The Beckman Institute Fellows program is intended for recent Ph.D.s or students in their final year of doctoral study with research interests relevant to the Beckman Institute. A competition is held yearly and four fellows are selected for terms of up to three years.
Initiated in the fall of 1991 with funding from the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation, the program provides an opportunity for young scientists to spend several years doing independent research in the behavioral and biological sciences, chemistry, engineering, and physics before launching formal academic careers. Fellows are selected on the basis of their professional promise, capacity for independent work, interdisciplinary interests, and outstanding achievement to date. Preference is given to those applicants whose research interests correspond to one or more of the programs in the Beckman Institute.
Recipients of the fellows awards are expected to have a recent Ph.D. (received no earlier than December 2005) in an area of research relevant to Beckman Institute research and to be involved in interdisciplinary studies related to one of the Beckman Institute's Research Initiatives.
Fellows are expected to interact with Institute faculty members who are in their area of research and collaborative publication is encouraged. Fellows are also expected to be capable of doing independent research.
During the term of appointment, there are no teaching or administrative duties required, other than a brief written annual report to the director of the Institute. Each fellow is assigned an office in the Beckman Institute, and is provided with clerical and other staff support, computing resources, and access to facilities necessary to her or his research program. Because fellows have no specific administrative or teaching responsibilities during their tenure, they are able to take maximum advantage of the opportunity to launch strong research careers. Past fellows have competed effectively for research positions in major universities, and corporate and governmental laboratories throughout the nation.
Year 2008 Fellows will be appointed for up to three years, beginning as early as June 2008, and no later than December 31, 2008. Fellows receive $51,000 annually, plus benefits and a research budget.
List of Current Beckman Postdoctoral Fellows
Year 2008 Fellows Announcement
Beckman Institute Postdoctoral Fellow Application Funding and Visa Information