Schmidt Science Fellows(Postdoctoral Fellowship Program)

Program Summary

UCI has received the distinguished honor of being invited to nominate candidates for the Schmidt Science Fellows program — one of only a select number of institutions worldwide to receive this invitation. This prestigious postdoctoral fellowship supports exceptional graduating PhD students as they pivot from their doctoral discipline to pursue bold, interdisciplinary research in the physical and biological sciences, mathematics, engineering, and computing.

UCI may nominate two doctoral students for the 2027 cohort. For more information, please visit the Schmidt Science Fellows guidance document.

➤ Faculty are encouraged to share this opportunity with eligible PhD students and to support them through the internal nomination process.

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Eligibility

Applicants must:

• Be pursuing a PhD in the physical sciences, biological sciences, engineering, mathematics, computing, or closely related sub-disciplines
  (Pivots from or to the social sciences are outside the scope of this program.)
• Complete all PhD requirements between May 1, 2026 and June 30, 2027
• Be available to begin the fellowship in July or October 2027

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Award

Personal stipend of US $110,000 per year for up to two years of postdoctoral study in a discipline different from the applicant’s PhD field, at any approved academic institution worldwide.

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Important Deadlines

• UCI Internal Application Deadline: March 31, 2026 (11:59 PM PDT)
• Candidate Confirms Nomination: May 1, 2026
• Application to Schmidt Science Fellows: July 13, 2026

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Internal Application Process

Internal nominations must be submitted by the PhD candidate to the Office of Research via the UCI Review application portal by March 31, 2026 at 11:59PM PDT.

Required Materials (to be submitted by the PhD candidate)

Curriculum Vitae

• Highlight publications, awards, and research experience
• Include anticipated PhD degree name and completion date
• Include the name of your UCI PhD advisor (who may be contacted for a letter of recommendation)

Fellowship Narrative
(Maximum 5 pages total; 12 pt font; 1” margins; references may be included on additional pages)

1. PhD Research Summary (1 page max)
   Summary of doctoral research and key outputs. Include a title and keywords.
2. “Pivot” Research Proposal* (2 pages max)
   A proposal for a new interdisciplinary research direction that represents a clear pivot from your PhD field. Describe the new tools, skills, and networks you will develop. Include a title and keywords.
   *At this stage, a fully developed research proposal is not expected.
3. Personal / Motivation Statement (1 page max)
   Describe career goals, why the fellowship is a strong fit, and how you meet the selection criteria (intellectual curiosity and leadership).
4. Proposed Placement Options (1 page max)
   Identify three potential postdoctoral host laboratories. You do not need to contact prospective PIs or secure an offer at this stage. Placement can be any laboratory in the world as long as there is an affiliation with an academic institution.

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Review Process

A committee will review internal applications and select up to two nominees to advance to the national competition.

Please direct questions to Suzanne Ou (suzanneo@uci.edu ).

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Selection Criteria

Nominees will be evaluated based on:

• Intellectual Merit: Extraordinary achievement and scientific curiosity
• Programmatic Fit: Alignment with the program’s interdisciplinary mission and collaborative spirit
• Leadership: Character, leadership potential, and global ambition for social good

To learn more about the type of candidates selected, please review Fellow profiles on the Schmidt Science Fellows website.

The program has also provided a diagram explaining the concept of the “Interdisciplinary Pivot.”