Fellowships

Pioneer Postdoctoral Fellowships

The Resnick Sustainability Institute's Pioneer Postdoctoral Fellowship recruits outstanding recent PhD graduates to pursue research and training in exciting areas relevant to sustainability at Caltech. This fellowship will afford researchers access to cutting edge facilities, training, and broad expertise in the science and engineering needed to tackle pressing challenges in sustainability. We anticipate making up to 3 awards. We welcome applicants with exceptional backgrounds in research and are committed to diversity and creating an inclusive, equitable culture.

The fellowships will be awarded for up to 2 years in support of individuals pursuing projects aligned with the overall mission of the RSI, to address challenges and opportunities associated with climate change and the stewardship of natural resources.

The Fall 2024 application period is now open. The deadline for applications is Monday, January 13, 2025 at 1:00 PM PST. Click here to apply.

Please email RSIPioneerFellow@caltech.edu with any questions.

RSI-WAVE Fellowships

RSI-WAVE fellows will work in the research groups of world leading scientists and engineers to tackle some of the most pressing issues in sustainability. RSI research focuses on science and technology to address climate change and the stewardship of natural resources.

The Fellowships provide a 10-week immersive research experience, for non-Caltech undergraduates planning to pursue PhD work in sustainability-focused science and engineering. The RSI-WAVE fellows are a part of the Caltech WAVE Fellows Program, and the fellowships are intended for underrepresented minorities, women, first-generation college students, geographically underrepresented students, educationally or financially disadvantaged students, and students with disabilities.

RSI's core initiative research areas focus on science and engineering to develop renewable energy and reduce CO₂ emissions, to manage and increase fresh water supplies, to mitigate and adapt to climate change and to understand and sustain the biosphere. We encourage applicants to explore our research initiatives and the work of the faculty whose projects we have funded to help identify potential WAVE advisors. Please reach out to resnickinfo@caltech.edu if you have questions about the science or technical components of the program.

The application period has closed. Learn more about the program and applying for a WAVE fellowship on the Student-Faculty Programs' website.

Click here to meet the 2024 RSI-WAVE Fellows.

First-Year Graduate Fellowships

Thanks to the generosity of Peter (BS '68) and Melanie Cross, and Charles (BS '68) and Sylvia Zeller, every year the Resnick Institute is able to support two outstanding incoming graduate students who are coming to Caltech to do research towards a more sustainable future. The Cross-Resnick and Zeller-Resnick fellows are nominated by their options for this fellowship, which provides a year of financial support and ongoing mentorship throughout their graduate studies. You can learn about the current and former fellows on our Fellows and Alumni pages.