The Sloan Research Fellowships are awarded annually by the
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation since 1955 to "provide support and recognition to early-career scientists and scholars". This program is one of the oldest of its kind in the United States.
Fellowships were initially awarded in
physics
Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which r ...
,
chemistry
Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...
, and
mathematics
Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...
. Awards were later added in
neuroscience
Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system (the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nervous system), its functions and disorders. It is a multidisciplinary science that combines physiology, anatomy, molecular biology, developme ...
(1972),
economics
Economics () is the social science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services.
Economics focuses on the behaviour and intera ...
(1980),
computer science
Computer science is the study of computation, automation, and information. Computer science spans theoretical disciplines (such as algorithms, theory of computation, information theory, and automation) to Applied science, practical discipli ...
(1993), computational and evolutionary
molecular biology
Molecular biology is the branch of biology that seeks to understand the molecular basis of biological activity in and between cells, including biomolecular synthesis, modification, mechanisms, and interactions. The study of chemical and physi ...
(2002), and ocean sciences or earth systems sciences (2012).
Winners of these two-year fellowships are awarded $75,000, which may be spent on any expense supporting their research. From 2012 through 2020, the foundation awarded 126 research fellowship each year; in 2021, 128 were awarded, and 118 were awarded in 2022.
Eligibility and selection
To be eligible, a candidate must hold a Ph.D. or equivalent degree and must be a member of the faculty of a college, university, or other degree-granting institution in the United States or Canada. The candidate must have teaching responsibilities and must be tenure-track but untenured as of September 15 of the nomination year. Only candidates with letters of nomination from department heads or other senior researchers are considered.
The foundation has been supportive of scientists who are parents by allowing them extra time after their doctorate during which they remain eligible for the award.
An independent committee of distinguished scientists in each field selects the fellows based upon their research accomplishments, creativity, and potential to become leaders in their chosen field.
Since the inaugural class of 1955, 6,144 fellowships have been awarded, with faculty from the top ten universities representing over 35% of all fellows.
MIT
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of the m ...
counts the most fellows at 309, followed by
Berkeley
Berkeley most often refers to:
*Berkeley, California, a city in the United States
**University of California, Berkeley, a public university in Berkeley, California
* George Berkeley (1685–1753), Anglo-Irish philosopher
Berkeley may also refer ...
at 291,
Harvard at 242,
Stanford at 237, and
Princeton
Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the ni ...
at 236.
Notable award recipients
Since the beginning of the program in 1955, 53 fellows have won a
Nobel Prize, and 17 have won the
Fields Medal in mathematics.
Sloan Fellowship recipients who became Nobel or Fields Medal laureates
;Notes
See also
*
List of chemistry awards
This list of chemistry awards is an index to articles about notable awards for chemistry. It includes awards by the Royal Society of Chemistry, the American Chemical Society, the Society of Chemical Industry and awards by other organizations.
...
*
List of computer science awards
*
List of economics awards
This list of economics awards is an index to articles about notable awards for economics. The list is organized by region and country of the sponsoring organization, but awards may be given to economists from other countries.
General
Americas
...
*
List of mathematics awards
*
List of physics awards
This list of physics awards is an index to articles about notable awards for physics.
The list includes lists of awards by the American Physical Society of the United States, and of the Institute of Physics of the United Kingdom, followed by a li ...
References
{{reflist
External links
Sloan Research Fellowships official site2015 Sloan Research Fellowships brochure
1955 establishments in the United States
Chemistry awards
Computer science awards
Economics awards
Mathematics awards
Physics awards
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
Awards established in 1955