This pilot program accepted applications in 2022 and made awards in 2023.
The program will not be open for new applications in 2023 or 2024.
Theory-Experiment Cross Training (TEX) Fellowship
Application Details and Instructions
Page Contents
Application Process
Applicants (prospective TEX Fellows) must submit their detailed project ideas via JTF’s Online Funding Inquiry (OFI) system. Applicants are expected to have their applications, and especially their proposed research plans, reviewed and approved by their primary and cross advisors. See below for further guidance on completing the required fields in the online form. Application materials will be reviewed and finalists will be selected by JTF staff. During the review process, the application materials may be shared with external reviewers. Finalists from the preliminary review will be invited to submit a Full Proposal, which will include only minor (if any) changes to the original project proposal, but will also require the submission of additional detail and administrative documentation that is likely to require input from university administrators.
| Key Dates |
Note: This schedule applies only to the Templeton TEX Fellowship |
| September 30, 2022 |
Deadline for submission of Online Funding Inquiry |
| November 1, 2022 |
Target date for JTF to identify finalists and invite Full Proposals |
| January 9, 2023 |
Deadline for submission of all Full Proposal materials |
| April 1 – June 16, 2023 |
Grantees are notified as JTF decisions are processed |
| August 1, 2023 |
Earliest start date for a Templeton TEX Fellowship grant |
Applicants for the Templeton TEX Fellowship will be evaluated using the following criteria, in order of descending priority: (i) the scientific merit of the project idea and the likelihood that the proposed cross-training experience will enhance the Fellow’s ability to bridge a relevant divide between theory and experiment in fundamental science in keeping with the purpose of the Fellowship, (ii) the capacities of the proposed faculty advisors to carry out the Templeton TEX Fellowship, as evidenced in their CVs and their letters endorsing the project, (iii) the academic credentials of the proposed fellow, and (iv) the capacity and willingness of the applicant’s home institution to carry out the Templeton TEX Fellowship. Applicants will not be evaluated based on the race, religion, or gender of the proposed fellow.
Applicants must review proposal materials with proposed advisors. Fellowship applications must be sponsored/made by the proposed Fellow’s home institution where the Fellow will be employed for the duration of the grant. The home institution of any Fellow ultimately selected to receive a Templeton TEX Fellowship shall be the grantee and accordingly enter into a grant agreement with JTF, receive all grant funds for the fellowship, provide reports as outlined below and in the grant agreement, and distribute grant funds for the expenses described in the approved grant proposal. In terms of JTF’s role designations, the Fellow’s primary advisor shall serve as Project Leader, and the Fellow as Project Co-Leader, while the Fellow’s cross-discipline advisor will be a Project Member.
Key Components of the Application
(to be submitted in a single “Project Description” document (PDF, 10 MB maximum):
- Statement of purpose (summary of project idea, approximately 5-pages, single spaced)
- Undergraduate and graduate transcripts of the proposed Fellow
- Institutional Statement indicating a commitment to support the project administratively
- Letter of Support from Primary Advisor (CV must be uploaded separately; see below)
- Letter of Support and a short CV from cross-training advisor
Guidance For Completing the Online Funding Inquiry (OFI) Form
PLEASE NOTE that the OFI form on the Templeton Portal contains instructions and notes that are routinely used in our normal application process. However, below you will find special instructions for completing the form when applying to the TEX Fellowship program (only). Please follow all of these special instructions as you fill out the form.
Cycle: Select “Templeton TEX Fellowship”
- Project Title: Enter “TEX Fellowship: [then a title that briefly describes your project]”
- Executive Summary: Write a brief summary or abstract that describes your plans and the anticipated impacts of your research and your cross-training experience.
- Project Description: In the text box write, “See uploaded document.” Then upload a single PDF document (10 MB max) comprising five sections: (a) a statement of purpose of up to five pages that includes a description of your project idea in the context of the work being done in the groups of your two advisors, (b) scanned copies of the proposed Fellow’s undergraduate and graduate transcripts, (c) a scanned copy of a signed letter from the home institution stating that the institution is aware and approving of this application, (d) a scanned copy of a signed letter of endorsement from your primary advisor, and (e) a scanned copy of a signed letter of endorsement and a short CV from your cross-training advisor.
- Statement of Significance: Summarize how you aim to bridge theory and experiment, and why you think it’s important.
- Outputs: At minimum, state that you will submit to the Foundation at least one pre-print quality paper reporting on your cross-training work, as well as a 2-page reflection paper on the professional benefits (or impediments) of your cross-training experience.
- Outcomes: You need only state the overall goal of the Templeton TEX Fellows program, which is to increase the capacity and skills for individual scientists to do both theoretical and experimental work, and thereby to advance the frontiers of fundamental physics, astronomy, and cosmology.
- Capacity for Success: You may briefly describe any special synergies between your proposed primary and cross-training advisors. Otherwise, you can simply say, “Please see supporting documentation.”
- Relation to Sir John Templeton’s Donor Intent: You may simply state that your proposal falls under the Templeton TEX Fellows program. The purpose of this program is to increase the Fellows’ capacity and skills for bridging methodological divides across theory and experiment in fundamental physics, astronomy, and cosmology, and thereby to push the conceptual frontiers at the foundations of these fields, and to seed integrated, multidisciplinary research programs in basic science.
- Project Relationship to Previous Grants: Select “No”
- Proposed Project Start Date: Choose a date no earlier than August 1, 2023.
- Proposed Project End Date: Choose a date no more than 27 months later than your chosen start date. (While the Fellowship covers at most 24 months of the Fellow’s salary, there may be reasons for selecting a slightly longer grant period.)
- Primary Contact: This is the person who will create a Templeton Portal account and be responsible for submitting all materials related to this request. This could be the proposed Fellow, the primary advisor, or an administrative designee.
- Project Leader: This should be your primary advisor. Be sure to upload the Project Leader’s CV.
- Project Co-Leader: This should be the applicant/proposed Fellow. Be sure to upload the Project Co-Leader’s CV.
- Please answer this question to the best of your knowledge.
- Additional Personnel: List the cross-discipline advisor here.
- History with the Foundation: If you know of any relevant history, describe it very briefly here. Otherwise, you may write, “NA” (for not applicable).
- Applicant Country and Area: This should be the country in which your college or university is located.
- Are you seeking funding as an individual: You must answer “No” to this question.
- Organization Name: This is the legal name of your college or university. (Optional/ Please answer this question to the best of your knowledge).
- Requested Currency: This is likely to be the currency of your institution’s home country. However, it might be good to ask your primary advisor to double-check that assumption.
- Request Amount/Project Amount: These should be equivalent. We expect that requests will typically fall in the range of $200,000 – $250,000. You may enter an estimated amount here. Budget details will be required if you are invited to submit a Full Proposal at the next stage of the application process.
- Budget Explanation: You may say, “Budget to be proposed within the guidelines provided for the Templeton TEX Fellows program.”
Questions about the application process for the Templeton TEX Fellows program can be directed to TEXfellows@templeton.org.
Eligibility
JTF’s Trustees, officers, other “disqualified persons”, as defined pursuant to Section 4946 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any external consultants involved in reviewing the applications at any stage (together the Ineligible Applicants) shall not be eligible to receive Templeton TEX Fellowships. In addition, an Ineligible Applicant may not participate in the selection process of the recipients of the Templeton TEX Fellowships if such Ineligible Applicant would be in a position to derive a private benefit, directly or indirectly, if a certain candidate for the fellowship is selected over other candidates; provided that incidental or tenuous indirect benefits to Ineligible Applicants (such as public recognition) are not included within the scope of such private benefits. JTF shall have sole discretion in determining eligibility based on the terms in this announcement and related application materials. All eligibility determinations made by JTF shall be final and cannot be challenged in any way.
Reporting
JTF will require: (i) annual or more frequent reports from all Templeton TEX grantees on the use of the funds and the progress made toward achieving the purposes of the grant, and (ii) a final report from all Templeton TEX grantees upon completing the undertaking funded by the grant describing the accomplishments with respect to the grant and accounting for the grant funds.
