Funder: NRC Research Associateship Programs
Due Dates: May 1, 2025 (Application Deadline)
Funding Amounts: Base stipend approximately $95,000 plus $5,000 travel allowance; stipend increases with experience; typical award duration 2-3 years.
Summary: Supports postdoctoral and senior researchers developing innovative neuromorphic computing hardware and algorithms for low-power, edge-based machine learning in size, weight, and power (SWaP) constrained environments.
Key Information: Open to U.S. citizens; requires contacting a Research Adviser prior to application; relocation and health insurance benefits included.
Description
This fellowship opportunity, offered through the Air Force Science and Technology Fellowship Program (AF STFP) under the NRC Research Associateship Programs, focuses on advancing neuromorphic computing technologies. Neuromorphic computing aims to emulate biological brain functions such as trainable networks of neurons and synapses using non-traditional, highly parallelizable, and reconfigurable hardware. This approach is particularly promising for low-power, edge-based machine learning (ML) applications that operate without reliance on cloud computing, addressing the limitations of size, weight, and power (SWaP) in deployed systems.
The research scope includes mathematical modeling, hardware characterization and emulation, hybrid CMOS architecture design, and algorithm development for neuromorphic processors. Emphasis is placed on leveraging the physical properties of devices to perform computation, with interest in technologies such as optics/photonics, memristors/ReRAM, metamaterials, nanowires, and superconductors. The goal is to develop imaginative and efficient solutions to meet future Air Force and Space Force needs for non-cloud-tethered ML on SWaP-limited assets.
Due Dates
- Application Deadline: May 1, 2025 (5 PM ET)
Funding Amount
- Base stipend: Approximately $95,000 per year
- Travel allowance: $5,000 per year
- Stipend supplementation based on years of experience beyond PhD
- Typical award duration: 2-3 years
- Additional benefits include relocation assistance for those living more than 50 miles from the host lab and access to group health insurance for awardees and dependents.
Eligibility
- Citizenship: Open to U.S. citizens only
- Applicant Level: Postdoctoral researchers (within 5 years of PhD) and senior researchers (5+ years post-PhD or established investigators)
- Must have earned a doctoral degree prior to beginning tenure
- Applicants with current or recent prior affiliation with the sponsoring agency may be ineligible; check specific eligibility criteria
- Applicants must contact the proposed Research Adviser before applying
- Letter writers cannot be employed by the sponsoring agency unless they have served as mentors or collaborators during the applicant’s prior research
Application Process
- Identify the research opportunity and contact the Research Adviser listed (Jack Paul Lombardi: jack.lombardi.2@us.af.mil, 315-330-2627)
- Prepare application materials including:
- Profile information (contact, education, transcripts for postdocs)
- Research proposal (max 10 pages) detailing problem statement, background, methodology, expected results, and significance
- Letters of recommendation (minimum 3, including dissertation adviser for postdocs)
- Submit application via the NRC RAP online system before the deadline
- Letters of recommendation must be uploaded by letter writers through the online system by the deadline
- Applications are reviewed by expert panels; scoring above 70 typically recommended for award
- Review feedback is provided approximately one week after panel decisions
Additional Information
- Relocation assistance is available for awardees moving more than 50 miles to the host lab
- Health insurance coverage is provided for awardees and qualifying dependents in the U.S.
- Awards are contingent on successful security clearance if required by the agency
- Applicants should ensure all application components are complete and submitted on time; incomplete applications will not be reviewed
- Previous NRC Research Associateship awardees may apply again after a two-year gap from prior award termination
External Links
Contact Information