NATIONAL RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS IN PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY

The National Research Council has been entrusted by the Rockefeller Foundation with the expenditure of an appropriation of $500,000 within a period of five years for promoting fundamental research in physics and chemistry primarily in educational institutions of the United States.

The primary feature of the plan is the initiation and maintenance of a system of National Research Fellowships, which are to be awarded by the National Research Council to persons who have demonstrated a high order of ability in research, for the purpose of enabling them to conduct investigations at educational institutions which make adequate provision for effective prosecution of research in physics or chemistry. The plan will include such supplementary features as may promote its broad purpose and increase its efficiency.

The Research Fellowship. Board expects to make arrangements by which educational institutions will associate the Research Fellows with their graduate departments and offer the most favorable conditions for the prosecution of their researches.

The applicant will indicate one or more institutions at which, in his opinion, his research work can be conducted to the best advantage.

The appointments of National Research Fellows will be made only after careful consideration of the scientific attainments of all candidates, not only of those who apply on their own initiative, but also of those who are brought to the attention of the Fellowship Board by professors in educational institutions and by other investigators throughout the country. In making the appointments much weight will also be given to the judgment shown by the applicant in selecting and planning his proposed research.

The Research Fellowships will for the most part be awarded to American citizens who have had training equivalent to that represented by the Doctor's degree. The salary will ordinarily be $1,500 for the first year. The Research Fellowship Board will not. however, be bound by rigid rules of procedure. Thus it may offer larger salaries to those of exceptional attainment or wider experience, and may give appointment to competent investigators who have had' training other than that represented by the Doctor's degree. The Research Fellows will be appointed for one year; but they will be eligible for successive reappointments, ordinarily with increase of salary.

Research Fellows are expected to devote their entire time to research, except that during the college year they may at their option give not more than one-fifth of their time (outside preparation included) to teaching of educational value to themselves, or to attendance on advanced courses of study. They may associate graduate students with their researches. They shall not engage in work for remuneration during the term of their appointment. Fellows who have not received the Doctor's degree may, with the approval of the institution, offer their research work in partial fulfillment of the requirements for that degree.

Fellows are expected to submit to the Board shortly before the first of April of each year a detailed report on the progress of their researches. They must also present an account of their researches in form of publication before withdrawing from the Fellowship ; and final salary payments will be deferred until this condition is fulfilled. It is understood that all results of investigation by the Fellows shall be made available to the public without restriction.

Fellowship appointments are subject to the condition that after they are accepted by the applicant, they will not be vacated within the year without the consent of the Research Fellowship Board.

It is expected that fifteen to twenty Research Fellowships will be available during the coming year, and that the number will be increased in subsequent years. Applications for these Fellowships should be made on the form provided for the purpose, and should be sent to the Secretary of the Research Fellowship Board, National Research Council, 1023 Sixteenth Street, Washington, D. C., to whom all other correspondence should also be addressed. Applications will be received up to September 1, 1919 for Fellowships available during the next academic year; but a limited number of appointments will be made on the basis of the applications received before April 20, 1919.