RCSA Announces Second Round of Cottrell Fellowships

Research Corporation for Science Advancement is announcing a new round of Cottrell Fellowships to support young scientists who are losing opportunities to move into independent academic careers in the fall of 2021 due to pandemic-related hiring freezes at colleges and universities.

Cottrell Fellowships were first offered in 2020 in response to concerns from RCSA’s Cottrell Scholar community about the careers of postdoctoral fellows whose immediate job opportunities disappeared due to the COVID-19 emergency. As the pandemic’s financial fallout continues, RCSA is offering a new proposal cycle in 2021 in keeping with its commitment to nurturing future generations of teacher-scholars.

2021 Cottrell Fellowships
 

Each Cottrell Fellowship is $75,000 for a 12-month period, covering salary, benefits and research-related expenses of one postdoctoral fellow for the 2021-2022 academic year and 2022 summer. The total amount can be prorated for shorter periods of time. No overhead costs are allowed.

Complete applications are prepared by eligible postdoctoral fellows and entered in the online submission system by the Cottrell Scholar sponsor. Awards will be made to Cottrell Scholar sponsors on behalf of the postdoctoral fellows preparing the applications.

Eligibility

An eligible candidate is a postdoctoral fellow who:

• is a member of a research group overseen by a Cottrell Scholar;
• is the only postdoctoral fellow in the Cottrell Scholar’s research group submitting an application (if the Cottrell Scholar would seek to have more than one postdoctoral fellow eligible for this award, please contact Senior Program Director Silvia Ronco to discuss);
• had planned to assume an independent academic position in 2021-22 as an assistant professor, or the equivalent at a research institute;
• is delayed in moving to this independent position because of hiring freezes or cutbacks at institutions to which the postdoctoral fellow applied or would have applied;
• now intends to continue postdoctoral training in the current research group, but finds that funding is insufficient for that extension;

Submission Guidelines

The application process starts with a letter of intent (up to two pages long) submitted using this link. Letters of intent should briefly describe the postdoctoral fellow’s research area in the laboratory of a Cottrell Scholar, and provide evidence that moving into an independent academic position by 2021-22 was a realistic expectation (before the start of the pandemic), and how long the delay will be (options: a certain number of months, one year, uncertain but at least one year, or the open position has been closed).

Letters of intent are due at the close of business March 15, 2021, Pacific Time. After letters of intent are reviewed and approved, applicants will be given access to the online platform to submit complete sets of materials.

Complete application packages should contain the following materials:

• A cover sheet (provided)
• A two-page bio-sketch listing the most significant publications, awards and honors
• Up to three pages describing:
  1. Research plans during fellowship
  2. A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and how that commitment will be put into practice as an independent scientist
  3. A statement of interest to engage in a formal undergraduate course (i.e., not simply oversee undergraduate research) at your postdoctoral institution in 2021-22 in a role with significant educational responsibilities (i.e., primary or co-instructor, syllabus design and subject matter development);
• Evidence indicating that moving into an independent academic position by 2021-22 was a realistic expectation (before the start of the pandemic), and how long the delay will be (options: a certain number of months, one year, uncertain but at least one year, or the open position has been closed).
• Three letters of support:
  1. One from the Cottrell Scholar sponsoring this application.
  2. A second letter from the department chair agreeing to have the applicant teach.
  3. A letter from an external expert in the field of the candidate that describes the suitability of the applicant for this fellowship program, sent directly to RCSA and not shared with the candidate (by following instructions in the online submission system to upload it into the nominee’s electronic file).

Support letters by the Cottrell Scholar and department chair should indicate a commitment to mentor the candidate in pedagogical practices by the institution’s teaching and learning center and by the Cottrell Scholar. If the Cottrell Scholar sponsoring this applicant is the Department Chair, only one letter is necessary. The letter from the department chair should also clearly agree that a successful applicant will be asked to teach one full semester or quarter undergraduate course, but only one such course, during the fellowship year so as to gain direct experience as the instructor of record (if that is not allowed, then as a co-instructor with significant responsibilities) and to practice implementing various pedagogical approaches.

Each applicant’s required materials should be combined in a single PDF and uploaded into the RCSA electronic system by the Cottrell Scholar sponsor.

Application deadline is close of business May 17, 2021, Pacific Time.

Selection Criteria

Successful candidates will be selected on the basis of:

• Strong research records as a postdoctoral fellow and graduate student
• Demonstrated need of this support
• Compelling evidence for how an extension of postdoctoral work will position the candidate well in future research and educational activities
• Clear commitment to teaching and to adopting best practices in pedagogy
• Active engagement in making science more diverse and inclusive

Back to News