Overview - Schmidt Science Fellows

We provide our Fellows with the skills and perspectives to harness and accelerate their exceptional scientific talents. Schmidt Science Fellows engage and coproduce with diverse thinkers in science, politics, society, and business to catalyze new ideas and connections.

Our Fellows are part of a community of lifelong fellowship and collaboration, between each other and with the cross-disciplinary networks they develop during the Fellowship year.

Working with partners in science, policy, and society Schmidt Science Fellows are helping to shape the future of scientific culture, training, and discovery.

Why

We are in a new era of science, technology, and innovation. Scientific progress and cutting-edge technologies are rapidly accelerating our understanding of the natural and built worlds. Research is increasingly global and can affect a wide range of pressing societal challenges. In this new era, the best scientists should draw insights from across numerous different disciplines, be able to apply new techniques, and possess a broad world-view informed by the intersections between science and society.

What

The Schmidt Science Fellows program provides the world’s best emerging scientists with new skills and perspectives to develop novel solutions to society’s challenges, become scientific and societal thought leaders, and accelerate ground-breaking discoveries.

We look for the brightest minds in the natural sciences, mathematics, engineering, and computing who are interested in broadening their horizons. Candidates to be Schmidt Science Fellows are expected to already have a strong track record of scientific achievement from their PhD studies, combined with a clear intellectual curiosity and desire to drive future discoveries. They should have the commitment and character to engage with society and global challenges to making a lasting difference in the world. Our Fellows should have a collaborative spirit with the experience and desire to work with diverse teams and across scientific disciplines.

How

Schmidt Science Fellows undertake a year-long postdoctoral placement. This placement commences after a Fellow successfully completes his or her PhD in the natural sciences, computing, engineering or mathematics. Fellows’ placements will represent a significant disciplinary pivot from their PhD topic and are central to the program’s aim to foster greater interdisciplinarity. All placements are with world-leading scientific leaders and internationally-renowned labs. The program works with Fellows after selection to identify and secure a placement that will best achieve each individual’s objectives. We work with each placement host to ensure fellows benefit from a stimulating, challenging, and rewarding environment.