Graduate Women In Science (GWIS)

• We strive to empower a community representative of all women in STEM and the Social Sciences. In support of our mission to cultivate a strong global community, GWIS seeks to recognize merit-based scholarship and sustained personal engagement with underrepresented communities.

• Awards will be made to women who hold a degree from a recognized institution of higher learning, who demonstrate outstanding ability and promise in research, and who are performing hypothesis-driven research at any institution in the U.S. or abroad. Any person who identifies as a woman in science, irrespective of race, religion, nationality, creed, national origin, sexual orientation, or age is welcome to apply.

• Career level (e.g. graduate student through assistant professor) of the candidate will be taken into consideration when reviewing the proposals.

• Application for the GWIS Fellowship Program is offered at no cost to current GWIS members as a member benefit. For non-members, an application processing fee of USD 50 is required. Fellowship applicants that are not already GWIS members must pay the application fee by the application deadline. Please note that membership approval can take up to 48 hours, so if you want to become a GWIS member, please do so in advance.

• Financial need of research funding is a requirement for the application. Project that has already been fully funded by another agency or organization will be ineligible. Applicants must indicate on the application form all pending funding sources as reviewers will consider these factors when assessing the financial need of the project. If, at any point, the applicant accepts another award prior to being notified of the application status with the GWIS Fellowship Program, the applicant should immediately notify the program.

The Graduate Women In Science (GWIS) National Fellowship Program promotes knowledge in the natural and social sciences and encourages women’s academic and professional careers in the sciences.

During the 2020-2021 funding cycle, we distributed USD 50,000 in research awards to 7 outstanding women scientists and recognized 13 honorable mentions. Since 2008, we have awarded nearly USD 750,000 in research awards.

The fellowships are known as the Sigma Delta Epsilon (SDE), Eloise Gerry, Ethel K. Allen, Vessa Notchev, Jean Langenheim, Monique Braude, Nell I. Mondy, Elizabeth Weisburger, and Hartley Corporation Fellowships. The highest scoring SDE Fellowship designee shall be recognized as the Adele Lewis Grant/SDE Fellowship Winner and the second-highest scoring designee shall be known as the Hartley Corporation/SDE Fellowship Winner.

The funds available in any one year shall be the income from and contributions to the endowment accounts. The amount thus varies from year to year. The Fellowships Committee reserves the right to make no awards if no satisfactory applicants present themselves. The program is not bound by any estimates indicated in this description.

Applicants may propose research projects up to 12 months. The fellowship may not be renewed. The period of the award is one academic year (July 1st through June 30th).

National Fellowship Program

During the 2022-2023 funding cycle, we distributed $50,000 in research awards to seven outstanding women scientists and recognized eighteen graduate students and eight early-career honorable mentions. Since 2008, we have awarded nearly $750,000 in research awards.

The deadline for all application materials, including letters of recommendation, is the beginning of January.

GWIS uses an online website to conduct the annual National Fellowship Program selection process. You can find detailed instructions and link to the application here. Make sure to check out the FAQ section before you apply.