National Solar Observatory awarded prestigious Brinson Prize Fellowship

The NSF’s National Solar Observatory, headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, announced the receipt of a prestigious Brinson Prize Fellowship from The Brinson Foundation. The award will support a postdoctoral scholar for up to three years starting in the fall of 2022.

The award’s research brings together the three new solar missions: NSF’s Inouye Solar Telescope, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, and the European Space Agency’s, or ESA’s, Solar Orbiter. Together these three missions will revolutionize our understanding of the Sun’s behavior and its impact on Earth.

“Partnerships across federal agencies are important and ongoing,” explains Dr. Carrie Black, NSF Program Officer for the National Solar Observatory. “NSF is thrilled to increasingly support public-private partnerships, which are critical to extending the reach and breadth of scientific opportunities.”

The Brinson Foundation is a privately funded philanthropic organization that contributes to society in the areas of education and scientific research. Specifically, the impact expected by the Inouye Solar Telescope aligns with the Foundation’s desire to support programs on the cutting edge of research, especially those underfunded or not yet eligible for funding by governmental programs.

“As the Inouye Solar Telescope approaches the end of construction, research opportunities are just beginning to bloom,” says University of Colorado assistant professor and NSO researcher, Maria Kazachenko. “With three major solar telescopes coming online at the same time, we are entering the Golden Age of solar astrophysics. We are so thrilled to be studying our Sun now!” Prof. Kazachenko will be coordinating the Brinson Prize Fellowship effort at the NSO.

The position details and the application link can be found here. The position application deadline is January 7, 2022.