The Branco Weiss Fellowship offers an opportunity for postdocs in all areas of the natural and social sciences and engineering who have conceived an original and independent research idea that falls outside the scope of large-scale research projects. The fellowship gives an unusual degree of freedom: Fellows are encouraged to choose the best possible location for their research, anywhere in the world. They will receive support for up to five years. They decide for themselves how the financial resources will be allocated – for their own salary, for staff, for equipment or for a combination of these.

But it’s more than mere funding. Fellows become part of a community of exceptional junior researchers and alumni (most often in faculty positions) from a large spectrum of fields and countries. They thus get to benefit from co-mentoring opportunities, and may even launch collaborative projects which are eligible for additional financial support. Career steps, typically to take up junior faculty positions, are encouraged and will not result in termination of the fellowship.

Funding: Up to CHF 500,000

Where: Varies

Length: Up to five years

Eligibility:

You are eligible for the 2024 intake if:

• You officially hold a PhD on January 15, 2024
• You have obtained your PhD a maximum of five years prior to January 15, 2024
• You do not hold/have not held a faculty-equivalent position (e.g. assistant professor or lecturer)
• Your project departs from the mainstream of research in your discipline
• You have a record of outstanding scientific achievement
• You demonstrate in the proposal a willingness to engage in a dialog on relevant social, cultural, political or economic issues beyond the frontiers of your particular discipline

Applications due: TBD 2024