Sarah Rugheimer

Mission:

Our mission is to create a community of students, young researchers, and faculty that is actively engaged in a field which is at the intersection of the life sciences and physical sciences -- origins of life in the universe. Our Harvard Initiative provides natural bridges between physical and life sciences in the curriculum; it is highly inter-disciplinary in its essence. At the graduate and post-graduate level we plan to provide the next generation of Harvard-educated researchers with a comprehensive inter-disciplinary education, with the breadth and depth required to study and teach in this new growing field.

Programs:

The Harvard Origins of Life Initiative administers the following programs:

Postdoctoral Fellowships

The Origins Postdoctoral Fellows will pursue research on topics related to origins of life in the universe. The fellowships will be awarded on a competitive basis. Candidates will propose a research program and secure a commitment from one or more Harvard faculty members to host the candidate's work. Candidates with a doctorate or equivalent in any field are eligible, and they may propose research projects in any related discipline. Candidates who received terminal degrees from Harvard, and postdocs currently working at Harvard, are also eligible for the fellowship.

Past Origins Postdoctoral Fellows' Research

Graduate Fellowships

The Origins Graduate Fellowship Program is directed to current Harvard graduate students pursuing thesis research on topics related to origins of life in the universe; non-Harvard graduate students are also eligible, as long as they work at Harvard and have a Harvard visiting fellow status. The fellowships will provide full support (tuition and salary) for 1 year, renewable for up to 3 years.

Past Origins Graduate Fellows' Research

Undergraduate Research Fellowships

Individual awards of up to $2,000 are available for Harvard undergraduates for research during the academic year.

Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships

Summer Undergraduate Research Grants of up to $5,000 are available for undergraduates working in Origins team member labs on Origins-related projects.

List of 2012 Summer Undergraduate Researchers

For more information on any of these programs, please contact Carol Knell, Origins Program Coordinator, at cknell@cfa.harvard.edu.