Harvard University Environmental Fellows Program(Fully-funded)
The application window for the 2026 Environmental Fellows program is now open. Applications are due December 1, 2025.
“Harvard is committed to fostering the development of talented scholars with an interest in environmental research. The Environmental Fellows at Harvard work with some of the University’s leading faculty, creating linkages across research disciplines and professional schools, and benefit from all that Harvard has to offer.”
— Dan Schrag, Sturgis Hooper Professor of Geology, Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering, Professor of Public Policy Co-Director, Science, Technology and Public Policy Program, Harvard Kennedy School
Purpose:
HUCE created the Environmental Fellows program to allow latest doctorate recipients to make use of and increase Harvard’s extraordinary assets to sort out complicated environmental points. Fellows work for 2 years with Harvard college members in any college or division to type a group of researchers that strengthens connections throughout the University.
The Award:
The fellowship features a wage of $90,000 per yr, worker medical insurance eligibility, as much as $2,500 reimbursement for relocation bills, and a $2,500 annual allowance for journey and different skilled bills. The Environmental Fellows Program is open to anybody with a doctorate or comparable terminal diploma awarded between May 2022 and August 2026. HUCE expects to award roughly 5 fellowships for the 2026 cohort.
HUCE organizes a co-curricular program to make sure that the fellows get to know one another and one another’s work. All fellows take part biweekly dinners together with Harvard college and a speaker from amongst the Harvard college.
Selection Criteria:
- Applicant’s prior tutorial {and professional} success and their potential contribution to scholarship or observe
- Project proposals are fastidiously evaluated by a committee of HUCE college. The proposed mission ought to signify an unbiased line of inquiry, clearly extending past the candidate’s PhD work in addition to the host’s ongoing analysis. The relevance of the proposed work for addressing environmental points, together with demonstration of fantastic potential for mental achievement, are important components within the choice course of.
- The choice committee will choose a bunch of fellows in 2026 who will complement these chosen final yr, creating a bunch of roughly a dozen students with a various set of educational pursuits, abilities, and backgrounds. Recipients—and hosts—might embody folks with levels within the sciences, economics, regulation, authorities, public coverage, public well being, medication, design, and the total array of humanities. Their analysis matters shall be equally assorted.
- Harvard candidates: these receiving terminal levels from Harvard and post-docs at present working at Harvard are eligible for the fellowship supplied their analysis and host preparations take them in new instructions which can be considerably distinct from their PhD analysis and forge new connections throughout the University. Harvard candidates ought to not suggest to proceed to work with the identical professors or teams with whom they’re at present related, nor ought to their proposal be an extenuation of their present work.
- Interdisciplinary analysis initiatives are inspired, though this isn’t a requirement for the fellowship, and candidates with pursuits in a single self-discipline are additionally inspired to apply.
- Host’s dedication: Further vital concerns are the host college member’s enthusiasm for the proposed mission and fellow, the host’s skill to mentor the man, and their skill to supply workplace area and a productive work atmosphere.
- Interview: A choose group of candidates shall be requested to additional focus on their proposal over video with the choice committee.
Program Requirements:
- Applications for the 2026 cohort are due by December 1, 2025, at 5:00pm EST.
- Host letters and advice letters are due by December 10, 2025, at 5:00pm EST (10 days after the application deadline).
- Candidates for 2026 Environmental Fellowships ought to have obtained their terminal diploma between May 2022 and August 2026. (Fellows should have filed their dissertation earlier than beginning their appointment in September 2026.)
- Candidates with a doctorate or equal in any discipline are eligible, they usually might suggest analysis initiatives in any self-discipline. Applicants and not using a PhD might apply if they’ve studied in fields the place the PhD isn’t the standard terminal diploma. All profitable candidates will be capable to show expertise performing scholarly analysis.
- Candidates who obtained terminal levels from Harvard, and post-docs at present working at Harvard are eligible for the fellowship supplied their analysis and host preparations take them in new instructions which can be considerably distinct from their PhD analysis and forge new connections throughout the University. Harvard candidates ought to not suggest to proceed to work with the identical professors or lab teams with whom they’re at present related. No candidate ought to suggest to work extensively with their thesis advisor.
- Each candidate should safe a dedication from a number of Harvard college members to function a mentor and to supply workplace or lab area for the two-year fellowship. Faculty members might solely host one Environmental Fellow at a time. Faculty members who usually are not eligible for internet hosting fellows in 2026 are Paul Moorcroft, Zhiming Kuang, Caroline Buckee, and Satchit Balsari.
- Harvard is an affirmative motion, equal alternative employer.
- Candidates might have obtained their levels at any college on the earth. Foreign nationals are eligible for fellowships, although study at Harvard usually requires proficiency in English.
- Successful candidates must be ready to decide to work at Harvard for the total two years of the fellowship. This fellowship requires residency within the Cambridge space and any fieldwork journey should be scheduled for the summer time or January recess.
Finding a Host:
Potential candidates ought to begin early to establish and set up a relationship with a Harvard college member to host their analysis. The host shall be a mentor to the man and can present workplace area and primary administrative help. In agreeing to be a number, the college member is making a big dedication.
Successful candidates shall be enthusiastically really useful by their proposed host. Each applicant’s host should submit a letter of help (most of two pages) to the choice committee describing intimately the extent of dedication to the analysis and the candidate. Often Harvard college members are approached by many would-be candidates. Some college members conduct their very own choice course of to establish one or two candidates for advice to the choice committee.
Applicants unfamiliar with Harvard college members will discover many potential hosts, although removed from all, listed on the Salata Institute’s website. See college member’s personal internet pages for extra detailed info concerning publications and pursuits. Any college member from any self-discipline might doubtlessly function a number, no matter whether or not the host has had prior expertise with environmental analysis or HUCE. Faculty members might solely host one Environmental Fellow at a time. Faculty members who usually are not eligible for internet hosting fellows in 2026 are Paul Moorcroft, Zhiming Kuang, Caroline Buckee, and Satchit Balsari.
Some candidates may have an interest within the Global Change Postdoctoral Fellowship based mostly on the Arnold Arboretum at Harvard University. Global Change Fellows are eligible to be a part of the Environmental Fellows cohort at HUCE beginning in September 2023. More info on that program could be discovered on the Arboretum’s website.
Note: The Department of the History of Science has a deadline of November 1st for all sponsor requests.
Please direct any inquiries to Jim Clem, HUCE Managing Director, at environmental_fellows@harvard.edu.
FAQs:
Is this system open to non-US residents?
Yes, we have now had many Fellows prior to now from different nations and can work with our International Office to help visa functions.
I’ve a number of Master’s levels, am I eligible to apply?
No, it is a post-doctoral fellowship for latest recipients of a PhD.
Do I must have my doctoral diploma initially of the fellowship?
You don’t must have formally graduated, however you have to a letter out of your graduate college or division chair certifying that you’ve accomplished all necessities for the doctoral diploma.
When will I hear a couple of determination on my application?
We plan to inform candidates of our determination by late January 2026.
Is there flexibility on begin date?
Fellows can begin as early as July 1st. Our aim is to have the brand new cohort in Cambridge by the start of September. In uncommon instances, we have now allowed new Fellows to postpone their begin dates for a month or two past that.
Can you assist me discover a college host?
We can’t make host suggestions for fellowship candidates. You can discover a listing of our affiliated faculty here. Faculty hosts should be tenure-track professors at Harvard.
I can’t get a dedication from a school host. Can I nonetheless apply?
Your application is not going to be reviewed and not using a college host letter. Obtaining that dedication is usually a important problem since our college get many requests from candidates.
Can I’ve multiple host?
It isn’t frequent to have co-hosts, but when you will get commitments from each, and it is smart to your proposal, it’s allowed.
Does my college host must be a school affiliate of the Center or the Salata Institute?
No.
Will my application be reviewed with roughly than three letters of advice?
Yes.
Is there a selected format/spacing/font dimension required for the five-page proposal?
No, we give candidates flexibility to explain their analysis plans. We solely ask that the doc is simple for the overview committee to learn.
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Harvard University Environmental Fellows Program(Fully-funded)