2012-2015 Pappalardo Fellowships competition

[Nominations are now closed]

Pappalardo Fellowships Program Overview

The mission of the MIT Pappalardo Fellowships in Physics is to sustain a distinguished postdoctoral program that identifies, recruits and supports the most talented and promising young physicists at an early stage in their careers. This initiative is made possible by the support of Mr. A. Neil Pappalardo (EE '64), an MIT alumnus with a long history of generosity to both the Institute and the Department of Physics.

Each year, the program appoints three new Fellows for a three-year term each, via its annual competition. All Pappalardo Fellows are provided with:

• independent, unrestricted choice of research focus and direction within the MIT Department of Physics, throughout the three-year fellowship appointment;
• active faculty mentoring fostered by weekly luncheons and monthly dinners with the Department's faculty, throughout the academic year;
• a competitive annual stipend [$63,700 for first-year Fellows in the 2012-13 academic year] with an annual cost-of-living increase, combined with $5,000 per academic year in untaxed, discretionary research funds; and
• MIT Affiliate Health Plan insurance coverage for Fellows and their dependents.

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2012-2015 Fellowships Competition: Nominations are now closed.

The Executive Committee of the MIT Pappalardo Fellowships in Physics invites faculty and senior researchers within the international community of physics, astronomy or related fields to submit nominations for the 2012-2015 MIT Pappalardo Fellowships in Physics competition.

Nominees must be young men or women of exceptional ability who currently have or will have received a doctoral degree in physics, astronomy or related fields by September 1, 2012. Nominations are submitted on-line, via the link below.

An application form and instructions will be sent by first-class mail to candidates on a rolling basis up until the nomination deadline of Friday, September 9, 2011, at 5:00 PM (EST).

We thank you for participating in the 2012-2015 MIT Pappalardo Fellowships in Physics competition.

Dear Faculty,

Before filling out a nomination form, please note:

1. To participate in the Pappalardo Fellowships competition, a candidate must be nominated by a faculty member or senior researcher in physics, astronomy or related fields. Self-nominated applicants cannot be accepted.
2. A letter of reference is not required from the faculty nominator in order to complete the online nomination form. The candidate will contact her/his faculty nominator at a later date with instructions for submitting the nominator's letter of reference directly to our office.
3. Current MIT graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, or those who have already received an offer for a postdoctoral position from an MIT faculty member, will only be considered in exceptional circumstances.

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Competition Schedule: 2012-2015 Pappalardo Fellowships

Mid-July 2011	Call-for-Nominations opened. [Nominations are now closed.] Application materials mailed to candidates on a rolling basis up until the nomination deadline of Friday, September 9, 2011, at 5:00 PM (EST).
Friday, SEPTEMBER 9, 2011, at 5:00 PM (EST)	NOMINATION DEADLINE: Nominations are now closed. To participate in the Pappalardo Fellowships competition, a candidate must be nominated by a faculty member or senior researcher in physics, astronomy or related fields. Self-nominated applicants cannot be accepted. A letter of reference is not required from the faculty nominator in order to complete the online nomination form. The candidate will contact her/his faculty nominator at a later date with instructions for submitting the nominator's letter of reference directly to our office. Current MIT graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, or those who have already received an offer for a postdoctoral position from an MIT faculty member, will only be considered in exceptional circumstances.
Friday, OCTOBER 14, 2011, at 5:00 PM (EST)	APPLICATION MATERIALS DEADLINE for Candidates. All required materials must be mailed as original, paper documents directly to the Papplardo Fellowships office. Referees only may email their letters directly to the Pappalardo Fellowships administrator. No applicant materials can be accepted after this date.
Monday, November 21, 2011	The selected finalists are notified individually via email, and given the date and time of their interview on-campus at the MIT Department of Physics. Travel, hotel, and finalist interview instructions are also provided. Remaining candidates are notified via email.
Thursday, DECEMBER 15 and Friday, DECEMBER 16, 2011	Finalist interviews take place on-campus at the MIT Department of Physics with the panel of faculty members who comprise this year's Pappalardo Fellowships Executive Committee. Candidates, PLEASE NOTE: due to faculty availability, these are the ONLY dates on which the finalist interviews can take place for the 2012-2015 fellowships competition. Serious candidates are thus strongly advised to keep these two dates open in their calendars.
Monday, December 19, 2011	Fellowship offers extended via individual email. Fellowship alternates notified via individual email. All remaining finalists notified via individual email.
Monday, January 16, 2012	DECISION DEADLINE FOR 2012-2015 PAPPALARDO FELLOWSHIP OFFERS.

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2012-2015 Applicant Information

Upon receipt of a validated Pappalardo Fellowships nomination from a faculty member or senior researcher within the international community of physics, astronomy or related fields, the Fellowships Office will send the nominee, via first-class mail, a Fellowship application packet containing an application form and cover letter with instructions.

All required application materials will need to be mailed by each candidate via either first-class or overnight mail directly to the Fellowships Office, ensuring that all items arrive no later than 5:00 pm on FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011.

Please note: faxed or emailed application materials cannot be accepted from applicants; faculty referees may email their letters directly to the program's administrator.

MAILING ADDRESS INFORMATION for the
MIT PHYSICS DEPARTMENT / PAPPALARDO FELLOWSHIPS OFFICE

IF SENDING APPLICANT MATERIALS via 1ST CLASS, U.S. POSTAL SERVICE, Use this address: Department of Physics, 4-304 Massachusetts Institute of Technology 77 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139-4307

IF SENDING APPLICANT MATERIALS via UPS, DHL, & FEDEX, Use this address: Department of Physics, 4-304 Massachusetts Institute of Technology 32 Vassar Street Cambridge, MA 02139-4307

Applicants themselves are responsible for ensuring that all of the following items are received by the application materials deadline, please:

1. Completed 2012-2015 Pappalardo Fellowships Application Form
2. Curriculum vitae
3. List of publications
4. Essay detailing proposed research during a Pappalardo Fellowship. [Maximum length accepted: two-pages, 8.5" x 11", single-sided, double-spaced pages, including any references or figures.]
5. Three letters of recommendation, including one from the faculty nominator. Letters need to be sent directly to the program's office by referees (email is acceptable), and the total number islimited to three. No co-authored letters, please.
6. One publication preprint or reprint (OPTIONAL, and limited to one paper).

PLEASE NOTE: For the 2012-2015 competition, finalist interviews will take place on THURSDAY and FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15 and 16, 2011. Due to faculty availability, these will be the ONLY dates upon which finalist interviews can take place.

Please review the Competition Schedule above for a summary of essential dates and deadlines.

The Pappalardo Fellowships in Physics appointments for the 2012-2015 term run from September 1, 2012, through August 31, 2015.

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Questions

Should you need further information, please contact:

Ms. Carol Breen
Communications & Pappalardo Fellowships Program Administrator
MIT Department of Physics
Building 4-305
77 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139-4307

Email: breen@mit.edu