Postdoctoral Scholars | Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability

Postdoctoral Scholars: Opportunities

Cornell Atkinson supports a cohort of creative, exceptionally talented, and highly motivated postdoctoral researchers committed to solving the planet’s most pressing problems facing our planet. We welcome postdoctoral researchers through a variety of avenues: via annual calls for our Cornell Atkinson Postdoctoral Fellowships, via faculty-led projects, and via projects co-led by Cornell faculty and external partners, including scientists at the Environmental Defense Fund.

Regardless of how postdoctoral researchers engage with Cornell Atkinson, each benefits from the Sustainability Leadership Program (SLP). The SLP offers a curated selection of expert-led workshops, seminars, and webinars that bring together postdoctoral researchers from diverse fields to develop critical skills not typically taught in graduate programs. Topics include communicating research to non-expert audiences, working with the media, co-designing transdisciplinary research, policymaking, and understanding the role of the private sector in sustainability efforts.

Opportunities for Postdoctoral Scholars

Cornell Atkinson Postdoctoral Fellowships

Unique among postdoctoral fellowships, the Cornell Atkinson Postdoctoral Fellowship funds highly motivated recent PhDs to conduct projects under the mentorship of a Cornell faculty host and an advisor from an external partner organization. Fellows hold academic appointments at Cornell University for two years. Each fellow receives individualized and cohort-level support, including the Sustainability Leadership Program’s workshops in professional development, career strategy, communications training, and collaborative leadership.

EDF-Cornell Atkinson Postdoctoral Fellowships

Via the EDF-Cornell Atkinson Postdoctoral Fellowship, Cornell faculty collaborate with scientists at the Environmental Defense Fund to propose a project executed by a postdoctoral fellow. Fellows hold staff appointments at the Environmental Defense Fund for up to two years. As with Cornell Atkinson Postdoctoral Fellows, these fellows are also invited to participate in the Sustainability Leadership Program.

Postdoc researcher & grad students examining sea star with Drew Harvell

Postdoctoral Research Opportunities via Faculty-led Projects

Cornell Atkinson supports numerous postdoctoral positions via faculty-led projects through the Academic Venture Fund and Innovation for Impact Fund.