Navy research chief unveils prestigious new fellowship program

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Office of Naval Research is launching a new Chief of Naval Research Fellows program that will embed five newly tenured professors at ONR for a year to help align academic research with the Navy and Marine Corps’ most urgent science and technology priorities.

“This new Fellowship will be a significant benefit for the Navy and Marine Corps, and ONR’s close partnerships with innovative thought leaders who will help forge the future for naval warfighters,” said Chief of Naval Research Dr. Rachel Riley.

The initiative is designed to speed knowledge flow between campuses and the naval research enterprise by giving Fellows an inside view of how ONR shapes and funds research. Riley said, “It’s also designed to create a powerful feedback loop in which Fellows return to their universities and share their knowledge of naval S&T challenges with colleagues — inspiring new avenues of relevant research, and connecting students to unique employment and research opportunities within the DoN.”

Each one-year cohort will consist of five academics who have recently earned tenure as associate professors or have been promoted to full professor within the past two years. Candidates must be nominated by their department head or dean.

Fellows will receive a $150,000 stipend and $50,000 for travel, and are expected to spend about four days a month in person at ONR. During the fellowship, they will review proposals, provide technical input on existing and planned ONR projects, and suggest new research topics.

Participants will also gain firsthand exposure to how ONR program officers build portfolios and evaluate proposals; the operational problems facing the Navy and Marine Corps; the Pentagon’s planning, programming, budgeting and execution process; the roles of naval laboratories and industry partners; and ONR’s internal performance and portfolio metrics.

“The Chief of Naval Research Fellows program seeks to build a powerful bridge between academia and the DoN, ensuring our research efforts are informed by the nation’s brightest minds,” said Dr. Reginald Williams, an ONR program officer overseeing the program. “Fellows will return to their academic roles with a deep understanding of real-world naval challenges that can inspire a new generation of relevant, impactful research.”

Additional details, including nomination instructions, are available on the ONR website.