The Packard Foundation established the Fellowships program in 1988 to provide early-career scientists with flexible funding and the freedom to take risks and explore new frontiers in their fields. Successful candidates think outside the box, trying new and innovative approaches that could impact their field.
Eighteen recipients will receive individual grants of $875,000 distributed over five years. Of the $175,000 paid each year, $17,500 is available to the university as compensation for administrative costs.
Candidates must be faculty members who are eligible to serve as principal investigators and are in the first three years of their faculty careers: that is, whose initial faculty appointments began no earlier than May 31, 2013, and no later than May 31, 2016. The Foundation emphasizes innovative individual research that involves the Fellows, their students, and junior colleagues, rather than extensions or components of large-scale, ongoing research programs. Eligible disciplines are: physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology, astronomy, computer science, earth science, ocean science, and all branches of engineering.
The campus may submit only two nominations; therefore, interested applicants should (via the UCI Review application system) submit the following by March 1, 2016:
- Two Page Research Statement consistent with Packard’s Guidelines,**
- Brief curriculum vita (up to 3 pages) including a list of publications in which independent contributions are identified,
- Name, Title, and Affiliated Institution of the 4 individuals who will be asked to submit letters of recommendation to Packard on the applicant’s behalf,
- Nomination letter either authored or endorsed by the Dean (or equivalent in units without a dean),
An ad hoc committee will be convened to review the internal applications. The campus must submit nominations by March 15, 2016 and the selected campus nominees will be notified prior to this deadline. The complete application packet is due to Packard on April 20, 2016.
**Faculty wishing for help preparing their research statement may contact the Research Development professionals in their schools—if available—or Marianne Smith (mrsmith1@uci.edu) in the Office of Research. For a consultation on whether a proposal is a “good fit” for this opportunity, please contact Roxanne Ford (fordmr@uci.edu) in Foundation Relations.
The complete guidelines are available online at https://www.packard.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/2016-Packard-Fellows-Guidelines.pdf. Questions about our internal campus review process may be directed to Greg Ruth at greg.ruth@uci.edu or x4-0372.
James W. Hicks
Interim Vice Chancellor for Research
Professor of Biology