The Student Fellow Program is a 2–3-year Los Alamos National Laboratory and University collaborative program that supports a University Student Researcher as a Laboratory student employee in their efforts towards achieving their academic and career goals. Proposals are accepted once a year and can be submitted in collaboration with any national or international university. The University Student Researcher will work closely with their Lab Staff PI to establish a relationship that will continue throughout their graduate studies, postdoctoral work, and/or Lab employment.
The Chick Keller Postdoctoral Fellow Program is open to external applicants and current postdocs within their first year at the Laboratory. This prestigious, 2-year program accepts proposals for new, independent, and revolutionary scientific projects addressing a CSES Science Discipline. The Laboratory mentor must submit the application packet to the Postdoctoral Program call. Proposals are accepted 1-2 times a year for candidates who meet the Postdoc Program’s Fellow’s quality bar and undergo an additional review by an internal CSES panel. Candidates who do not pass the Postdoc Program’s Fellow screening, but are selected by the CSES panel, will be awarded the role of CSES Research Associate and will work in a similar manner as a Chick Keller Postdoctoral Fellow.
The Rapid Response Program supports high-risk projects, feasibility studies, and other R&D projects within the CSES Discipline Areas. This program accepts proposals 1-2 times a year and is open to all Laboratory staff, postdocs, and students to propose as PIs.
Special Rapid Response Topics are a special subset of the normal Rapid Response Program designed to address unique topical and strategic opportunities. SRR Topics are more narrowly defined but multidisciplinary, ideally cross-Center if not cross-Laboratory in engagement. This call is at most once per year.
Institutional Program Development projects move innovation in the CSES disciplines forward by demonstrating the performance of existing technologies. Proposals must align with the Laboratory’s strategic needs and are open to all Laboratory staff, postdocs, and students. Proposals must meet the requirements set in the Technology Evaluation Demonstration (TED) Fund Call which helps with exploring whether known technologies, approaches, or techniques are applicable to current emerging needs. This call has no due date and proposals are accepted throughout the year.
CSES Scholars supports an academic visitor on sabbatical to The Laboratory or Lab staff to have extended visits to universities, paving the way for expanded collaborative opportunities. This can be supported by Rapid Response, Special Rapid Response, Institutional Program Development, or Student Fellow addendums to submitted proposals in those elements.
NASA Mission Teaming and Planning accepts proposals aimed at teaming and brainstorming activities with outside institutions. These special Program Development proposals have a goal of positioning and partnering with the Laboratory for new opportunities in NASA missions.
The Strategic University Partnership establishes a vital university partnership in the areas of research that the Laboratory wants to strengthen, while enhancing Laboratory partnerships with universities that have an existing institutional agreement with the Laboratory. At any given time, CSES has a single identified Strategic University Partner, which is evaluated annually for continuance of the current university or a change to a new partner. Student Fellow, S/RR, IPD, and CSES Scholar programs may indicate connectivity to the Strategic University Partner on the proposal submission form.
