Grass Foundation Fellowships

Applications for the 2025 Grass Fellowship program are due November 15, 2024.

The application form for the 2025 Fellowship may be found here. Guidelines in .pdf format may be downloaded here.

Please check the Grass Foundation website or the Grass Foundation’s social media page for updates.

PURPOSE: Grass Fellowships at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA, support investigator-designed, independent research projects by scientists early in their career. Supported approaches include neurophysiology, biophysics, integrative neurobiology, neuroethology, neuroanatomy, neuropharmacology, systems neuroscience, cellular and developmental neurobiology, and computational approaches to neural systems. The Foundation also has a longstanding interest in epilepsy-related research.

BENEFITS: Grass Fellowships provide research support including laboratory space, animals, equipment and supplies for one summer at the MBL. Additionally, the investigator, his/her spouse or legal domestic partner, and dependent children are provided housing, a daily meal allowance and round-trip travel to the MBL.

Fellows function as an intellectual and social group within the MBL scientific community while sharing space in the Grass Laboratory. In a weekly private seminar series, eminent investigators at the MBL discuss their work with the Fellows. In addition, a yearly Forbes Lecturer will spend a portion of the summer in the Grass Lab interacting with Fellows.

ELIGIBILITY: Early investigators (late stage predoctoral trainees and beyond) are eligible to apply. This includes applicants with prior experience at MBL or with the Grass Foundation (MBL course alumni are encouraged to apply). Priority is given to applicants with a demonstrated commitment to pursuing a research career. Please see FAQ page on website or contact the Program Coordinator for more information. International Fellows (i.e., not US citizens or resident aliens) must hold a valid visa (e.g. J-1, H-1B, F1 or F1-OPT) for the entire duration of the fellowship. Please contact us early in case you need to adjust your visa status! The Grass Foundation values diversity in all of its programs.

DURATION: The duration of the program is 14 weeks starting Memorial Day Monday; for exact dates click here.

SELECTION: The Trustees of The Grass Foundation judge an applicant’s ability to organize and present pertinent information, the scientific merit of the proposed research, and evidence of an applicant’s ability to work independently. Approximately 10-12 Grass Fellowships are awarded annually. Most Fellows share space in the Grass Lab; some arrange to work in the space of another MBL investigator.

DEADLINE: December 1, annually. Applicants must ensure that the completed application and letters of recommendation are submitted by the deadline. Decisions will be announced by the last week in January.

For more information, please contact gfp@grassfoundation.org or visit www.grassfoundation.org.