Applications for Fall 2026 will open September 15th and close December 1st, 2025.
The Shanahan Foundation Fellowship at the Interface of Data and Neuroscience was created to provide freedom and flexibility to promising young scientists from diverse fields, as they work alongside neuroscientists at the Allen Institute and University of Washington. The three-year fellowship provides PhDs from data science, computer science, physics, mathematics, and allied fields the guidance to pursue their own research interests with our data, with help from dedicated mentors.
Fellowship details:
- 3-year program for recent Ph.D.s to explore complex data in neuroscience at the Allen Institute and University of Washington
- Neuroscience experience not needed—we’re seeking applicants with expertise in computer science, data science, engineering, mathematics, physics, and allied fields
- Designed to provide freedom to explore novel computational research areas and datasets of interest, through the Allen Institute’s vast data banks. Includes a discretionary fund for each fellow.
- Participation in the 2-week Summer Workshop on the Dynamic Brain course in the San Juan Islands
- Mentorship from leading Allen Institute and UW investigators. Fellows are hired as an Allen Institute employee with a starting salary of $106,780 annually, immigration support and benefits package
Eligibility and application materials
You do not need experience in neuroscience to apply. Applicants must be scientists with a Ph.D. (or equivalent) or who will have completed their Ph.D. by the start of the fellowship. The Ph.D. should have been awarded in the last 3 years. The fellowship is appropriate for Ph.D.s in a quantitative field such as computer science, electrical engineering, physics, mathematics, or biology. They should have a strong background in statistical, computational, machine learning, or other data science methods. Up to three fellows will be selected each year. International applicants are eligible to apply and we provide immigration support.
Applications must include:
- A curriculum vitae (CV) from the applicant
- Two (2) Letters of support from your mentor and other professors and scientists you have worked with
- A one-page personal statement from the applicant describing their history, activities, and interests as an individual (especially those outside of science) which may give the committee a greater sense of you as a person and your ability to simultaneously interact with and challenge traditional scientific fields.
- A two- to three-page research statement from the applicant describing their prior research, interests in applying their skill set to the field of neuroscience, potential research interests (including tools they are familiar with) and how this fellowship aligns with their career goals.
Direct questions to shanahan.fellow@alleninstitute.org.