Current Miller Senior Fellows

2009 Award Announcement

About the Miller Senior Fellowship Program

The Miller Senior Fellow program was introduced in 2008 with the appointment of Professor of Chemistry, Randy Schekman. This new program takes its place alongside the Miller Fellowships, the Miller Research Professorships and the Miller Visiting Professorships.

Each of the Institute's programs plays an important role on campus. The Fellows program is intended for brilliant postdoctoral scientists, creative young women and men whom we wish to attract to Berkeley, on occasion leading to subsequent faculty appointments; the Research Professorships are appointments intended to allow UC faculty to focus full time on a new research direction by freeing them from teaching and committee work for one or two semesters; the Visiting Professorships facilitate visits by outstanding scientists for the purpose of collaboration with Berkeley faculty and their research groups, and assists in recruiting new faculty. The Senior Fellows program is aimed differently, but still within the Institute's general purpose of supporting excellence in science at UC Berkeley. The Senior Fellow advances that goal by providing selected faculty with significant discretionary research funds, as recognition of distinction in scientific research and as a contribution, when appropriate, to preventive retention of distinguished faculty.

Senior Fellow appointments are made to tenured UC Berkeley faculty for five years, possibly renewable for a subsequent five years, but no longer. New Senior Fellows will be appointed at a rate of roughly one per year, ultimately reaching a steady state of five or six such faculty. Each Senior Fellow will receive an annual research stipend of $50,000, which can be used at his or her discretion to support research. The Senior Fellow will be a regular participant in the Institute's weekly lunches and seminars, but there will be no other formal obligations to the Institute. If a Senior Fellow wishes to do more, such as mentoring Miller Fellows through occasional entertainment, off campus retreats or other relevant functions, such activity will be welcomed, and the Institute staff will help the Senior Fellow do so.

There will be no self nominations for this award. Recommendations and nominations will be solicited from the UC Berkeley community of past Miller Research Professors, all Deans and all Chairs of departments of science, the Chancellor and the Provost. Criteria with which candidates will be judged and chosen for Senior Fellowship are multifaceted. Singular records of accomplishment, distinguished reputation and citizenry and assisting campus efforts in faculty recruitment and retention are among the most important. Filling voids in the Institute's community and unusual impact of an award on a candidate's career will be considered also. Selection will be made by the Executive Committee in consultation with the Advisory Board of the Institute.

The appointment of Randy Schekman as the first Miller Senior Fellow illustrates the high standard that we seek for Senior Fellows. Randy's scientific stature and citizenry on campus and around world are well known and admired. Nomination of less senior candidates will be welcomed, but their quality and accomplishment should be at the level implied by this first appointment. Successful nominations must make clear why the candidate is extraordinary and why the proposed appointment is particularly suitable. Nominations are solicited by invitation only and will be due no later than September 30 for an appointments to take effect in the following academic year.

For more information on this program, please contact Kathryn Day, Chief Administrative Officer, at