At this time, your institution is not a Mistletoe Research Fellowship partner university but it is our hope that over time, we can make the Mistletoe Research Fellowship Program open to postdoctoral scholars nationwide.

 

At this time we seek primarily to partner with universities that are classified as “R1” Research Universities so that we have the potential to  reach large populations of postdoctoral scholars. The R1 or Highest Research Activity designation refers to the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education and generally means that an institution:

 

• Is committed to graduate education through the doctorate and gives high priority to research

• Awards a significant number of doctoral degrees annually

• Makes significant R&D expenditures in both STEM and non-STEM fields

• Has a population of postdoctoral appointees and other non-faculty research staff

​

​

 

Our program provides a novel combination of unrestricted research funding and professional development training which includes entrepreneurial collaboration. Therefore we take great care to engage in meaningful discussions with potential partner universities to determine how best to adopt the fellowship program within their particular institutional policies and constraints before they can make the opportunity available to their postdocs (and advanced PhD candidates at some institutions). Our partner universities enthusiastically support the Mistletoe Research Fellowship because it is designed to significantly improve a postdoc’s career outcomes, both inside and outside academia, with a small investment of time and minimal risk. The skills and social capital that Mistletoe Fellows develop in the program have the potential to positively impact their performance and innovation on university research projects, and enhance their ability to secure external grant funding.

 

If you're interested in bringing the Mistletoe Research Fellowship to your institution, you can help us to get the conversation started in the following ways:

 

• Reach out to your Postdoctoral Student Association. Consider conducting a survey to gauge the level of interest in the program. Demonstrated high levels of interest can help your university administration to assess the difference this program might make.

 

• Your university may have a Foundation or an Office of Foundation Relations. You may wish to bring this program to their attention and ask if they would be willing to reach out to the Momental Foundation at info@momentalfound.org to schedule a conversation.

 

• Consider talking about the program with a prominent faculty member who may be able to bring it to the attention of your university’s Vice Provost of Research (also called the Vice Chancellor or Dean of Research). Direct approval from the Office of Research is almost always necessary to bringing the Mistletoe Research Fellowship program to your institution.