Simons Foundation 2025 Class of Pivot Fellows

Sponsor

Simons Foundation

For More Information

For more information please visit the Simons Foundation website

Description

The Simons Foundation and Simons Foundation International are now accepting applications for the next class of Pivot Fellows. The Pivot Fellowship program\ will support researchers who have a strong track record of success and achievement in their current field, and a deep interest, curiosity and drive to make contributions to a new discipline. The fellowship will enable today’s brightest minds to apply their talent and expertise to a new field and will consist of one training year where the fellow will be embedded in a lab of a mentor to learn the new discipline and its culture. Mentorship and support are essential for learning a new discipline and culture. In addition to the qualifications and potential of the applicant, the suitability of the mentor and the environment for mentorship will be strongly considered in the application process.

The program is open to faculty in the natural sciences, mathematics, engineering, data science and computer science at academic institutions or equivalent positions elsewhere. The fellowships provide salary support as well as research, travel and professional development funding. In addition, mentors will receive a $50,000 research fund. At the end of the fellowship year, fellows will be invited to apply for a three-year research award in the new field for up to $1.5 million over the three-year period.

Eligibility

Fellows and mentors must hold a Ph.D., M.D. or equivalent degree in the natural sciences (astronomy, biology, chemistry, earth sciences, neuroscience and physics), engineering, mathematics, data science or computer science — and all sub-disciplines therein — and be faculty at an academic institution or hold an equivalent position. Fellows must demonstrate that the fellowship will take place in a new discipline, distinct from their current field of study, within astronomy, biology, chemistry, earth sciences, neuroscience, physics or mathematics — and all sub-disciplines therein. In order to receive the fellowship, fellows must be approved by their institution for a full year of leave. Fellows must not hold any other fellowship that will provide them with salary support during the training year of the Pivot Fellowship.

Funding Availability

A Pivot Fellowship provides one year of salary support of the fellow’s academic-year salary, whether normally paid over 9 or 12 months and a $10,000 research, travel and professional development allowance during the fellowship training year. Mentors will receive a $50,000 research fund during the fellowship year. The mentor’s research funds may be used for salary support for the mentor and lab personnel, small and large equipment (including major research instrumentation), supplies, travel, publication, tuition and other research expenses. Indirect costs are limited to 20 percent of the modified total direct costs (see grant policies).

Indirect Costs

20%

Deadlines

If College-level review is required, your College will communicate its earlier internal deadlines.

TypeDateNotes
Internal Deadline

Applicant to submit a copy of application and signature page along with a complete OR5 form to: research.services@uoguelph.ca.

External Deadline

Applications should be started and submitted under the applicant’s own account on Simons Award Manager (SAM). Refer to the How to Apply instructions for additional information.

 

How to Apply

Applicants must apply through Simons Award Manager (SAM) by the application deadline. Fellows and mentors will each submit a unique application in SAM independently of each other.

Full application instructions are available here.

For Questions, please contact

Program inquiries:
pivotfellowship@simonsfoundation.org

Administrative inquiries:
sfgrants@simonsfoundation.org

Technical assistance:
samsupport@simonsfoundation.org

Office of Research

Ariah Easley, Awards & Agreements Officer
Research Services Office
aeasley@uoguelph.ca

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Health and Life Sciences
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