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Robert Helleman, a physicist who specialized in nonlinear dynamics and chaos, died at the age of 76 in 2017. In his will, he bequeathed funds to AIP for the establishment of an endowment to support graduate students or postdoctoral fellows with Dutch citizenship to pursue research activities in physics in the United States.
Helleman retired from the University of Houston, where he was a professor in the physics department. He was born in Dordrecht, Netherlands, and earned his doctorate degree in statistical mechanics from the University of Utrecht.
Three separate fellowships were established in Helleman’s name in 2020. The awards will support those applicants who demonstrate academic excellence and financial need. Applications to AIP for the inaugural awards will be accepted until March 15.
- The AIP Robert H.G. Helleman Memorial Graduate Fellowship will support graduate students in physics and its subdisciplines, including the history of physics, with an annual stipend of $40,000 for an initial period of 4 years with a possible 1-year extension. Each student will receive an additional $10,000 for research expenses.
- The AIP Robert H.G. Helleman Memorial Postdoctoral Fellowship will support postdoctoral fellows who would start within 2 years of earning their doctorate degrees in physics and its subdisciplines, including the history of physics, with an annual stipend of $70,000 for an initial period of 1 year with a possible 1-year extension. Each postdoctoral fellow will receive an additional $10,000 for research expenses.
- The AIP Robert H.G. Helleman Memorial Graduate Research Fellowship will provide short-term support for graduate students to perform research in a laboratory or university department. These awards of $3,000 per month would be provided for periods from 2 to 6 months.
Applicants must submit a curriculum vitae; an official transcript or equivalent showing performance in undergraduate and, if appropriate, graduate coursework; proof of award of bachelor’s degree in appropriate discipline; three letters of reference; one letter of support from the U.S. advisor for the upcoming research; and an official letter of acceptance into a U.S. graduate program or postdoctoral research appointment letter. All materials should be emailed to Steve Mackwell, deputy executive officer of AIP.
A review committee will go over the applications and select fellows for each fellowship. The announcement of the winners will take place by May 1.
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About American Institute of Physics
The American Institute of Physics (AIP) is a 501(c)(3) membership corporation of scientific societies. AIP pursues its mission—to advance, promote, and serve the physical sciences for the benefit of humanity—with a unifying voice of strength from diversity. In its role as a federation, AIP advances the success of its Member Societies by providing the means to pool, coordinate, and leverage their diverse expertise and contributions in pursuit of a shared goal of advancing the physical sciences in the research enterprise, in the economy, in education, and in society. In its role as an institute, AIP operates as a center of excellence using policy analysis, social science, and historical research to promote future progress in the physical sciences.
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