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The Stanford R. Ovshinsky Fellowship consists of $15,000, given to the awardee's institution by the American Physical Society for the purpose of the recipient's energy sustainability research. Awardees will also receive an allowance for travel to a meeting at which the fellowship is awarded and a certificate is presented. The recipient may be invited to present a talk at an appropriate meeting during the year.
This fellowship is intended to recognize and offer seed funding for promising exploratory research aimed at energy sustainability, so that it may qualify for further support. Appropriate research topics might include the development of new materials, methodologies, or cost-effective energy conversion technologies and range from energy generation to energy storage. The proposed research (e.g., "proof of principle" experiments or calculations) should also have a viable potential for commercialization.
The Stanford R. Ovshinsky Sustainable Energy Fellowship was established in 2013 by Stan's widow, Rosa Young Ovshinsky, and his children to recognize his inventive spirit in science and to honor his lifelong dedication and contributions to developing efficient energy conversion technologies to meet global energy needs. The fellowship is being created with the conviction that it is now more important than ever to develop efficient and low-cost energy conversion technologies (such as photovoltaic cells, hydrogen fuel cells, or rechargeable batteries) that do not rely on fossil fuels and so provide sustainable carbon-free energy to the growing world population.
The fellowship is awarded to a researcher who is no more than ten years beyond receiving his or her Ph.D. (such as a graduate student, postdoc, or junior faculty/researcher) or, if not having received a Ph.D., is no more than 40 years of age. Applications will be evaluated for the innovative and creative nature of the proposed ideas or the approach to sustainable energy and for the potential of actual commercialization. Preferably, the awardee should show entrepreneurial interest in the development of his or her research for the marketplace. Applications will remain active for three years, provided the candidate continues to meet the other requirements for eligibility.
Applications for the Stanford R. Ovshinsky Sustainable Energy Fellowship will be received and reviewed by a selection committee from the Topical Group on Energy Research and Application (GERA). As this fellowship has the potential to recognize researchers from a variety of fields, it will be widely promoted within a number of APS units where energy sustainability interests exist as well as in Society-wide communications.
The nomination package must include:
To complete a nomination use the SM Apply electronic submission form. All files should be uploaded in PDF format. Letters may be signed electronically.
2019 Recipient:
Vicky Doan-Nguyen, The Ohio State University
For substantial contribution to the advancement of synthesis and in-situ local structure probes of energy storage and energy conversion materials.
Previous Winners:
2018: Vivian E. Ferry
University of Minnesota
2017: Luisa Whittaker-Brooks
University of Utah
2016: Marina S. Leite
University of Maryland, College Park
2015: Richard R. Lunt
Michigan State University
2014: Darin Bellisario
Massachusetts Institute of Technology