Simons Investigators in Mathematics, Physics, Astrophysics and Theoretical Computer Science: FAS Internal Nomination Deadline
Date and Time
Simons Investigators in Mathematics, Physics, Astrophysics and Theoretical Computer Science
FAS Internal Nomination Deadline: August 26, 2020
Sponsor Nomination Deadline (if selected as a Harvard nominee): October 28, 2020
Award Amount: $100,000/year for 5 years plus $10,000 per year to the Investigator’s department. The Investigator’s institution will receive an additional 20 percent per year in indirect costs.
The Simons Investigators in Mathematics, Physics, Astrophysics and Theoretical Computer Science Program aims to provide a stable base of support for outstanding midcareer scientists, enabling them to undertake long-term investigations of the fundamental questions in their fields. The intent of the program is to support these scientists in their most productive years, when they are establishing creative new research directions, providing leadership in the field and effectively mentoring junior scientists. To be an Investigator, a scientist must be engaged in theoretical research in mathematics, physics, astrophysics or computer science and must not have previously been a Simons Investigator. He/she must be midcareer, have a primary appointment as a tenured faculty member and the primary department affiliation must have a Ph.D. program (note that the appointment need not be in a mathematics, physics, astrophysics or computer science department).
This is a limited submission opportunity. Harvard may put forward up to two nominees in each of the Mathematics, Physics, Astrophysics, and Theoretical Computer Science programs. Additionally, up to two Simons Investigator in Physics awards will be granted to well-established midcareer researchers who develop and apply advance theoretical physics ideas and methods in the life sciences. Harvard may put forward one nominee in Theoretical Physics in Life Sciences. The Office of the Vice Provost for Research will facilitate the University-wide competition. Those who wish to nominate FAS faculty members may do so by sending the following materials to Erin Hale at erin_hale@fas.harvard.edu no later than August 26, 2020.
- Nomination Letter (two-page limit): Written and signed by the nominator on letterhead, explaining the distinctive scientific contributions of the nominee, focusing on scientific accomplishments of the past five years and including discussion of a few important papers. Co-signed letters are acceptable within the page limit and nominator(s) need not be from Harvard.
- Nominee’s CV: The nominee’s curriculum vitae, including Ph.D. year, institution, advisor, postdoctoral institutions and advisors, positions held subsequent to award of doctorate, a list of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows mentored by the nominee and the nominee’s up-to-date publication list.
Please note that nominations should be treated confidentially – the nominees should not know they are being nominated, if possible. A nominee cannot submit his/her own nomination. Investigators are not eligible to hold a Simons Fellowship or another Simons Investigator award for the duration of the Simons Investigator award. Candidates from previous years may be re-nominated.
Recent awardees include Karin Oberg (Astrophysics, 2020), Douglas Finkbeiner (Astrophysics, 2017), Boaz Barak (Theoretical Computer Science, 2017), and Daniel Eisenstein (Physics, 2016).