Mathematical Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships

The Mathematical Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (MSPRF) program is administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) through its Division of Mathematical Sciences within the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences. This fellowship initiative aims to support future leaders in mathematics and statistics by facilitating their engagement in impactful postdoctoral research environments. Through this program, the NSF seeks to enhance the professional development of postdoctoral scholars, fostering the advancement of knowledge in core mathematical sciences and their applications across other disciplines. The MSPRF offers two fellowship options to awardees: the Research Fellowship and the Research Instructor-ship. The Research Fellowship provides full-time support for any eighteen academic-year months over a three-year period, in increments no shorter than three consecutive months. Alternatively, the Research Instructor-ship spans three academic years, typically structured as one year of full-time support followed by two years of half-time support, enabling fellows to gain teaching experience. Each award also includes six months of summer support. Fellows must affiliate with a host institution and select a sponsoring scientist who will provide mentorship and help guide both research and professional development. A detailed mentoring plan is required as part of the application. Fellowships have a fixed award amount of $190,000, which includes a stipend of up to $70,000 per year and a total allowance of $50,000 disbursed over the first two years for research-related and fringe benefit expenses. Funding is subject to availability and supports approximately 35 to 45 awards annually. The postdoctoral appointment must begin between June 1 and October 1 in the year following the award notification, which typically occurs around April. Fellows must devote their time to scientific research, except for limited teaching duties if under the Instructor-ship option. Eligibility is limited to individuals who are U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or legally admitted permanent residents at the time of proposal submission. Candidates must have earned their doctoral degree within two years of January 1 of the award year and must not have previously received an MSPRF award or served as a PI or co-PI on other NSF-funded projects, excluding graduate fellowships or conference awards. Only individuals may apply; institutions do not submit proposals. Applicants must have their doctoral degrees conferred prior to the start of the postdoctoral appointment. Applications must be submitted via Research.gov by the fellowship proposer directly and include several components: a project description, a data management plan, a sponsoring scientist’s statement, and three to four reference letters. Proposals must comply with all formatting, eligibility, and content requirements or risk being returned without review. Reference letters are submitted through a designated Research.gov module and may not come from the sponsoring scientist unless they are also the doctoral advisor. The program operates on an annual cycle, with proposals due on the third Wednesday of October each year. The next upcoming deadline is October 18, 2024. Proposals are reviewed based on intellectual merit and broader impacts, with consideration given to the candidate’s past accomplishments, potential, and the suitability of the host institution and mentoring environment. For inquiries, prospective applicants may contact Stefaan G. De Winter (sgdewint@nsf.gov, 703-292-2599), Wing Suet Li (winli@nsf.gov, 703-292-4630), or other listed program officers.