The National Academies of Sciences Engineering Medicine calls application for the Gulf Research Program’s Early-Career Research Fellowship 2021. Basically, the Gulf Research Program’s Early-Career Research Fellowship supports emerging scientific leaders as they take risks on research ideas not yet tested, pursue unique collaborations, and build a network of colleagues who share their interest in improving offshore energy system safety and the well-being of coastal communities and ecosystems.

Funding

• Research funding: Overall, $75,000 is available for the fellow to use for research-related expenses, including equipment purchases, professional travel, professional development courses, trainee support, salary, or any other costs directly related to the fellow’s research. The use of these funds for any other expenses requires pre-approval from the Gulf Research Program.
• Mentor honorarium: The remaining $1,000 of the award serves as an honorarium for a mentor. Applicants must identify a senior-level researcher at their affiliated institution willing to serve as a career mentor.
• Additional funding: All fellows will attend a required virtual orientation near the start of their fellowship term. Fellows may be required to attend other events/conferences during their fellowship term, which may include a fellows and/or alumni networking event. Travel expenses for these events will be covered by the Gulf Research Program; they are in addition to the $76,000 fellowship award.

Eligibility

Applicants for The Gulf Research Program’s Early-Career Research Fellowship must

• Hold a permanent, fully independent position as an investigator, faculty member, clinician-scientist, or scientific team lead in the industry, academia, or a research organization. A postdoc is not considered a fully independent position.
• Be an early-career scientist who has received their eligible degree within the past 10 years (on or after September 1, 2011).
• Hold a doctoral degree (e.g., Ph.D., ScD, EngD, MD, DrPH) in the social and behavioral sciences, health sciences and medicine, engineering and physical sciences, earth and life sciences, or interdisciplinary scientific fields relevant to the charge of the Gulf Research Program.
• Be affiliated with a non-federal U.S. institution that has a valid tax ID number.
• Not be currently employed by the U.S. federal government.

Criteria

Candidates must have the following criteria to apply for The Gulf Research Program’s Early-Career Research Fellowship

• A strong scientific and technical background and superior scholarship.
• Strong research background with a clear alignment to the track goal and charge of the Gulf Research Program.
• Experience or demonstrated willingness to work in an interdisciplinary field or participate in interdisciplinary collaborations.
• Effective verbal and written communication to both scientific and non-scientific audiences.
• The initiative, creativity, organization, and interpersonal skills needed to help ensure projects, teams, or individuals accomplish their goals and achieve successful outcomes, whether small or large.
• Experience or achievements outside of research such as community and civic engagement.
• Membership in one or more groups that are traditionally underrepresented in the applicant’s scientific discipline.
• Affiliation with primarily undergraduate or minority-serving institutions.

For more information on eligibility, review criteria, and how to apply, visit For Applicants page.