This scholarship is offered by the American Physical Society, and it enables women to return to physics research careers after having had to interrupt those careers. The fellowship includes a one-year award of up to $45,000 (applicants can apply in a subsequent year for one additional year of support.
Allowed expenses include dependent care which is limited to 50% of the award), salary, travel, types of equipment, and tuition fees.
The requirement for this award includes the candidate must be a legal citizen or permanent resident of the United States or Canada. Applicants must also provide written proof from a U.S. or Canadian institution that the applicants will have institutional affiliation during the tenure of the grant.
The award was established from a generous bequest from M. Hildred Blewett, an accelerator physicist who died in 2004. Hildred Blewett was very passionate about physics and wanted to help women overcome obstacles. In a bid to fulfill her goal, she established this fellowship.
Nominees for and holders of APS Honors (prizes, awards, and fellowship) and official leadership positions are expected to meet standards of professional conduct and integrity as described in the APS Ethics Guidelines. Violations of these standards may disqualify people from consideration or lead to revocation of honors or removal from office.
Hildred Blewett Fellowship
- Nominations deadline: June 3, 2024
- Type: Fellowship
- Category: Research fellowship
- Sponsor: M. Hildred Blewett
- Amount: $45,000.00, dependent care, travel, tuition expenses
Eligibility Criteria for the Hildred Blewett Scholarship
- Have completed work toward a Ph.D.
- Provide written proof from a U.S. or Canadian institution that the applicant will have institutional affiliation during the tenure of the grant. Institutional affiliation at the time of application is not necessary.
- The applicant must currently be a U.S. or Canadian citizen legal resident, or resident alien eligible to work in the United States or Canada.
Application requirements for the M. Hildred Blewett Fellowship are:
- Personal statement
- Essay
- A Recommendation letter: One to three letters of recommendation, one of which may be from a designated mentor, must be uploaded through the application portal by the person coordinating the recommendation letter.
- A letter of institutional support: One to three letters of recommendation, one of which may be from a designated mentor, must be uploaded through the application portal by the person coordinating the recommendation letter.
One of the letters, preferably from either the designated mentor or the institutional representative, should address the anticipated impact of the grant support and how it will enable the advancement of the applicant’s career.
The letter should specifically detail the applicant’s planned research roles, mentoring to be provided (if applicable), and how the grant is expected to contribute towards the applicant’s long-term professional goals.
Award Amount: The winner of the M. Hildred Blewett Fellowship will receive a one-year award of up to $45,000. non-renewable. The total dollars awarded for this scholarship is $45,000.
However, in selecting fellowship recipients, the following criteria will be considered:
- Status of career before break
- Relationship of the applicant to the research community
- Qualifications of applicant
- Steps the applicant has taken to return to physics research
- Quality and feasibility of the project design and timeline
- Relationship of project and award to plans
- Scholarly significance of the project
Selection Committee
- Leo Hollberg
- Hsiang-Ku Lin
- Rana Ashkar (Chair)
- Jessica Eskew
The membership of APS is diverse and global, and the nominees and recipients of APS Honors should reflect that diversity so that all are recognized for their impact on our community.
Nominees for and holders of APS Honors (prizes, awards, and fellowship) and official leadership positions are expected to meet standards of professional conduct and integrity as described in the APS Ethics Guidelines. Violations of these standards may disqualify people from consideration or lead to revocation of honors or removal from office.
A Brief Biography of M. Hildred Blewett
Hildred Blewett became a physicist at a time when few women were physicists. After beginning her career at General Electric, she became a respected accelerator physicist, working at Brookhaven, Argonne, and eventually CERN.
Blewett got married to John Blewett, who was also an accelerator physicist, the couple later divorced without children and Hildred Blewett never remarried. However, She felt that her career in physics was hampered by her gender, and when she died in 2004 at the age of 93, she left the bulk of her estate to the American Physical Society, to found a Scholarship for women in physics.
Since 2005 the Blewett Scholarship has been awarded to women in physics who are returning to physics after a career break, usually for family reasons. Family/career conflicts are one of the most important reasons why young women in early careers leave physics—a loss for them as well as the physics community, which has invested time and money in their training.
The Blewett Scholarship is one way for the physics community, under the leadership of CSWP, to help these young women resume their careers. I will discuss the life and work of Hildred Blewett, the Blewett Scholarship, and its benefits to the physics community.
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