The Morgridge Institute for Research has established a postdoctoral fellowship program directed toward developing researchers committed to rigorous research and dedicated to producing trusted discoveries through the pursuit of excellent interdisciplinary biomedical research. We are committed to fulfilling society’s highest expectations of scientific research and thus value skills that foster the communication of science to society. Candidates’ research programs must have two co-PIs — one of whom is associated with the Morgridge Institute (PI or Affiliate) and the other with UW–Madison — who pursue distinctively different disciplines that will benefit from bridging research areas, reflecting the interdisciplinary intent of the Fellowship program.
Application Info
The Morgridge Postdoctoral Fellowship program typically has three application rounds each year, with deadlines of January 31, May 31, and September 30. Application deadlines are subject to change on rare occasions.
Applicants must have a doctoral degree by the time the fellowship is activated. Recognizing the time it takes to develop interdisciplinary interests and expertise, both first-time postdoctoral candidates and those with previous postdoctoral appointments will be considered for the Morgridge Postdoctoral Fellows program. International candidates are eligible, provided they have appropriate work authorization.
Selection Criteria
Applications are evaluated based on the candidate’s potential for growth as a researcher and alignment with the interdisciplinary goals of the Morgridge Postdoctoral Fellowship program. Selection criteria include:
- Research alignment with Fellowship goals, including innovative research that builds bridges between distinct disciplines and benefits from the expertise of both PIs.
- The novelty and strength of the collaboration between the PIs, including the extent to which the proposed work creates or advances a meaningful interdisciplinary collaboration between investigators with distinct and complementary expertise.
- The candidate’s career plans and approach to professional development.
- The strength of the PI and co-PI mentorship plan, including support for research, interdisciplinary training, and career development.
- The candidate’s research experience and potential for growth during the Fellowship.
- While not primary selection criteria, the candidate’s commitment to collaboration, strengthening our relationship with society is important.
In addition to collaborative research, Morgridge Institute Fellows are expected to participate in:
- Morgridge Discovery Seminar Series
- Career and professional development
- Science communication and community engagement
These activities are to be outlined in an Individual Development Plan (IDP) written by the Fellow and the co-PIs, upon acceptance into the program. Training activities will be guided by the Mission and Guiding Principles of Morgridge and the core competencies developed by the National Postdoctoral Association.
Fellows are required to participate in communication and engagement training through the Morgridge SCI Lab and Community Engagement teams and to participate in a minimum of one community engagement event per year. Consultation with the Community Engagement team is encouraged but not required.
Fellows are also encouraged to take advantage of career and professional development resources available through Morgridge. As part of their orientation to Morgridge, Fellows will meet with the Postdoctoral & Graduate Program Manager at the beginning of their training to learn about available resources and opportunities. Fellows are encouraged to participate in at least two professional development activities per year, based on their individual career goals and development needs.
Support can be for up to three years, subject to annual review. The level of support will be consistent with the Institute’s postdoc compensation structure and includes salary and fringe benefits, which includes the institutional 401K program that has institutional matching contributions. An additional $5,000, awarded annually, can be used for the Fellow’s professional development activities, including, but not limited to, conference participation, courses, workshops, specialized training, and other opportunities aligned with the Fellow’s individual career and professional development goals. Morgridge Fellows will have space allotted to them in the Discovery Building, but may also access additional space at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW), depending on the resources of the UW PI.
At the time of the application applicants must identify both PIs and have their support and agreement to participate. UW faculty members eligible to act as co-PIs in the Fellows Program includes any faculty member eligible to be an academic advisor and mentor for graduate students and postdoctoral trainees.
To learn more about this program Contact Us
Ellen Dobson
Postdoctoral and Graduate Program Manager
(608) 316-4392
edobson@morgridge.org