Fully Funded University Of British Columbia UBC Schmidt Science Fellows Program, Canada for 2024

The University Of British Columbia is now accepting applications for its fully-funded UBC Schmidt Science Fellows Program.

About the University Of British Columbia and Scholarship

A public research institution in British Columbia, the University of British Columbia (UBC) has campuses in Kelowna and close to Vancouver. The oldest university in British Columbia was founded in 1908. UBC sponsors more than 8,000 projects annually with a research budget of $759 million.

The Schmidt Science Fellows program gives the top young researchers in the world new tools and viewpoints so they may come up with fresh approaches to societal problems, establish themselves as thought leaders in their fields, and hasten the pace of ground-breaking discoveries. 

The program seeks the top thinkers in the natural sciences, mathematics, engineering, and computers who are interested in expanding their perspectives. Candidates for Schmidt Science Fellows should have a proven record of scientific success from their Ph.D. studies, as well as a strong sense of intellectual curiosity and a willingness to lead discoveries. To have a significant impact on society and the world at large, they should be committed and have the moral fiber to do so. Fellows should be team players with the ability and willingness to collaborate across scientific fields and a variety of teams.

Details about the UBC Schmidt Science Fellows Program at the University Of British Columbia:

Scholarship Sponsor: University Of British Columbia, Canada

Scholarship Value: USD 100,000 per year

Number of awards: Several

Study level: Fellowship

Host Institution(s): University Of British Columbia, Canada

Benefits:

The University of British Columbia Schmidt Science Fellowships offers the fellows several financial advantages to help them throughout their postdoctoral research and career growth, including:

Stipend: Each fellow is given a substantial $100,000 stipend. This stipend is intended to offer them financial assistance for the course of their full-time, postdoctoral studies, which usually lasts at least one year. Fellows can concentrate on their studies and advance their scientific careers thanks to the stipend.

Postdoctoral Study: The fellowship gives scholars an exceptional chance to carry out their postdoctoral research in a top-tier laboratory. It’s significant because fellows can select a subject of study that is different from their current area of competence. Through this multidisciplinary approach, fellows can increase their knowledge, discover new scientific horizons, and have a significant effect on the sector of their choice.

Residential Meetings: Throughout their fellowship year, Fellows take part in a series of four residential meetings held all over the world. Each of these meetings lasts for five weeks and functions as a rigorous training session. These conferences, which are tailored to the particular requirements of the fellows, offer thorough instruction to foster their abilities and cultivate them into the subsequent generation of scientific leaders. The residential meetings encourage interaction between fellows and eminent authorities in diverse scientific fields, as well as interdisciplinary learning and networking possibilities.

Eligibility Criteria for UBC Schmidt Science Fellows Program

Candidates must meet the following criteria to be eligible for nomination and probable selection as a Schmidt Science Fellow:

Completion of UBC Ph.D.: Candidates must have finished, or anticipate finishing, all criteria for the awarding of their UBC Ph.D. between 1 June 2023 and 30 July 2024, including a successful defense. Please be aware that candidates who plan to enroll at UBC are not eligible.

Graduate Degree in Applicable Fields: The natural sciences (Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Earth Sciences), engineering, mathematics, or computing, including all sub-disciplines within these domains, must have been the focus of the candidate’s graduate studies.

Availability for the Program: Candidates must be available from July 2024 to September 2025, the full run of the 2024 program. This involves participating in extra virtual programming as well as the Global Meeting Series, whether virtually or physically, as circumstances permit.

The Schmidt Science Fellows program is devoted to ensuring that all applicants have equitable chances. Regardless of age, handicap, gender, gender identity, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy or motherhood, parenting status, marital status, status as a civil partner, race, color, ethnic or national origin, country, religion, or belief, applications from individuals are actively welcomed.

Interview Process for UBC Schmidt Science Fellows Program

The whole set of assessment standards may be found on the Schmidt Science Fellows webpage. The UBC Schmidt Science Fellows program is searching for the following qualities:

• The program seeks the top candidates in the natural sciences, mathematics, engineering, and computing who are eager to broaden their horizons, change their focus from their Ph.D. research area, and pursue a demanding and fruitful period of study with top researchers in an alternative field.
• When choosing a postdoctoral position, Schmidt Science Fellows are encouraged and supported to take an ambitious scientific risk. To build field-leading interdisciplinary lines of study with the potential for significant financial reward and societal effect, their planned research pivot should be a true and creative disciplinary departure from their Ph.D. studies. 
• Placements for research are not limited to a certain group of universities. Schmidt Science Fellows have the option of finishing their fellowship at a lab of their choosing, provided that the host institution can match their specific training and research requirements and the arrangement is approved. Candidates are invited to think about the exceptional independence, flexibility, and global view this position gives since it is a rare chance to study in a top-notch lab anywhere in the globe.
• Schmidt Science Fellows are expected to become leaders in science and should have a strong desire to use interdisciplinarity and engage with the general public. Candidates must have the will to address some of the most important issues facing the globe as well as the charisma to inspire, motivate, and lead interdisciplinary collaborations that will hasten the process of discovery and provide significant answers.

Application Procedure for UBC Schmidt Science Fellows Program

Those interested in applying for the UBC Schmidt Science Fellows Program must do so through their UBC graduate program. To learn about the internal application deadline for their UBC graduate program, candidates should contact them. 

The whole application must include the following:

• CV with publications (three pages maximum)
• A summary of your Ph.D. study, no longer than one page
• Personal Statement, no longer than one page:
  • Describe your leadership traits, focusing on the following two areas: (a) character and leadership (genuine and demonstrable potential for science leadership; exhibiting perseverance, resilience, a moral compass, and a galvanizing force of personality); and (b) global ambition for social good (desire to use your skills and science to make a positive difference in society and the world).
• Fellowship Research Proposal, covering the following issues, no longer than two pages: Describe your proposed postdoctoral research direction, which represents a sincere, ambitious, and creative disciplinary departure from your Ph.D. studies. Its clear objective is to acquire new skills in a new field and establish field-leading interdisciplinary lines of research with the potential for high reward and societal impact.
  • Please address the following two points in your proposal: (a) alignment with the Schmidt Science Fellows program (i.e., desire to pursue 12–24 months of postdoctoral study in a field other than your Ph.D. discipline and belief that interdisciplinary science and the taking of appropriate scientific risks are important for the advancement of discovery) and (b) collaborative spirit (i.e., demonstrated history of successful collaboration with diverse team members).
• Options for positioning (up to one page):
• Three quick summaries of possible labs where you may conduct this study are provided.

Keep in mind that you are not required to speak with the labs or get a job right now.

• The choices you make are not definitive or enforceable.
• One letter of support, no longer than two pages. If at all feasible, the letter should be signed and printed on letterhead. The letter needs to mention the standards of evaluation.
  • The referee should be able to discuss your potential in the future rather than just your present skills. 

The Schmidt Science Fellows program will invite selected UBC nominees to submit a complete application in June. Document presentation standards: 10-point Arial font or an equivalent.

Please visit the Schmidt Science Fellows website for more details on the organization. The website’s FAQ section could have the response to your query. Please get in touch with Bree Wilson for more details. You can also visit the official website for further details.

The Application Deadline is: Not Specified 

Not interested in this particular scholarship? See other Canada scholarships here.