The PRISM Baker Fellowship is a pilot program for postdoctoral candidates who participated in a PRISM recruitment event after September 2021.

PRISM Baker Scholars are talented researchers in academic fields across the University from identity groups underrepresented in academia who are developing research independence through top-notch mentoring, innovative scientific training, and strategic collaborations.

Read about the PRISM Baker Fellowship in the Stanford Report. Explore other postdoctoral fellowships at Stanford

The PRISM mission is to attract top graduate students from underrepresented identity groups to postdoctoral training at Stanford and support their success and sense of belonging as postdoctoral scholars through community support. The PRISM Baker Fellowship provides matching funds to support some of these first year postdoctoral scholars in developing independence, while also supporting faculty in developing more inclusive and equitable recruitment and training practices.

PRISM Baker supports early postdoctoral training through:

  • Matching funds for up to half of a Scholar’s first year of salary
  • Integrating new scholars into a supportive community of peers
  • Providing intentional training to help them maximize their postdoctoral outcomes
  • Supporting faculty diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts

Fellowship Details

Funding Period: 12 months, starting on the appointment date

Funding Level: 50% of the postdoc minimum (at the rate set annually by the Provost), paid in salary, with associated fringe. The salary will increase with any applicable increases to the postdoc minimum salary during the funding period.

Number Funded: 20 total slots will be awarded for this pilot.

Application Deadlines (quarterly): March 1, June 1, September 1, and December 1

Notification of Awards: Approximately 8 weeks after review dates

Concurrent Funding: Concurrent funding is allowed, with Baker funding up to 50% of the postdoc minimum salary, for a total funding amount not to exceed the postdoc minimum salary during the funding period.

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Faculty who have rendered an offer (or offer contingent upon funding) to a PRISM candidate may apply
  • Candidates must have participated in PRISM recruitment after September 2021
  • Faculty may only have one funded PRISM Baker Scholar at a time and may submit only one application per review cycle
  • This fellowship is not renewable in this pilot

Faculty Application Guide

The PRISM Baker Fellowship application package includes an application submitted by the faculty mentor, supplemented with components from the candidate's original PRISM application and two short reflections from the candidate. The application emphasizes the faculty commitment to the individual scholar's development and growth towards independence, with questions that explore how the faculty's mentoring philosophy and commitment to training scholars will provide a supportive and rigorous experience. We are especially interested in understanding the unique potential of the mentor, the candidate, and their research partnership.

Faculty Application Questions

  • Why is this candidate compelling to you?
  • What are this candidate's research goals for their postdoctoral training, and how will you support them?
  • What are this candidate's career goals, and how will you support them?
  • How do you define research independence, and how will you support them in developing independence?
  • What trainings, activities, and service have you engaged in that will inform your mentoring of this candidate, and how have you incorporated your learnings into your mentoring practice?
  • Why are you applying for these funds (i.e., lack of funding for a postdoc, lack of funding in this research area, to build this candidates funding track record, etc.), and how will this funding benefit you and the PRISM candidate?
  • This fellowship provides half of the postdoc compensation (salary and associated benefits) for one year; how will you fund the other half for the first year of training?
  • What is the timeline for this postdoctoral training (how many years), and how do you plan to secure additional funding for subsequent year(s) of training?

Assessment Criteria

  • Potential of this mentoring dyad, as demonstrated by faculty understanding of the candidate’s goals and needs, ability to support their training, and clear plan for mentoring their training and development, tailored to the candidate’s needs
  • Commitment to developing culturally aware practices, as demonstrated by faculty commitment to DEI initiatives and practices and incorporation of DEI experience and knowledge into their mentoring plan
  • Impact of this fellowship on this postdoctoral training opportunity, as demonstrated by factors motivating this application and short- and long-term funding plans

Application Package

  • Candidate Research Statement *
  • Candidate CV *
  • Letter(s) of Recommendation, including from the candidate's graduate advisor *
  • Faculty statements regarding the candidate's research, career, and training goals
  • Faculty statements regarding their mentoring philosophy, DEI activities, and application of DEI principles to mentoring and training
  • Candidate statements regarding their goals and motivations for this postdoctoral opportunity

*  Submitted in the PRISM recruitment application; candidates may choose to update their Research Statement and CV prior to review.

Application Process

Faculty rendering an offer to a candidate they interviewed through PRISM after September 2021 may request an application link by emailing stanfordprism@stanford.edu.

Applications are reviewed quarterly, with deadlines on March 1, June 1, September 1, and December 1 annually. Award decisions are communicated approximately 8 weeks after the deadline.

Contact Information

Please email stanfordprism@stanford.edu with questions or to request an application link.