2025 Sloan Research Fellowships

Please note -nominations are closed (i.e. the 3-nominee limit has been met) for Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics,
Earth System Science and Computer Science Departments.

CALL FOR PROPOSALS2025 Sloan Research Fellowships

Program Description

The Sloan Research Fellowship Program recognizes outstanding early-career faculty who have the potential to revolutionize their fields of study. Successful candidates for a Fellowship generally have a strong record of significant independent research accomplishments that demonstrate creativity and the potential to become future leaders in the scientific community. Nominated candidates are normally several years past the completion of their Ph.D. in order to accumulate a competitive record of independent, significant research. Candidates must be Assistant Professors (i.e., untenured but tenure-track faculty) as of September 15, 2024.

Each year, the Sloan Foundation awards approximately 120, $75,000 grants in seven research areas: Chemistry, Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, Earth System Science, Neuroscience, and Economics.  Please make sure that your research fits under one of the subcategories below before applying.

UCI faculty have received 64 awards since 1967 including Benis Egoh, Asaf Ferber and Connor Mooney in 2022. A list of all previous awardees can be found here.

Internal Review Process

UCI may nominate three candidates per department; therefore, interested applicants are asked to submit a preliminary application to the Office of Research by Tuesday, August 13th, 2024 (via the UCI Review system) with the following information:

• A brief (one-page) statement by the candidate describing his or her significant scientific work and immediate research plans
  • Text should be no smaller than 11 pt. and margins no smaller than .5 inches. References may be on a second page.
  • Fellows are selected based on their independent research accomplishments, creativity, and potential to become leaders in the scientific community through their contributions to their field, so your research statement should reflect these three areas.
  • Please include a 1 – 2 sentence statement on how your research will impact and/or transform the field.
•  List the field and subfield in which you wish to apply.
• List of three potential references (preferably not all from the same institution and including at least one expert in your field who is not a previous mentor, co-author or collaborator) with 1-2 sentences describing why each would be a strong reference for the candidate.
• CV or biosketch

If more than three nominees are identified for a department, the Office of Research will work with the department chairs to select the top three candidates.

Nomination categories with subcategories:

Chemistry

• Analytical
• Chemical Biology
• Experimental Physical
• Inorganic
• Organic Materials
• Synthetic/Organometallic
• Theoretical
• None of the Above

Computer Science

• Architecture and Compliers
• Artificial Intelligence
• Databases
• Human Computer Interaction
• Machine Learning
• Natural Language Processing
• Programming Languages and Verification
• Security and Privacy
• Theory
• Vision and Graphics
• Robotics

Earth System Science

• Biosphere
• Atmosphere
• Oceans
• Cryosphere
• Lithosphere

Neuroscience

• Cellular and Molecular
• Cognitive
• Systems
• Theoretical and Computational

Physics

• Astrophysics: observers, experimentalists
• Astrophysics: theory
• Atomic, molecular, and optical physics, photonics (experiment)
• Condensed matter experiment and nanoscience
• Condensed matter theory and computation
• Geophysics, fluids, plasmas
• High energy experiment
• High energy theory and mathematical physics
• Nuclear physics, neutrinos, dark matter, cosmic rays
• Soft condensed matter and biophysics
• Physics education

Economics (no subcategories)

Mathematics (no subcategories)

More information about the Sloan Research Fellowships can be found at:  https://sloan.org/fellowships#tab-materials-required.