- Award Details: Simons Foundation asks that nominations for the Investigators in Mathematics, Physics, Astrophysics and Theoretical Computer Science programs be treated confidentially – the nominees should not know they are being nominated, if possible.
- Nomination Procedure: The foundation asks each university to submit nominations confidentially, up to two nominees in each of the Mathematics, Physics, Astrophysics and Theoretical Computer Science programs.
- Description:
Basis for Awards: The intent of the Simons Investigators in Mathematics, Physics, Astrophysics and Theoretical Computer Science programs is to support outstanding scientists in their most productive years, when they are establishing creative new research directions, providing leadership to the field and effectively mentoring junior scientists.
Level and Duration of Funding: A Simons Investigator in Mathematics, Physics, Astrophysics or Theoretical Computer Science is appointed for an initial period of five years. Renewal for an additional five years is contingent upon the evaluation of scientific impact of the Investigator.
An Investigator receives research support of $100,000 per year. An additional $10,000 per year is provided to the Investigator’s department. The Investigator’s institution receives an additional 20 percent in indirect costs.
Allowable Expenses: The funding provided to the Investigator may be used at the Investigator’s discretion to support research expenses, including salary support for postdoctoral, graduate or undergraduate research assistants, domestic or international travel, short or long-term visitors and research equipment.
Funding provided for the Investigator’s department is used at the discretion of the department chair to provide support for seminars, visitors, refreshments and related expenditures that benefit the research activities of the department.
Eligibility: To be an Investigator in Mathematics, Physics, Astrophysics or Theoretical Computer Science, a scientist must be engaged in theoretical research in mathematics, physics, astrophysics or computer science; must not previously have been a Simons Investigator; and must have a primary appointment as a tenured faculty member at an educational institution in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom or Ireland, on a campus within these countries and the primary department affiliation must have a Ph.D. program (note that the appointment need not be in a mathematics, physics or computer science department).
The foundation reserves the right to determine eligibility, but, generally, a ‘primary appointment’ is defined as one where the Investigator is a full-time employee of an academic institution with a teaching load that is comparable to that of other faculty members in the same department. Investigators may transfer their awards to new educational institutions within the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom or Ireland, subject to approval from the foundation and the old and new institutions. The award will be interrupted or terminated, at the foundation’s discretion, if an Investigator takes up a primary long-term position (i) at a research institute, national laboratory or other institution outside the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom or Ireland or another campus of their current institution, which falls outside the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom or Ireland or (ii) at a for-profit organization; or (iii) accepts a major administrative responsibility that significantly reduces the time available for research.
Investigators are not eligible to hold a Simons Fellowship or another Simons Investigator award for the duration of the Simons Investigator award.
Investigators are expected to attend the MPS annual meeting, held at the Simons Foundation in October of each year, to discuss their activities. Costs associated with attending this meeting will be covered by the foundation.
Simons Foundation asks that nominations for the Investigators in Mathematics, Physics, Astrophysics and Theoretical Computer Science programs be treated confidentially – the nominees should not know they are being nominated, if possible.
Nominator must upload one PDF file (File name: Nominee's Last Name_Simons MPACS_2019.pdf) containing the following items in order no later than 4:00 p.m. on the internal submission deadline:
Title Page:
- Nominee's First and Last Name
- Nominee's Ph.D. year
- Nominator's name, role, position/title, department
Nomination Letter (two-page limit):
- Written by the nominator (someone other than the nominee), explaining the distinctive scientific contributions of the nominee, focusing on scientific accomplishments of the past five years and including discussion of a few important papers.
Nominee's Curriculum Vitae:
- The nominee's CV, including Ph.D. year, institution, advisor, postdoctoral institutions and advisors, positions held subsequent to award of doctorate, a list of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows mentored by the nominee and the nominee's up-to-date publication list.
Formatting Guidelines and Page Limit:
- Font/size: Times New Roman (10 pt.)
- Document margins: 0.5” (top, bottom, left and right)
- Standard paper size (8 ½” x 11)
Questions concerning the limited submissions process may be submitted to limitedsubs@psu.edu.