The Graduate School invites nominations for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Gilliam Fellowship for Advanced Study. The fellowship program provides awards to pairs of dissertation advisors and graduate students based on what the HHMI values and considers essential components of the environment, particularly the institution and advisor’s commitment to creating a healthy academic ecosystem and the student’s potential for scientific leadership.

The award also aligns with and supports development in the OSU Grad Advantage core competencies for graduate students. Nominees are encouraged to complete the OSU Grad Advantage Self-Assessment Tool at the time of their nomination, or in the case of prospective students after they have been formally admitted to gauge their ongoing professional development.

Award Details

Fellows are supported for up to three years of dissertation research, typically in years 3 -5 of doctoral study. The 2024 fellowship cohort award amount is expected to be $53,000 per year (subject to change in August 2023). This amount included in 2023 an annual fellow stipend of $36,000, an institution allowance (in lieu of tuition and fees) of $10,000, a fellow’s discretionary allowance of $4,000, and an advisor allowance of $3,000 to support diversity and inclusion efforts and the graduate level.

Advisors engage in a thirty-hour, yearlong culturally responsive mentorship development course through online modules and in-person meetings, learn best practices in improving communication, managing expectations, and developing inclusive mentoring relationships, develop an implementation plan, and receive support to address challenges related to diversity and inclusion and the graduate level.

Eligibility

  • Advisor-student pairs must be studying scientific problems in biomedical sciences, life sciences, and biological questions in related disciplines. This includes basic research on a variety of biological systems and at all scales including the molecular, cellular, organismal, and ecological levels. This initiative does not support social science research.
  • Prospective fellows must be U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, undocumented childhood arrivals, or undocumented individuals who have been granted temporary permission to stay in the U.S. (DACA).
  • A primary goal of Gilliam is to promote creation of equitable, inclusive, and healthy scientific research environments where everyone can learn, contribute, and thrive. Successful applicants (adviser and student) will demonstrate their commitment to this goal through their activities and unique experiences. Review the HHMI Gilliam Fellowship Program Announcement for guidelines.
  • Prospective fellows should be in their second or third year of a doctoral program, and/or have at least two full years of study remaining as of September 1, 2024.

Nomination Period

Please visit the HHMI Gilliam Fellows Program page for more details. Nomination is by direct submission through their application process.

The Center for the Advancement of Science Leadership and Culture within HHMI also hosted an information session on October 10, 2023 via Zoom.

Nomination Procedure

Advisor-student pairs will collaborate to complete the necessary application materials. Visit the site in late-August 2023 onward for details on the application procedure.

Questions

For questions about this award or any Graduate School administered awards, please contact our Graduate Scholarships and Fellowships team.