The Program:
The Mong Fellows program will nurture the next generation of scientists and projects at the interface between technology and studies of the function and dysfunction of the brain. Funding will be provided to exceptionally talented postdoctoral fellows (Mong Senior Fellows) or graduate students (Mong Junior Fellows) pursuing risky, highly creative, projects focused on the development and application of novel technologies for understanding neural function. Appropriate proposals will involve work at early stages, when traditional funding mechanisms are inadequate. The projects, if successfully demonstrated, should have significant potential for future external funding of their continued development and application. Two fellows from different collaborating laboratories must be sponsored by a faculty team. One of the laboratories could be at Weill Cornell Medical School. Successful applications will be awarded up to half time support for each of the two fellows. The Fellows will have the opportunity to engage in work at the forefront of studies of the brain with mentorship by teams that might include Engineers, Physicists, Chemists, Computational Scientists and Biologists. Funding for project equipment and materials must be available in the laboratories.
Application process:
- Applications must be nominated by a member of the Neurotech Advisory Board (not necessarily part of the project team) who should be contacted prior to any submission. The Board member will offer guidance on the expectations of the program and applications, and will present the proposal to the committee for initial discussion. Members are listed at the bottom left.
- Submission of a one-two page description of the project, including:
- The names of the lab heads submitting the application, and the advisory board member who has agreed to nominate it.
- A description of the technology being developed, and the new neuroscience it will enable. What important, previously inaccessible neurobiological questions can/will be addressed using the technology?
- The respective contributions of the laboratories and the two Mong fellows.
- Whether the support is for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, or one of each, along with the requested support for each, including tuition and health care expenses for students.
- The CVs of the fellow candidates and laboratory heads. After initial review, a subset of applicants will be selected to present and discuss their ideas (15-20 minutes) with the Neurotech Advisory Board prior to the funding decision. Funding is for one year, with the possibility of an additional year through successful competition in a new call for proposals.
Submit final applications by e-mail to the address below and to the advisory board member nominating the application by June 1st, 2024. neurotech@cornell.edu with a subject line “Mong Fellowship Application”