Van Andel Institute’s Inspire Fellowship supports exceptional postdoctoral fellows by reducing barriers, fostering community, and providing the resources and personalized mentorship needed for an outstanding training experience. We are committed to ensuring fellows have a firm foundation from which to launch their independent research careers — and to make a world of difference. The Inspire Fellowship accepts applications once per year. The next deadline is April 10, 2026.
Table of Content
Summary
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Benefits
- Two years of salary funding
- Conference travel stipend of $2,500 per year
- Cutting-edge research training
- One-on-one mentorship from a team of VAI faculty
- Individualized professional development
- A community of peers
- Access to outstanding Core Technologies and Services
Requirements
- Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
- Applicants must be current graduate students who anticipate beginning a postdoctoral fellowship at VAI within the next year or current VAI postdocs who have no more than one year of postdoc experience (at VAI or elsewhere).
- Receipt of the Inspire Fellowship is contingent on an offer of employment for a postdoctoral position in a VAI lab.
- We recommend contacting Dr. Erica Gobrogge at [email protected] to verify your eligibility before applying.
Application Documents
Prior to beginning the application, please prepare the following required materials:
- Curriculum vitae
- Personal statement: We are interested in learning more about you. Please prepare a personal statement of no more than three pages to tell us about:
- How your unique life experiences, challenges, interests, values and characteristics will contribute to the vibrant, diverse workplace that VAI values as described in the following statement.
- Your goals for your postdoctoral training, your scientific background, and why you are interested in VAI and the Inspire Fellowship program. You also may include any personal information you feel is relevant to the evaluation of your application.
Van Andel Institute believes that its strength lies in the diversity of its people and the inclusive environment it fosters. The Institute is committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and empowered to reach their full potential. VAI recognizes that diversity encompasses a wide range of visible and invisible differences. It believes embracing these differences leads to innovation, better decision-making and a more vibrant workplace culture.
- One reference letter from your thesis advisor or a thesis committee member.
- A list of VAI faculty members with whom you are interested in working. If you have already spoken with a VAI faculty member about joining their lab or have applied for one of our open postdoc positions, there will be space to indicate this on your application. Corresponding with a VAI faculty member prior to applying for the Inspire Fellowship is encouraged but not required.
Check also:
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Application Deadline
Not SpecifiedHow To Apply
- Following submission of your materials, program staff will contact you to schedule a 30-minute Zoom interview with the selection committee.
- Applications for VAI postdoctoral positions and the Inspire Fellowship are separate. Receipt of the Inspire Fellowship is contingent on an offer of employment for a postdoctoral position in a VAI lab.* We encourage Inspire applicants to apply to open postdoctoral positions of interest and/or contact faculty mentors of interest directly via email after submitting the Inspire Fellowship application. The typical start date for Inspire Fellowship funding is Dec. 1, of the year in which the award is made.
Questions? Please contact Dr. Erica Gobrogge, program director of VAI’s Office of Postdoctoral Affairs, at [email protected].
For more information, kindly visit VAI scholarship webpage.
