FELLOWSHIPS
The Project on Managing the Atom offers fellowships for pre-doctoral and post-doctoral scholars, and mid-career professionals for one year, with a possibility for renewal, in the stimulating environment of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School.
The MTA fellows program exposes fellows to an interdisciplinary work environment—blending policy and technical concerns—and provides time and space to interact with an international cohort of colleagues, as well as with faculty, senior fellows, and visiting policy makers and other experts.
Eligibility
Eligible candidates include current doctoral students, recent recipients of a Ph.D. or equivalent degree, and university faculty members. In addition to candidates from academia, we also welcome applications from candidates from national laboratories, government, and industry (though academic salaries are not likely to be competitive unless candidates have their own funding).
Applicants for pre-doctoral fellowships must have passed general examinations prior to appointment. We welcome applications from political scientists, historians, economists, sociologists, legal scholars, and other social scientists as well as engineers, physicists, and others with technical training. We also encourage applications from women, minorities, and citizens of all countries.
Areas of Focus
Fellows are expected to pursue research with a nuclear policy focus that relates to the ongoing work of the MTA project. Priority will be given to applications pursuing research on: reducing the risk of nuclear or radiological terrorism, stopping the spread of nuclear weapons, reducing the dangers of existing nuclear stockpiles, and assessing the future of civilian nuclear power. Researchers interested in strengthening international cooperation on nonproliferation, aspects of preventing nuclear terrorism, and nuclear policy issues in the Middle East, South Asia and East Asia are particularly encouraged to apply. Also encouraged are proposals examining steps that lay the foundations for the long term prohibition of nuclear arsenals or steps that improve verification of nonproliferation or disarmament.
Application Requirements
- Research Proposal (3-5 double-spaced pages)
- CV/Resume
- Unofficial transcript (pre-doctoral fellow applicants only)
- Writing sample (less than 50 double-spaced pages)
- Contact information for three recommenders submitting letters on your behalf
Expectations
Fellows are generally expected to:
- Produce a substantial piece of work completed during the fellowship period
- Present their research at a seminar open to the public at least once during the fellowship period
- Attend seminars of other MTA research fellows
- Participate in MTA activities (meetings, communications efforts, etc.) as appropriate
- Regularly correspond with MTA staff and senior faculty about research progress and activities
Stipend Information
MTA offers ten-month stipends of $27,000 to pre-doctoral fellows and $41,000 to post-doctoral fellows. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply for other sources of funding. All applicants should clearly indicate on their application form whether they are seeking full or partial funding, and indicate other potential funding sources. Non-stipendiary appointments are also offered, but the application process remains the same. Stipends come with health insurance and discounted MBTA passes, as well as shared office space and modest administrative support.
If you have any questions about the fellowships or application process, please email joshua_anderson@hks.harvard.edu.
Online Application
The 2016–2017 fellowship application period is now closed. Recommendations will be due on Monday, February 1, 2016. Decisions will be announced by March 31, 2015.
Contact Information
Email: Joshua_Anderson@hks.harvard.edu
Please visit the Belfer Center Application Procedure page for more information on the Center's other research fellowships for pre-doctoral and post-doctoral scholars.
