Funder: NRC Research Associateship Programs
Due Dates: February 1, 2025 | May 1, 2025 | August 1, 2025 | November 1, 2025
Funding Amounts: Stipend approximately $82,764 per year plus $3,000 travel allowance; typical appointment duration 2 years.
Summary: Postdoctoral fellowship for research on hydrodynamic simulations and probabilistic modeling of hurricane storm surge and wave hazards to improve coastal resilience and design standards.
Key Information: Open to U.S. citizens with a doctoral degree; requires contacting a Research Adviser prior to application; NIST participates in February and August review cycles.
Description
This fellowship opportunity, offered through the NRC Research Associateship Programs at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), supports postdoctoral research focused on hydrodynamic simulations and probabilistic methods related to hurricane hazards. The research aims to:
- Characterize hurricane storm surge, waves, wind, and current velocity hazards, including effects of local topography and future sea level rise.
- Model the impact of these hazards on coastal built environments.
- Develop design guides, standards, and emergency preparedness measures to enhance the resilience of coastal communities exposed to hurricane wind and storm surge.
Key research opportunities include developing integrated simulation approaches based on stochastic hurricane databases, quantifying hazards to establish risk-consistent structural design criteria, and defining infrastructure performance requirements to significantly improve disaster resilience.
The research is conducted within the Engineering Laboratory, Materials and Structural Systems Division at NIST, located in Gaithersburg, MD. The program provides access to state-of-the-art facilities and mentorship from experts such as Dr. Long T. Phan.
Due Dates
- February 1, 2025 (NIST participates)
- May 1, 2025
- August 1, 2025 (NIST participates)
- November 1, 2025
Note: If a deadline falls on a weekend or federal holiday, it is moved to the next business day.
Funding Amount
- Annual stipend: Approximately $82,764
- Annual travel allowance: $3,000
- Typical appointment duration: 2 years
Eligibility
- Citizenship: Open to U.S. citizens only.
- Education: Applicants must have earned a Ph.D., Sc.D., M.D., D.V.M., or equivalent research doctorate before beginning tenure.
- Career stage: Open to postdoctoral applicants who have held their doctorate for less than five years as of the application deadline.
- Prior affiliation: Applicants with current or recent prior affiliation with the sponsoring agency (e.g., current employment or previous postdoctoral fellowship at NIST) may be ineligible.
- Letters of recommendation: Postdoctoral applicants must include their dissertation adviser as one of the references.
- Security clearance: May be required depending on agency policies.
Application Process
- Identify Research Opportunity: Review the opportunity details and confirm eligibility.
- Contact Research Adviser: Applicants must contact the proposed Research Adviser (Dr. Long T. Phan, long.phan@nist.gov) before applying to discuss research projects and funding availability.
- Prepare Application Materials:
- Profile information including education history and transcripts.
- Research proposal (up to 10 pages) detailing problem statement, background, methodology, expected results, and significance.
- Letters of recommendation (minimum 3, maximum 5), including the dissertation adviser.
- Submit Application: Apply online via the NRC RAP application portal before the deadline.
- Review and Selection: Applications are reviewed by expert panels; scores above 70 typically receive award recommendations.
Applicants can apply for up to three research opportunities but only one per sponsoring federal agency.
Additional Information
- Health insurance coverage is required throughout the tenure.
- Relocation assistance is available for awardees moving more than 50 miles.
- Annual travel allowance supports conference attendance and fieldwork.
- Reviewer feedback is provided approximately one week after review finalization.
- Applicants who do not receive an award may reapply after one year; previous awardees must wait two years before reapplying.
External Links
Contact Information
For questions about eligibility, application process, or technical support, contact the NRC Fellowships Office at rap@nas.edu or call 202-334-2760.