positions that begin within five years of being awarded the Ph.D. degree or 10 years of being awarded the MD or DDS degree.

Exceptions will be considered where the research career has been interrupted by circumstances such as parental responsibilities or illness. The objective of such an appointment is to contribute to UBC’s research and teaching mission, and to strengthen one’s publication record and CV in order to build a reputation and enhance one’s chances of securing a more permanent faculty position in both teaching and research. The ranks are as follows:

• A Postdoctoral Fellow is a member of a research group or an individual researcher working under the general supervision of a faculty member and may assist with the supervision of graduate students.
• A Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow is an additional appointment for those Postdoctoral Research Fellows who are given formal teaching assignments. Postdoctoral Fellows can be involved in both undergraduate and graduate lecturing, laboratory instruction, tutorials, and supervision of undergraduate projects.

Please note that individuals who do not qualify for appointment as Postdoctoral Fellows may be considered for appointment as Research Associates .

Recruitment information for supervising faculty members

Advertising is not required for Postdoctoral Fellows. However, if an advertisement is placed, please ensure that the UBC faculty advertising guidelines  are followed. Please note there are no immigration restrictions regarding citizenship.

When recruiting Postdoctoral Fellows, faculty members should adhere to relevant legislation, such as the Human Rights Code of British Columbia and the Employments Standards Act. Information on human rights legislation is available from Faculty Relations. Faculty members will consider UBC’s employment equity goals when recruiting Postdoctoral Fellows.

Most often, a faculty member who has funding to support a Postdoctoral Fellow will conduct the selection process personally, or with other faculty members if there is joint funding for the position. Killam Fellowships and fellowships funded by external agencies are awarded by an adjudication process established by the external agency. In all cases, faculty members are encouraged to obtain letters of reference as well as following up with references either in person or by phone prior to offering an appointment.

Applying for positions

Interested individuals can check the faculties/departments of interest to them to see if there are any Postdoctoral Fellow positions available. Please visit the Faculty Career Opportunities page and apply as indicated.

Interested individuals may also directly contact a faculty member with related research interests (even if there are no current postings in that area). Each department has a list of faculty members and their research topics. Postdoctoral applications can be made directly to a specific faculty member(s).

Appointment to position of postdoctoral fellow – offer letter

Every postdoctoral fellow must receive an appointment letter , which must be signed by Academic Head of Unit and the postdoctoral fellow accepting the terms of the appointment. Appointment letters set out in writing the terms of the appointment, as well as detailing expectations and commitments of both the Postdoctoral Fellow and the supervising faculty member.

A Postdoctoral Fellow will be associated with one or more faculty colleagues for the purpose of research collaboration. The supervising faculty member provides whatever resources are needed to support the collaborative research activities.

Appointment process

All Postdoctoral Fellows must hold a formal appointment at UBC. Postdoctoral Fellow appointments are made one year at a time, and are renewable up to 5 years. With the approval of the Dean, appointments may be renewable up to 5 years - check with your Dean’s Office regarding approval for an appointment beyond three years. Please note that an appointment should be made regardless of funding source. The following documentation is required for all appointments:

• Copy of the offer letter accepted by the Postdoctoral Fellow
• Current curriculum vitae
• For citizens or permanent residents of Canada, providing the Social Insurance Number (SIN) in Workday is sufficient
• Copy of a valid work permit
• Copy of Social Insurance Number application receipt (not required for appointments not paid by UBC)
• a Canadian passport;
• birth certificate;
• CRA tax receipt showing SIN; or
• PR or citizenship card.

Please note that where an additional appointment is being made for a Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow, a copy of the offer letter signed by the Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow must be included when the appointment is processed. Refer to the Postdoctoral Teaching appointments section below for further information on teaching appointments.

The appointment file

A Postdoctoral Fellow's employee file resides with the department with copies of official documentation uploaded to Workday.

Postdoctoral Fellows receive earnings from either a supervisor’s grant or from a fellowship which may or may not be administered via UBC. In some cases earnings are paid from a combination of sources. Earnings from a supervisor’s grant are salary, and as such as subject to the BC Employment Standards Act (ESA) , as well as the Canada Revenue Agency . Fellowship earnings are not subject to the same deductions as regular (General Salary Plan) deductions. Please refer to the information on Income Tax found on the Postdoctoral Fellows Employees page  and on the Postdoctoral Fellow Award Recipients page .

There's no salary scale for Postdoctoral Fellows, however, as a guideline the salaries offered to our postdocs should be in line with the annual award amounts provided by the Tri-Agencies ( CIHR , NSERC & SSHRC ). If we are unable to offer a salary that is in line with Tri-Agency amounts we must at least provide a salary that meets the BC minimum wage .

 Benefits and leaves

Health and welfare benefits are available to Postdoctoral Fellows as follows:

Medical Services Plan

All British Columbia (BC) residents are required to have basic medical coverage through the BC Medical Services Plan (MSP). Postdoctoral Fellows must apply for coverage directly from MSP upon arrival in B.C.

Please note that there is a three-calendar-month waiting period prior to enrolment with MSP. During the waiting period, we encourage Postdoctoral Fellows to have private coverage which can be purchased through David Cummings Insurance Services Ltd . (DCIS).

Foreign Postdoctoral Fellows holding work permits for one year or more are considered residents of B.C. by MSP. Postdoctoral Fellows with work permits for less than one year can also purchase private medical coverage through David Cummings Insurance Services Ltd . (DCIS).

Health and welfare benefits

i) Postdoctoral Fellows receiving earnings from UBC. Those who are in receipt of earnings paid by UBC (regular salary or fellowship) may be eligible for health benefits, which include Extended Health, Dental and the Employee and Family Assistance Program. The eligibility requirements for benefits are:

• an appointment of at least 1 year in length
• a minimum 50% appointment
• must meet the minimum salary requirements for that position

ii) Postdoctoral Fellows receiving earnings from outside of UBC . Postdoctoral Fellows who receive funding directly from an organization/agency other than UBC, may be eligible for benefits. Requirements for benefit eligibility are as above. Additionally the individual must have a valid Canadian Social Insurance Number.

Detailed information on benefits and Leaves can be found in the benefits section of the employee website.

The costs for benefits are primarily covered by the supervising faculty member. An Employer Benefit Cost Calculator is also available on the Payroll website for supervising faculty member to determine how much money to budget for salaries and benefits when applying for research grants (note that postdocs benefits fall under the Faculty umbrella). In the case of fellowship earnings, benefit expenses cannot be charged to the fellowship unless the award/grant agency specifically allows for benefit expenses to be changed to the fellowship – confirmation in writing is required. Where the fellowship does not allow benefit costs, the department administrator will need to set up a separate account for benefit charges. In the case of Non-University Funded (NUF) Postdoctoral Fellows, the department administrator will also need to set up a separate account for benefit charges. Prior to charging benefits to a research grant, units must ensure that benefit costs are an eligible expense under the grant.

Postdoctoral fellows who are ineligible for extended health benefits are encouraged to make private arrangements for benefit plans and insurance coverage.

Information regarding enrolling in benefits is found on the employee benefits site . 

Postdoctoral fellows careers at UBC

The postdoctoral fellow and the supervising faculty member.

The supervising faculty member is one of the most important links between the Postdoctoral Fellow and the University. The University expects that the supervising faculty member/postdoctoral fellow relationship will be one of mutual respect and consideration. The policies and practices of the University are geared to equitable treatment of all appointees with a measure of consistency; however, written materials cannot cover every situation. The supervising faculty member has some latitude and discretion in handling individual situations as they arise.

Besides the Postdoctoral Fellow, the supervising faculty member is the person most responsible for the continuing development of the Postdoctoral Fellow. The University encourages individual growth and the supervising faculty member is in a good position to help determine what actions should be taken to ensure development within the University environment.

Orientation

UBC's housing and relocation services  team at UBC can assist with the orientation to Vancouver and to campus life.

The Postdoctoral Fellows Office in the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies provides a semi-annual PDF Orientation Day. Please refer to their website for further information.

The supervising faculty member, Department Head and Dean are responsible for orienting Postdoctoral Fellows to the Department and Faculty. Departmental or faculty administrators prepare written materials about services, procedures and standards in the department and faculty, and useful contacts at UBC. The supervising faculty member is responsible for orientation to the worksite, and for providing information about performance expectations, standards for hours of work, safety procedures and ethical/scholarly integrity issues.

Postdoctoral Fellows are generally regarded as advanced research trainees and are treated accordingly in such matters as departmental communications, social interaction and consultation about matters affecting them.

The experience of each Postdoctoral Fellow varies throughout the University and is influenced by such factors as the academic discipline, the needs and obligations of the supervising faculty member, and the culture of the assigned lab or research unit. Postdoctoral Fellows are encouraged to take ownership of their experience, within the bounds of common sense and University policy, much as one would with any postgraduate career.

Universally accepted standards of academic achievement typically include publication of research in peer-reviewed academic journals, and/or the advancement of intellectual property through patenting or licensing. Research outputs in the Fine Arts may include exhibitions, performances and media installations. It is expected that Postdoctoral Fellows will be appropriately recognized for their contributions to publications, patents and other products of research. It is the responsibility of the supervising faculty member to develop a clear understanding of rights and obligations under the policies on Research, Patents and Conflict of Interest with the Postdoctoral Fellow at the beginning of the Postdoctoral Fellow’s appointment. Postdoctoral Fellows themselves should become familiar with their obligations under UBC’s Scholarly Activity Policies.

Postdoctoral Fellows are frequently involved in the preparation of proposals for research grants and in other forms of acquiring research support. The degree of involvement in these processes by the Postdoctoral Fellow, and the level of supervision offered by the supervising faculty member, varies widely. Beyond the support offered by the supervising faculty member and academic unit, additional support and information about available research funding is available from the Office of Research Services.

Professional development courses and workshops are regularly offered through Centre for Teaching, Learning Technology (CTLT), including programs on leadership, supervising graduate students, and peer coaching. Professional development in grant proposal writing is offered periodically through the Office of Research Services and the Office of the Vice President Research & International .

It's recognized that Postdoctoral Fellows are an intellectual resource in the university and that both undergraduate and graduate programs benefit from their participation. Postdoctoral Fellows may be involved in undergraduate and graduate lecturing, laboratory instruction, tutorials, supervision of undergraduate projects, and assistance with the supervision of graduate students.

Postdoctoral Fellows should discuss their desire to participate in the teaching activities of the department with their supervising faculty member and with the Department Head. In cases of formal assignment of teaching duties, the Department Head will give the Postdoctoral Fellow an additional appointment as a Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow. In advance of making this type of appointment, Heads should be aware of any granting agency restrictions on the amount of teaching that can be assigned to the Postdoctoral Fellow.

Respectful work environment

The university recognizes the right of staff to work in an environment free from harassment and discrimination.

Policy SC7 – Discrimination  addresses problems arising from grounds prohibited from discrimination under the Human Rights Code of British Columbia. The prohibited grounds of discrimination include: age, ancestry, colour, family status, marital status, physical or mental disability, place of origin, political belief, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation and criminal conviction unrelated to employment. If there are any concerns related to discrimination or harassment, please bring them to the attention of the supervising faculty member or the Equity Office .

The University’s statement on Respectful Environment for Students, Faculty and Staff addresses concerns an employee may have about personal harassment that does not involve prohibited grounds of discrimination covered under the Human Rights Code of British Columbia. Again, these concerns should be brought to the attention of the supervising faculty member or Head of Academic Unit for investigation and resolution in a timely manner.

Conflict resolution

The best way to handle a problem between a postdoctoral fellow and his/her supervising faculty member is to identify it when it first arises, and collaborate on finding a solution. Unresolved problems may be brought to the attention of the Head of Academic Unit or the Equity Office . The Dean of the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies may act as an Ombudsperson in any dispute of a serious nature where a neutral third party may be required. Faculty Relations can also be contacted at any time for assistance.

Postdoctoral Fellow appointments at UBC can be renewed one year at a time, normally up to 3 years. With the Dean’s written approval, appointments may be extended for a further two one-year terms (i.e. up to a maximum of 5 years in total).

Supervising faculty members should give reasonable notice (usually 3 months) to a Postdoctoral Fellow on their intention to renew or not to renew an appointment. Renewals must be confirmed in writing and if terms and conditions have changed, a new offer letter should be signed. Please review the documentation checklist  page to ensure all requirements are met. Keep in mind that foreign postdoctoral fellows may require 4 months’ notice to renew their work permit.

Resignation

Postdoctoral Fellows who wish to leave their position prior to the appointment end date should provide at least one months’ notice to their supervising faculty member in writing. The notice period may be waived by the supervising faculty member. The Departure Checklist  (doc) should be reviewed to ensure a smooth transition for both the Postdoctoral Fellow and the supervising faculty member. The supervising faculty member must work with their departmental administrator to process the resignation through Workday. A copy of the resignation letter is required.

Career opportunities

There are a number of career sites available to assist you in finding different opportunities such as University Affairs , Academic Works , and Academic Careers Online .

Postdoctoral Fellow Coordinators

The PDF Coordinator in each faculty can assist postdoctoral fellows and their supervisors with postdoctoral related issues. Please contact the Dean’s Office to find out who your PDF Coordinator is.

Postdoctoral Fellows Office

The Postdoctoral Fellows office is located in the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies at UBC Vancouver. The office has a wealth of information for PDFs including professional development opportunities & workshops. Postdoctoral Fellows at UBC Okanagan should refer to the Postdoctoral Fellows Resource in the College of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies.

UBC policies and procedures

It's is important to be familiar with the UBC Policy and Procedures Handbook that may guide certain aspects of your work at the university. Listed below are some of the policies that may be applicable to a postdoctoral fellowship at UBC:

• Policy AP10 – Postdoctoral Fellows
• Policy HR10 – Employment Equity
• Policy SC7 – Discrimination
• Policy SC1 – Health and Safety
• Policy SC10 – Disaster Management
• Policy LR11 – Inventions
• Policy SC3 – COI
• Policy SC14 – Information Systems

Safety & Risk Services

Please see the Safety & Risk Services website for up-to-date information on laboratory safety, Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS), and mandatory and optional laboratory training courses. Each department also has an established Safety Committee. Please see the supervising faculty member or department administrator for information regarding department specific safety policies and procedures.

Immigration process

Foreign postdoctoral fellows are required to obtain a temporary work permit in order to be employed and perform work for UBC.

Get details at our immigration for employees page .

UBC Human Resources

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Office of Postdoctoral Affairs

The designation of postdoctoral scholar; is used at KUMC to identify those individuals who have received their terminal doctorate degree (such as Ph.D., MD, DDS, DVM, OD, DO, Pharm.D., DNP), and who have opted to pursue further training. This period of training is a standard component in the preparation of performing research in the sciences. A postdoctoral scholarship is a time-limited appointment, the primary purpose of which is to provide research and/or scholarly training for an academic or research career. Postdoctoral scholars may be funded by training grants, research grants, or institutional resources.

A postdoctoral scholar at KUMC is expected to:

• Participate in a full-time regimen of advanced training and research 
• Train under the supervision and direction of a faculty research mentor who will provide the opportunity for collaborative and independent research, as well as promote the publication of findings and preparation of research grants as determined by a mutual agreement between the postdoctoral scholar and the mentor
• Have an appointment for a minimum of one year with the possibility of annual re-appointment for up to four additional four years, for a total not to exceed five years unless by exception of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs or his/her designee
• Have a Fellowship, Traineeship or equivalent support for studies at the postdoctoral level

Training as a postdoctoral scholar includes all relevant academic activities related to the preparation for a career in research or academia. These are typical: manuscript preparation of research findings, reading the literature, manuscript reviewing, presentations at meetings, attendance and presentation at seminars, organization and attendance at training-related activities (including grantsmanship workshops) and limited training in teaching-related activities. All of these activities should have the objective of enhancing the performance of the fellow in the pursuit of the research-related projects from which they draw their support. In many cases, the training component of a postdoctoral scholarship may involve the joint preparation and development of proposals for extramural funding

It is strongly recommended that a person who falls into one of the following categories   NOT   be appointed as a postdoctoral scholar:

• Registered students or candidates for a degree at KU/KUMC even if they already hold a doctoral degree
• Registered residents
• Individuals whose primary responsibility is to serve in an administrative or technical capacity for a project and/or laboratory

The title for a postdoctoral scholar used by Human Resources and the department may vary. Some of the titles include Postdoctoral Fellow; Postdoctoral Research Fellow; Postdoctoral Trainee; Research Assistant; Research Associate and Fellow; as well as Research Fellow.

National Research Service Award (NRSA)

The National Research Service Award (NRSA) program provides support to promising postdoctoral applicants who have the potential to become productive and successful independent research investigators in scientific health-related fields relevant to the missions of the participating National Institutes of Health (NIH) Institutes and Centers.

University of Kansas Medical Center Office of Postdoctoral Affairs 1015-1016 Dykes Library Mail Stop 1040 3901 Rainbow Boulevard Kansas City, KS 66160 Phone: 913-588-2369  Email:  [email protected]   

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Postdoctoral Affairs

Types of appointments.

• Prospective Postdocs

Brown University makes the following types of postdoctoral appointments:

• Postdoctoral Research Associate (PDRA) — A PDRA is normally paid through the University payroll system, is considered an employee of the University, and is eligible for a set of benefits. The majority of postdocs at Brown are PDRAs. Information on benefits, responsibilities, and a full definition of the postdoctoral research associate rank can be found on the  postdoctoral research associates page  of this website.
• Postdoctoral Fellow-NRSA (PDF-NRSA) — A PDF-NRSA is an individual who has received National Research Service Award (NRSA) funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This category includes both those receiving individual F32 fellowships and those receiving support from T32 institutional training grants. Per the terms of the award, PDF-NRSAs are not considered employees of the NIH or the University. Details on benefits and policies concerning PDF-NRSAs can be found here .
• Postdoctoral Fellow-Direct Pay (PDF-Direct Pay) — A PDF-Direct Pay is an individual appointed solely at Brown but paid by an external grant or fellowship that is not directed through the University payroll system. A PDF-Direct Pay is not considered an employee of the University. Details on benefits and policies for a PDF-Direct Pay can be found here .
• Postdoctoral Research Fellow (PDRF) | HHMI Hanna Gray Fellows — A PDRF is considered an employee of the University and is eligible for a set of benefits. This appointment type only applies to recipients of the HHMI Hanna Gray Fellowship . All PDRFs will receive a salary supplement intended to cover the University's portion of an individual insurance premium. Please contact [email protected] for more information if you receive this fellowship.

All types are intended to enhance and support the academic and research development of the appointee. Individuals holding postdoctoral appointments are supervised and mentored by a senior scholar and are guaranteed the freedom to publish. Since these appointments are intended to contribute to career development, they have limited terms. It is important to note that the benefits eligibility and payroll tax deductions are different depending on the appointment type.

Please note that in some fields, "postdoctoral fellow" is a generic term for all postdocs. If you are a postdoctoral research associate in such a field, you are welcome to refer to yourself on your CV or in other venues as a postdoctoral fellow. However, please be sure to specify your actual appointment type when communicating with University Human Resources to ensure you receive accurate information about your benefits.

Last updated: November 8, 2023.

Postdoctoral Fellowships in Retinal Organoids

Employer Nationals Institutes of Health

Location   National Institutes of Health Bethesda, Maryland

Salary Annual stipend will be commensurate with experience and training

Closing date May 11, 2024

Specialty Stem Cells

Do you have a passion for science? Are you looking for the opportunity to use stem cell-based organoids to study retinal diseases? We are currently recruiting Postdoctoral Fellows to work in the laboratory of Dr. Tiansen Li at the National Eye Institute (NEI) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Projects will focus on enhancing and accelerating the differentiation of stem cell-based organoids to model human retinal diseases and discover new therapies. We are seeking candidates who have a Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. (graduated since 2020) in cell or developmental biology or related fields. Experience in retina or vision research is not required. Expertise in cell biology, retinal development, gene and cellular therapy, genome editing, are desired. Join us in our mission to make groundbreaking discoveries! Annual stipend will be commensurate with experience and training. Check PubMed and these relevant papers: PMIDs 31631019 , 31814692 , 32635833 , 32174751 , and 35783089 .

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter with career goals, potential research projects of interest, curriculum vitae with publications, and contact information of three references to Tiansen Li, Ph.D., Senior Investigator, Retinal Cell Biology & Degeneration Section, Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration, & Repair Laboratory (N-NRL)/NEI/NIH at [email protected] .

The National Institutes of Health is dedicated to building a diverse community in its training and employment programs. The Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, and the National Eye Institute are equal opportunity employers.

Last updated: May 31, 2024

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Postdoctoral and Visiting Scholar positions in Immunology, Stem Cells, and Cancer

Job Details

University of Connecticut is one of the top public research universities in USA. Postdoctoral Research Fellow and Visiting Scholar positions are immediately available in Dr. Laijun Lai’s laboratory at University of Connecticut. Highly motivated candidates will join projects funded by multiple NIH grants to study immunodeficiency, autoimmunity and antitumor immunity by stem cell technology and gene engineering approaches. Candidates should have PhD, MD/PhD, or MD. A strong background in Cellular & Molecular Biology and previous research experience or training in immunology, stem cells, or cancer, and mouse models is preferred.

The interested candidates can review our publications: EMBO Mol Med. 13(5):e13404, 2021; Cellular & Molecular Immunology, 18(8): 1920-1933, 2021; Rheumatology. 61(3):1255-1264, 2022; J Neuroinflammation, 18(1):268, 2021; Am J Cancer Res. 7:1714-1723, 2017; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, 15(10):2413-2421, 2016; Cancer Research. 71:61-67, 2011),  J Immunol. 203:400, 2020; Front Immunol. 11:1781, 2020; J Immunol. 203:400-407, 2019; Stem Cell Res Ther. 10:239, 2019; Adv Healthc Mater. 8(9):e1800987, 2019; Frontiers in Immunology.9:2657, 2018; Stem Cells Transl Med. 6:121-130, 2017; Cell Immunol. 322:84-91, 2017; Br J Haematol. 175:505-516, 2016; Scientific Reports. 5: 9882, 2015; J Autoimmun. 58:36-47, 2015; Stem cells and Development. 23:1491-500, 2014; Journal of Clinical Investigation. 122:3552, 2012; Blood. 118:3410, 2011; Cell Immunol. 335:22-29, 2019; Immunology. 144:245-253, 2015; Plos ONE 8(12): e82998, 2013; Journal of Immunology, 186: 1915, 2011; Transplantation. 92:516, 2011.

How to Apply:  Interested applicants should send a cover letter describing your research experience/skills, a curriculum vitae, and the contact information of three referees to Dr. Laijun Lai ( [email protected] )

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Postdoctoral research fellow at ragon institute of mgh, mit and harvard.

• laboratory space in 400 Technology Square and 65 Landsdowne Street in Cambridge, Massachusetts

Post-doctoral Fellowship

• San Francisco, California

Senior Postdoctoral Research Fellow

• Melbourne University, Melbourne (AU)

Funding opportunity: International Fellowships for Doctoral and Early Career Researchers 2024

Apply for a funded fellowship at an international institution.

Fellowships are available at:

Harry Ransom Center

Huntington library, library of congress, smithsonian institution.

• Yale Centre for British Art

National Institutes for the Humanities (NIHU)

• Shanghai Theatre Academy

You will receive £1,000 for travel and visa costs (£1,200 for travel to Japan and China) and £1,925 for each month of the fellowship. You can apply for two to six months of funding.

Please refer to the ‘Additional Information’ for more information on the aims of the scheme and an overview of each host.

Who can apply

This opportunity is open to:

• PhD students currently funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)
• early career researchers (ECR) in any arts or humanities subject

PhD students funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) may apply for a fellowship at the Library of Congress.

AHRC applicants must apply to undertake primary research in an AHRC subject area for all hosts.

ESRC-funded PhD students are only eligible to apply to Library of Congress and must be applying to undertake primary research in an ESRC subject area.

AHRC applicants can apply for a fellowship at more than one institution in a single round, noting that separate applications need to be submitted However, dates and applications must:

• be for separate and distinct research work packages
• not overlap
• take place in one continuous block of time
• not be interdependent

If applying for a fellowship at more than one institution, you should also check that there are no visa restrictions on returning to the host country within the same year.

You can only hold a fellowship at the same institution once in each stage of their career, for example once as a student and once as an ECR.

Deferred entry applications are not permitted. Equally, if your application is successful but you cannot undertake your placement, you must reapply the following year.

Before applying, you must secure the approval of your UK research organisation and supervisor (for PhD students) or head of department (early career researchers and research assistants) to attend the placement in full, should the application be successful.

Before applying for funding, check the Eligibility of your organisation .

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has introduced new role types for funding opportunities being run on the new UKRI Funding Service.

For full details, visit Eligibility as an individual .

Who is eligible to apply

Individual eligibility for phd students.

AHRC-funded doctoral students can apply to any host. ESRC-funded doctoral students can only apply to Library of Congress.

Placements must be undertaken during the funded period of your doctoral award.

PhD students must include their doctoral training grant reference in the ‘About you’ section of the application form.

Because these fellowships are intended to enrich and form part of the period of doctoral study, no additional time will be added to the doctoral award end date.

Individual eligibility for ECRs

At the point of application, you must have a contract with a UK research organisation that extends beyond the end date of the International Placement Scheme (IPS) fellowship, and be either within:

• eight years of the award of your PhD or equivalent professional training
• six years of your first academic appointment

These durations should exclude any period of career break. We define a career break as an extended period of time when you have not been actively engaged in scholarly research or teaching at a higher education institution. The career break could be, for example, for family care or health reasons. See section two of AHRC’s research funding guide for further information on the eligibility criteria for early career researchers.

Doctoral level research assistants are eligible – you must:

• be of postdoctoral standing, having either a PhD qualification or equivalent research experience
• and have a contract with a UK research organisation at the time of application that extends beyond the end date of the IPS fellowship

You will be asked to provide evidence of how you meet this criteria. Failure to do so could result in your application being rejected. Where previous AHRC funding has been held, ECRs must include their previous grant reference in the application form.

Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI)

We invite applications from eligible doctoral students, and early career researchers in any arts and humanities discipline (and doctoral students in the social sciences for the Library of Congress) and from all regions and nations of the UK.

We are committed to promoting the values of equality of opportunity, diversity, and inclusivity. A dynamic, diverse and inclusive research and innovation system must be an integral part of UK society, giving everyone the opportunity to participate and to benefit. Therefore, we particularly encourage applications from persons who identify as:

• an ethnic minority
• people with health conditions or impairments
• persons of diverse gender identities and expressions
• persons identifying with other groups who are currently underrepresented

Disabled applicants may request an appropriate amount of additional funding where this is essential to taking up the fellowship and where it cannot be provided by routes such as the UKRI disabled students allowance . Applicants requiring this additional support should contact AHRC for further guidance and to discuss how to reflect this request within the application form.

Applications to UKRI through the new Funding Service can only be made if you have completed our EDI survey, which you are prompted to do when you open an account. However, diversity information will never be used in the assessment process nor to make funding decisions.

Host-specific eligibility

Applicants to NIHU, looking to work with the following collections, are required to speak and understand Japanese to an advanced level:

• National Institute of Japanese Literature (NIJL)
• National Museum of Japanese History (NMJH)
• (Depending on the research field) International Research Center for Japanese Studies (IRCJS)

For all other NIHU institutes, a knowledge of basic (conversational) Japanese is useful, but not compulsory.

Applicants to the Smithsonian Institution must select, and approach a contact, at the Institution in advance of submitting their application. This contact will act as an adviser should the respective application be successful. Please use the 2022 Smithsonian opportunities for research and study guide in order to contact an appropriate Smithsonian academic or staff member.

What we're looking for

We’re looking to fund eligible PhD students and early career researchers to complete a research fellowship at an international cultural institution for two to six months.

The International Placement Scheme (IPS) provides early career researchers, and AHRC-funded and ESRC-funded doctoral students, with inclusive and dedicated access to the internationally renowned collections, programmes and expertise held at IPS host institutions.

The scheme aims to enhance the depth, range, diversity, and quality of research activities conducted by scholars, including research exploring under-represented and under-researched cultures and histories.

IPS provides unique opportunities for networking with other international scholars based at these world-renowned institutions and can have a transformational impact on personal development and career progression.

The IPS host institutions for this round are:

• National Institutes for the Humanities, Japan
• Shanghai Theatre Academy, China

Your fellowship must be based on your area of current research (including your doctoral research if you are a PhD student). The proposed research activities and outputs from your fellowship should complement, strengthen, or build on your current area of research. You will need to propose a distinct package of research in your application and explain how this project relates to both your current research and the collections and expertise of your prospective host institution.

Full details of the documentation required can be found in ‘How to apply’, and the assessment criteria for applications to this scheme are available under ‘How we will assess your application’.

Please refer to the Available Fellowships document (PDF, 86KB) for information regarding the number of fellowships expected to be awarded by AHRC at each host, as well as the eligible period for undertaking a placement.

Funding available

The following should be noted with regards to costs and the application process:

• all IPS placements will be between three to six months, except for the Harry Ransom Centre and Shanghai Theatre Academy, and the total awarded will be a £1,000 one-off stipend for travel and visa costs (£1,200 for applicants to NIHU and STA) and a living stipend of £1,925 for each month of the fellowship
• limited additional support may be agreed by AHRC on a case-by-case basis for applicants with disabilities, to support inclusive and accessible participation
• the stipends will be paid directly to the submitting UK research organisation (RO) at 100% full economic cost. It is a condition of the award that the RO pays funds to fellows in full, in advance of the placement. This will allow flights and accommodation to be booked by the fellow in advance of their placement. The RO will then recoup the funds when these are paid to them by AHRC.
• IPS fellows will continue to receive any stipend or salary they receive as part of any current AHRC or ESRC award funding. PhD students will not be allowed additional time will be added to AHRC or ESRC award end date or submission date to account for time spent on their placement
• you should discuss your work plan with your supervisor (if a PhD student) or head of department (if an ECR or research assistant) and the IPS host institution to ensure your proposed research can be completed within a realistic timescale and will appropriately feed into your current research or any AHRC parent project
• There is no cap on the number of applications that can be submitted by a UK RO

How to apply

Preparing your application.

You must identify and research the institutions’ collections, fully familiarising yourself with them and how they are relevant to your own research. Please visit the institutions’ individual websites as a starting point to investigate the collections and inform your choice:

• Harry Ransom Center, Texas, US
• The Huntington Library, California, US
• The Library of Congress, Washington DC, US
• NIHU, Japan
• Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, US

Once this initial step is completed, you can proceed to directly contact the relevant IPS institution to discuss your potential application and for information about the collections.

For NIHU and the Smithsonian Institution, you must contact the institutions before applying. For the other hosts, it is optional but highly recommended. Any contact should be made as soon as possible before the application deadline. Contact details can be found in the ‘Contact’ section of this page.

The project lead is responsible for completing the application process on the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service, but we expect all team members and project partners to contribute to the application.

Only the lead research organisation can submit an application to UKRI.

If a student’s PhD is funded through a consortium of research organisations, the application should be submitted by the student’s home research organisation rather than the consortia lead research organisation.

PhD students and ECRs are both eligible to apply as a Project Lead for this funding opportunity. UKRI expects that the research organisation will ensure that students do not apply for any other opportunities as a project lead unless it is specified that they are eligible to do so.

• Confirm you are the project lead.
• Sign in or create a Funding Service account. To create an account, select your organisation, verify your email address, and set a password. If your organisation is not listed, email [email protected] Please allow at least 10 working days for your organisation to be added to the Funding Service.
• Answer questions directly in the text boxes. You can save your answers and come back to complete them or work offline and return to copy and paste your answers. If we need you to upload a document, follow the upload instructions in the Funding Service. All questions and assessment criteria are listed in the How to apply section on this Funding finder page.
• Allow enough time to check your application in ‘read-only’ view before sending to your research office.
• Send the completed application to your research office for checking. They will return it to you if it needs editing.
• Your research office will submit the completed and checked application to UKRI.

Where indicated, you can also demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. If using visual elements, you must:

• use images sparingly and only to convey important information that cannot easily be put into words
• insert each new image onto a new line
• provide a descriptive legend for each image immediately underneath it (this counts towards your word limit)
• files must be smaller than 8MB and in JPEG, JPG, JPE, JFI, JIF, JFIF, PNG, GIF, BMP or WEBP format

Watch our research office webinars about the new Funding Service .

For more guidance on the Funding Service, see:

• how applicants use the Funding Service
• how research offices use the Funding Service
• how reviewers use the Funding Service

Make sure you get any necessary approval from your organisation in advance and give your research office plenty of time to review and submit your application before the closing date.

AHRC must receive your application by 12 March 2024 at 4.00pm UK time.

You will not be able to apply after this time.

Make sure you are aware of and follow any internal institutional deadlines.

Following the submission of your application to the funding opportunity, your application cannot be changed, and applications will not be returned for amendment. If your application does not follow the guidance, it may be rejected.

Personal data

Processing personal data.

AHRC, as part of UKRI, will need to collect some personal information to manage your Funding Service account and the registration of your funding applications. We will handle personal data in line with UK data protection legislation and manage it securely. For more information, including how to exercise your rights, read our privacy notice .

AHRC as part of UKRI, will need to share the application and any personal information that it contains with the host institutions so that they can participate in the assessment process.

Publication of outcomes

AHRC, as part of UKRI, will publish the outcomes of this funding opportunity .

Important note for ECRs: If your application is successful, we will publish some personal information on the UKRI Gateway to Research .

Word limit: 250

In plain English, provide a summary of your proposed fellowship that can be sent to your intended host organisation to determine if they think you are a good fit.

This summary may be made publicly available on external facing websites, so please ensure it can be understood by a variety of readers, for example:

• opinion-formers
• policymakers
• the general public
• the wider research community

Your summary must include:

the name of the IPS host you aspire to study at (remember, if you are an ESRC applicant you can only apply for the Library of Congress).

List the key members of your team and assign them roles from the following:

• project lead (PL) – PhD students and ECRs are both eligible to apply under this role for this opportunity

Only list one individual as project lead.

Application questions

Eligibility to apply for opportunity.

Word limit: 200

Provide details about your eligibility status

What the assessors are looking for in your response

If you are a PhD student, please provide the following information:

• the title of your PhD
• the grant reference number for your current AHRC (beginning AH) or ESRC award (beginning ES). If that award is part of an institutional block grant or consortia grant, for example: BGP, DTP, DTC, CDA or CDP, we also require that grant reference number. If you are unsure of your grant reference number, you must contact your research organisation
• confirmation that if the application is successful no additional time will be added to the doctoral award end date

If you are an early career researcher, provide information detailing how you meet the eligibility criteria by confirming you have:

Note that the durations should exclude any period of career break.

If you are a doctoral level research assistant provide information detailing how you meet the eligibility criteria by confirming you:

• are of postdoctoral standing, having either a PhD qualification or equivalent research experience
• have a contract with a UK RO at the time of application that extends beyond the end date of the IPS fellowship

Word limit: 500

Why is the travel needed?

Explain why the proposed travel is necessary and where alternative approaches are not appropriate, including reference to:

• added value to existing or future research and innovation
• promotion of collaboration
• acquisition and development of skills
• benefit to the countries, organisations and regions involved where appropriate
• why you are the best person to carry out this visit
• why the place you are travelling to is the best place to go to, in terms of people and resources (including access to particular collections)
• a breakdown of how the time spent there would be used

Within this section we expect you to provide:

• a summary of the research you propose to conduct during your IPS fellowship, indicating how it relates to your current research
• explanation of how your research objectives, methodologies, context or both could offer a unique contribution to your host community

You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the service.

Applicant experience

Word limit: 600

Why are you the right individual to successfully deliver the proposed work?

Evidence of how you have:

• the relevant experience (appropriate to career stage) to make best use of the benefits presented by this funding opportunity to develop your career
• the right balance of skills and aptitude (including language proficiency if relevant) to deliver the proposed work

Within this section we expect you to include:

• a brief summary of your current research to date (including any AHRC/ESRC-funded grants)
• a timeline for the completion of any current research projects, showing the stage you are at now and the stage at which the IPS fellowship would take place (you may include a table if it helps)

Your supervisor’s or head of department support

Word limit: 400

Provide a statement of support from your Supervisor if applying as a PhD student or Head of Department if ECR.

Reviewers will be looking for a strong statement of support.

The statement should include:

• why the proposed institution is appropriate for you to conduct your research
• details of the supervisory arrangements that will be in place while you are undertaking your research during this placement
• assurance that the time spent at on the IPS will not result in extra time being required to complete the current research funded by AHRC/ESRC

You must also include the following details:

• the person’s name and position
• office address or web link

Upload details are provided within the service on the actual application.

How we will assess your application

Assessment process.

All applications will be checked for eligibility after the funding opportunity closes.

Eligible applications will be shared with the respective placement institutions and will be reviewed by relevant experts at the institutions. Scores and comments from the host reviews will then be moderated by AHRC and ESRC.

Applications which do not meet the eligibility requirements of this funding opportunity will be rejected prior to the reviewing stage. We will notify the submitter for any applications rejected at this stage.

Funding decisions will be communicated to the persons who were selected as ‘grant holders’ on the application form. Where the applicant is a student, this email should be forwarded to them without delay.

The email will provide successful applicants with further information about their placement and will request confirmation of the start and end dates of each placement.

Principles of assessment

We support the San Francisco declaration on research assessment and recognise the relationship between research assessment and research integrity.

Find out about the UKRI principles of assessment and decision making .

Assessment areas

The assessment areas we will use are:

• eligibility
• applicant experience
• supervisor’s or head of department’s support

Find details of assessment questions and criteria under the ‘Application questions’ heading in the ‘How to apply’ section.

Contact details

Get help with your application.

If you have a question and the answers aren’t provided on this page

Important note: The Helpdesk is committed to helping users of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service as effectively and as quickly as possible. In order to manage cases at peak volume times, the Helpdesk will triage and prioritise those queries with an imminent opportunity deadline or a technical issue. Enquiries raised where information is available on the Funding Finder opportunity page and should be understood early in the application process (for example, regarding eligibility or content/remit of an opportunity) will not constitute a priority case and will be addressed as soon as possible.

For help and advice on costings and writing your proposal please contact your research office in the first instance, allowing sufficient time for your organisation’s submission process.

For questions related to this specific funding opportunity please contact [email protected]

Any queries regarding the system or the submission of applications through the Funding Service should be directed to the helpdesk.

Email: [email protected] Phone: 01793 547490

Our phone lines are open:

• Monday to Thursday 8:30am to 5:00pm
• Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm

To help us process queries quicker, we request that users highlight the council and opportunity name in the subject title of their email query, include the application reference number, and refrain from contacting more than one mailbox at a time.

Find out more information on submitting an application .

For questions relating to the host institutions (for example about collections or accommodation), a list of appropriate contacts at each placement institution who can be contacted to discuss the application is below.

Please consult the collections page for information on collections at the Harry Ransom Center.

For additional information please contact: [email protected]

Please consult the Library Collections for information on collections at the Huntington Library.

Prospective applicants are encouraged to contact curators with questions related to the collections.

For all other queries please contact:

Krystal Satrum, Fellowships Program Coordinator

Email: [email protected]

Travis Hensley, Program Manager, The John W. Kluge Center

Email: [email protected]

Travis will direct you to the appropriate individual.

From the Smithsonian website , please select a name by clicking into the 2022 SORS and searching for the appropriate individual. If successful, the selected individual will act as advisor during the applicant’s time at Smithsonian. As such, applicants must include the name and department of their advisor when submitting their application form to AHRC. When contacting the Smithsonian, please use this email template (PDF, 118KB) .

You may also wish to contact the Office of International Relations for queries relating to visas:

Laine Rover

Email: [email protected]

Email: [email protected]

Research Institute for Humanity and Nature

International Affairs Subsection

Email: [email protected]

Research Institute for Humanity and Nature website .

International Research Center for Japanese Studies

International Research Promotion Unit

Email: [email protected]

International Research Center for Japanese Studies website .

National Museum of Ethnology

International Cooperation Unit

Email: [email protected]

National Museum of Ethnology website .

National Museum of Japanese History

International Exchange Section Department

Email: [email protected]

National Institute of Japanese Literature

General Affairs Division

Email: [email protected]

National Institute of Japanese Literature website .

National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics

Research Promotion Division

Email: [email protected]

National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics website .

Sensitive information

If you or a core team member need to tell us something you wish to remain confidential, email the Funding Service helpdesk on [email protected]

Include in the subject line: [the funding opportunity title; sensitive information; your Funding Service application number].

Typical examples of confidential information include:

• individual is unavailable until a certain date (for example due to parental leave)
• declaration of interest
• additional information about eligibility to apply that would not be appropriately shared in the ‘Applicant and team capability’ section
• conflict of interest for UKRI to consider in reviewer or panel participant selection
• the application is an invited resubmission

For information about how UKRI handles personal data, read UKRI’s privacy notice .

Additional info

Successful applications.

Once outcomes are issued, successful applicants will have 10 working days to confirm their start and end dates. Failure to do so will result in AHRC using the dates originally selected in the application. Beyond this, applicants will be required to contact the host institution directly to discuss the feasibility of any changes before contacting AHRC to approve and process any changes.

Around 30 days from the first successful notification, the UK research organisation responsible for submitting the application will receive an official offer document from AHRC via our grants system confirming the dates and funding amount. This should be sent on to the successful applicant.

Finally, the applicant will receive documentation from their placement institution. Further details of this will be provided if their application is successful.

If successful, IPS fellows are responsible for booking travel and accommodation (including any travel insurance) and securing appropriate visa arrangements themselves. Local accommodation is available close to each host institution. Further information regarding accommodation options will be provided if you are successful.

The offer letter issued by AHRC and the paperwork from individual placement institutions will be sufficient to support a visa application, and the UK research organisation may be able to offer support for this process. Successful applicants are advised to start the visa application process as early as possible, and to be aware that there is a short turnaround time between outcomes being issued and the earliest possible placement start dates.

Reporting outputs and impacts

All recipients of research council funding are required to enter the details of their outputs and impacts through the Researchfish system. Students are only required to enter details in Researchfish from the third year of their PhD onwards.

ECRs are required to enter details from the first year of their main research grant. Invitation emails will be sent to award holders at the point at which they are required to start using Researchfish.

Find out more details regarding Researchfish .

For further information on supporting training awards please see:

• UKRI training grant guide
• UKRI training grant terms and conditions
• find studentships and doctoral training

AHRC will be hosting a webinar on 10 January 2024 at 3pm to talk you through the application process.

Register for webinar .

This is the website for UKRI: our seven research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Let us know if you have feedback or would like to help improve our online products and services .

Health Equity

A New $250 Million Approach to Addressing Health Care Patients’ Food Insecurities

Penn plays a major scientific role in new initiative backed by the american heart association and rockefeller foundation-led consortium.

• Hoag Levins
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University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine Professor and Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics Senior Fellow Kevin Volpp, MD, PhD , has become the Scientific Leader of a new national 10-year, $250 million research and advocacy program designed to find cost effective approaches to improving health through greater access to healthy food for patients with chronic conditions and food or nutrition insecurities (not enough food or unhealthy diets). The initiative is called Health Care by Food ™ (HCXF).

Coordinated by the American Heart Association with support from the Rockefeller Foundation and other funders, HCXF involves more than 100 researchers and members of 25 community-based organizations and food-related companies across the country.

Millions of Patients

“The vision for the Health Care by Food™ initiative is to accelerate a future in which millions of patients are receiving the benefit of healthy food to improve health,” said the Association’s Chief Science and Medical Officer Mariell Jessup, MD, FAHA . “It’s for providers to know how to target and use food is medicine programs to help prevent and manage disease, and for payers to have sufficient and objective cost and effectiveness evidence for reimbursing food is medicine programs.”

“We all know food is central to health outcomes and affects many different organ systems in the body,” said Volpp. “And yet we also know that Americans don’t have very healthy diets. This initiative is about generating evidence and tools to help the health sector design and scale programs that increase access to nutritious food, improve health and health equity, and reduce overall health care costs.”

Volpp, the Mark V. Pauly President’s Distinguished Professor at the Perelman School of Medicine and the Wharton School, and Director of the Penn Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics (CHIBE) is an internationally-renowned expert in the field of behavioral economics.

About 20 CHIBE faculty members and staffers are involved in HCXF’s various task forces.

$8 Million in Initial Research Grants

In January, the Association’s HCXF program announced its first round of $8.4 million in research grants for 21 projects. The first in-person convening of all the participants took place on April 29-30 in the Wharton School’s Huntsman Hall on the Penn campus.

The gathering brought together researchers from 20 universities including Johns Hopkins, Yale, University of Kentucky, Ohio State University, Stanford University, Tufts, Duke, UNC Chapel Hill, and the University of Texas Houston, and; a dozen major health systems, including Geisinger, the Cleveland Clinic, and UCSF; collaborators from food delivery services, including Instacart and Fresh Connect; and state and local nutrition-related institutes and community based organizations such as God’s Love We Deliver, the Family Health Council of Central Pennsylvania, and Hispanic Health Council. The meeting was run as a design workshop with facilitation from Stacey Chang, MS , and Natalie Privett, PhD , who had created the Dell Institute for Design at the University of Texas at Austin’s Medical School before founding New Origin Studios .

Executive Vice President of the Rockefeller Foundation Elizabeth Yee told the audience: “The Foundation has made its mission to advance the well-being of humanity and tackle the big problems that stand in the way of this reality. One of the challenges that we see is the dichotomy that currently exists between our health care system and food systems. The U.S. currently has the lowest life expectancy among wealthy countries, while having the highest per capita health care spending. In other words, our current system is great at purchasing health care services, but not so great at buying health outcomes.”

Underserved Americans

“Initial research has shown us that food is medicine policy has the potential to address these problems and that we can greatly improve health outcomes, especially for underserved Americans, while reducing health care spending,” Yee continued. “But we need to better understand how to unlock that potential. And to do that, we need to build the evidence base to help us learn which programs work best for which patients. We need to figure out how to build the necessary infrastructure to deliver these programs across the country. And we need to ensure that we’re continually spreading awareness of the benefit of food is medicine to patients, providers, and payers.”

According to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), in 2022, an estimated 44.2 million people in the United States lived in food-insecure households struggling to get enough affordable, nutritious food.

Current Research Projects

A sample of some of the currently funded 21 HCXF research project titles demonstrates the initiative’s focus on the food needs of underserved populations:

• “Bringing Healthy Meals and Nutrition Education to Underserved Communities: A Randomized Pilot Implementation Trial”
• “Development of a User-Centered Approach for Screening, Referral, and Enrollment in Food is Medicine Program Among Rural and Urban Adults”
• “Impact of a Community Health Worker Strategy on Produce Prescription Program Uptake Among People with Diabetes”
• “Enhancing Food is Medicine Interventions for Food Insecure Postpartum Women in Central Texas”
• “Loss-Framed Incentives and Choice Architecture Modification to Encourage Health Food Purchasing”

White House Conference on Hunger

The idea for what became the HCXF research initiative was first publicly announced at the September 2022 White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health . Subsequently, the Association’s Journal Circulation published “ Food Is Medicine: A Presidential Advisory from the American Heart Association ,” a paper produced by a team headed by Volpp. The paper outlined the logic and blueprint for a national program to develop evidence to inform interventions that could drive nutrition-related sensitivities and solutions deeper into the daily operations of the national health system.

The advisory laid out the concept that initiative members are now implementing: “Food Is Medicine may be defined as the provision of healthy food resources to prevent, manage, or treat specific clinical conditions in coordination with the health care sector. Although the field has promise, relatively few studies have been conducted with designs that provide strong evidence of associations between Food Is Medicine interventions and health outcomes or health costs. Much work needs to be done to create a stronger body of evidence that convincingly demonstrates the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of different types of Food Is Medicine interventions while prioritizing a human-centered design approach to achieve high rates of patient engagement and sustained behavior change.”

Health System Buy-In

Volpp emphasized that health systems and insurer buy-ins are crucial to the success of the project. “There is growing recognition of the impact of social determinants of health and health behaviors among health systems and health plans,” Volpp said. “Part of the American Heart Association HCXF initiative’s goals will be to design program implementation in such a way so as to minimize incremental effort for the health system in referring patients with nutrition insecurity and chronic conditions, as appropriate, to food is medicine programs. As more and better evidence is developed it will become easier to know to which programs to refer individuals to help them improve their health as cost effectively as possible.”

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This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.

The research in this project lies at the interface of descriptive set theory, measured group theory, graph theory, ergodic theory, probability theory, and operator algebras. In recent years, mathematicians in these fields have come to realize that problems concerning algebraic, dynamical, and descriptive structural complexity of countable group and equivalence relations can be fruitfully studied via descriptive combinatorial and graph theoretic means. During the course of this project, the PI and his collaborators employed this combinatorial perspective to create new tools used to address and answer several open problems in these fields. In addition to a combinatorial perspective, the PI's research in these fields has also been facilitated by a global perspective, from which problems in ergodic theory, for example, may be seen as topological-dynamical and descriptive problems concerning actions of the group of automorphisms of a standard probability space. Using these perspectives, the PI obtained the following  results during the course of this award:

- A. Ioana and the PI established a strengthening of Popa's Second Cocycle Superrigidity Theorem which applies to all inner amenable groups.

- A. Ioana and the PI established a new weak containment rigidity which applies to all strongly ergodic compact actions of groups.

- The PI exhibited a general construction of actions and groups which are stable in the sense of Jones and Schmidt, leading to a complete characterization of linear groups which are stable

-In joint work with C. Conley, D. Gaboriau, and A. Marks, the PI and his collaborators showed that all free probability measure preserving actions of Fuchsian groups, and more generally of groups with planar Cayley graphs, are treeable

-D. Gaboriau and the PI established a new rigidity phenomenon, called non-approximability, which holds for many actions of product groups, and which has applications to Bernoulli percolation in probability theory.

-B. Seward and the PI studied Borel structurability of equivalence relations coming from the shift action of a countable group, and answered a question of Marks concerning the Borel chromatic number of the 2-shift.

-In two papers, S. Thomas and the PI studied invariant random subgroups of locally finite groups, and completely classified invariant random subgroups of inductive limits of finite alternating groups.

Last Modified: 03/15/2016 Modified by: Robin D Tucker-Drob

Please report errors in award information by writing to: [email protected] .

The Meaning and Measurement of Place | CESTA DH Research Fellows

Presentations by all 2024 Digital Humanities Research Fellows . Q&A and discussion will follow the presentations. 

Matt Randolph (PhD Candidate in History): "Bringing AI to Archibald Grimké's Archive: A Case Study of Artificial Intelligence for Histories of Race and Slavery"

This digital project builds upon two years of research collaborations connecting Stanford's History Department with historians and archivists at Howard University in Washington, D.C. We have reviewed, digitized, and transcribed a corpus of letters from Howard's archives relating to African American intellectual and diplomat Archibald Grimké and his family in Washington, D.C. (particularly his then teenage daughter Angelina) as well as Grimké’s correspondence with Dominican leaders and U.S. State Department officials. Through Google's AI software, Gemini, our team has produced transcriptions of handwritten documents that were photographed in the archives. I will present the opportunities and challenges we navigated in leveraging artificial intelligence tools for archival work and historical research methods. 

Ellis Schriefer (PhD Candidate in Iberian and Latin American Cultures): "Narratives and Neighborhoods: Unpacking Media Representations of El Raval and Lavapiés with NLP"

In my talk, I will be discussing how I used NLP (specifically topic modeling and word frequency) to better understand how the mainstream Spanish media outlet, El País, has depicted two working-class, immigrant neighborhoods (El Raval in Barcelona and Lavapiés in Madrid) in articles from 1996-2024.  

Kelly Boles (PhD Candidate in Education): "The Spatiality of Teacher Professional Learning Ecologies"

Geospatial variability is a crucial, yet often omitted, contextual aspect of teaching and learning. In this talk, I illustrate how spatial data science methods reveal important locale- and region-based inequities in STEM teachers' professional learning opportunities. Specifically, I present selected findings that show how teachers' learning opportunities vary in nature and quality across geographic space. I argue that both students and teachers are learners, whose learning opportunities are shaped by the shared communities and contexts in which they work, live, and attend school. Honoring these shared experiences suggests a new approach to the study of teacher quality and evaluation, particularly as applied to practitioners in underserved communities.

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Celebrating excellence in Canadian research: Announcing recipients of the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships and the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships

From: Canadian Institutes of Health Research

News release

Doctoral students and post-doctoral researchers are the future leaders of innovation and research excellence in Canada. Tackling some of the world’s biggest challenges, their discoveries will strengthen the economy of the future, boost productivity, and enhance the health and quality of life of Canadians.

The Government of Canada invests in 236 of the nation’s top-tier doctoral students and post-doctoral researchers

May 29, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario –  Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Today, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, and the Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health, announced the recipients of 166 Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships and 70 Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships. These talented doctoral students and post-doctoral researchers are part of Canada’s next generation of research leaders, spanning the health sciences, natural sciences and engineering, and social sciences and humanities.

Examples of the diverse research being supported include:

• Zhenwei Ma, Banting Fellow, University of British Columbia, looks at new ways of treating and managing esophageal cancer.
• Kristy Ferraro, Banting Fellow, Memorial University of Newfoundland, researches how conserving large mammals such as caribou, deer and elk acts as a nature-based solution to climate change.
• Daniel Romm, Vanier Scholar, McGill University, assesses how sustainable transportation systems such as bike sharing can connect people in small population centres to major cities.
• Camille Bédard, Vanier Scholar, Université Laval, studies how fungal pathogens are mutating to become resistant to the drugs we use to treat fungal infections.

Funded through the three federal granting councils – the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), the Vanier Graduate Scholarships and Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships help Canadian institutions attract and retain highly qualified trainees, establishing Canada as a global centre for research training and career support.

“Congratulations to the 2024 Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships and Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships recipients! Their dedication to advancing knowledge for the benefit of all is truly impressive and their hard work will help find solutions that have the potential to make the world a better place and drive Canadian prosperity.” The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

“Canada is a world-leader in research and innovation, and the individuals we are recognizing today are a testament to that. Their research holds tremendous promise for making our lives better and healthier in a variety of ways.” The Honourable Mark Holland Minister of Health

“On behalf of Canada’s granting agencies, I congratulate these top-tier researchers. The Vanier and Banting awards recognize outstanding scholars whose research has the potential to drive meaningful change. I wish you luck as you pursue your careers and thank you for your commitment to advancing research.” Dr. Tammy Clifford Acting President, Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Quick facts

In Budget 2024, the Government of Canada re-committed to investing in homegrown research talent by proposing to provide $825 million over five years, starting in 2024-25, with $199.8 million per year ongoing. This enhanced suite of scholarships and fellowships, including Vanier and Banting, will be streamlined into one talent program and will include an increase in the number of scholarships and fellowships provided, building up to approximately 1,720 more graduate students or fellows benefiting each year. 

The  Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship program  helps Canadian institutions attract highly qualified doctoral students who demonstrate academic excellence, research potential, and leadership potential and demonstrated ability.

The  Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships program  provides funding to the top postdoctoral applicants, both nationally and internationally, who will positively contribute to Canada’s economic, social, and research-based growth.

Since 2016, the Government has invested more than $16 billion in science and research across the country.

Related products

• 2024 Banting post-doctoral researchers
• 2024 Vanier scholars

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Find more services and information at  Canada.ca/ISED .

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