The Branco Weiss Fellowship – Society in Science

Profile

The Branco Weiss Fellowship – Society in Science is a community of exceptional young scientists who share a passion for taking research beyond the mainstream. Fellows are given the means to pursue their personal vision of a particular scientific project independently – in the best possible locations, anywhere in the world. The fellowship is awarded to postdocs for up to five years. Since it continues after a promotion, some fellows even become faculty members during the course of their fellowship. Besides a passion for the research itself, what Branco Weiss Fellows and Alumni also have in common is a flair for communicating beyond their own field of study and with society at large.

The fellowship is designed to support postdoctoral researchers after their PhD and before their first faculty appointment. The aim is to award up to ten fellowships each year. Researchers who pursue unconventional projects outside the mainstream of science (including natural sciences, engineering, social sciences, and humanities) may apply. Those in current postdoctoral positions are also eligible.

Experience

You have obtained your PhD a maximum of five years prior to January 15, 2024
You do not hold/have not held a faculty-equivalent position (e.g. assistant professor or lecturer)
Your project departs from the mainstream of research in your discipline
You have a record of outstanding scientific achievement
You demonstrate in the proposal a willingness to engage in a dialog on relevant social, cultural, political or economic issues beyond the frontiers of your particular discipline

To Apply

Applications for the 2024 fellowship are now open. Apply here.
To avoid server overload, submit your application at least 1 to 2 days before the deadline.

Please have the following documents (pdf files) ready for uploading.

Letter of motivation including a statement explaining why your research differs from the mainstream (max. 1 page)
Your proposed research project (max. 5 pages, including abstract, timelines, tentative milestones and references)
Your CV (max. 4 pages)
An invitation letter by your prospective host, stating why you are invited to the host group and why your research project is supported
Copies of your three best publications (no doctoral theses, no books, only peer-reviewed journal articles or individual book chapters)
5 reviewer suggestions (to be entered directly in the online application)

For more details click here

Duration

Research projects should be conceived to last five years.

The first two years of a project are called the pioneer phase. At the end of the pioneer phase, a review and a site visit will be conducted. At this point, the project, its continued originality, and the productivity of the fellow will be evaluated. If the results of the evaluation and site visit are satisfactory, the fellow enters the exploitation phase for the remaining three years of the fellowship.

Branco Weiss Fellows are encouraged to seek faculty positions during their exploitation phase. Fellows can start a faculty position/professorship after the first year of the fellowship. Assuming an academic position will not result in termination of the fellowship.

Money

A Branco Weiss Fellowship amounts to max. CHF 600,000 for up to five years. It may be used to cover all legitimate costs of research (i.e. salary and/or equipment, travel expenses, consumables, personnel, etc.).

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