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GPS Prize Postdoc Information

The O.K. Earl Postdoctoral Fellowship

The O.K. Earl Fellowship is funded by an endowment from Orrin K. Earl, Jr. to support the research of scientists typically within two years after receipt of the Ph.D. Its goal is to identify and support innovative and creative work in the earth and planetary sciences, with particular emphasis on interdisciplinary work, and to nurture the careers of exceptional individuals who contribute to a diverse and inclusive scientific workforce. Applicants with training in physics, chemistry, biology, or computer sciences are encouraged to apply. The Division is currently active in geobiology, geochemistry, geology, geophysics, petrology, seismology, environmental science and engineering, and atmospheric and planetary sciences.

This fellowship is funded for two years and carries an annual stipend of $74,000 plus a yearly research expense fund of $10,000 and up to $1,500 for one-way travel costs to Pasadena. The appointment is contingent upon completion of the Ph.D. degree and good progress in the first year. Fellows are eligible to participate in Caltech's benefit programs, including health and dental programs. It is expected that the fellowship recipient be hosted by one or more division professors (designated by the Chair) who will provide mentorship.

Applications for the O.K. Earl will be accepted between September 1 and November 10 each year. All applicants will be notified by January.

Texaco Prize Postdoc

  • 2022 - 2023: Lucia Mandon (current postdoc)
  • 2021 - 2022: Rishav Mallick (current postdoc)
  • 2020 - 2021: Selva Marroquin (current postdoc)
  • 2019 - 2020: Ilya Bobrovskiy (Branco Weiss Fellowship recipient)
  • 2018 - 2019: Sunyoung (Sunny) Park (Asst. Professor, University of Chicago)
  • 2017 - 2018: Benjamin (BJ) Fulton (NASA Exoplanet Science Institute/IPAC-Caltech)
  • 2016 - 2017: Daan Speth (Scientist at Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology)
  • 2015 - 2016: Mark Torres (Asst. Professor at Rice University)
  • 2014 - 2015: Abby Fraeman (JPL Research Scientist, Deputy Project Scientist for Mars Science Laboratory and Mars Exploration Rovers)
  • 2013 - 2014: Jean-Philippe Harvey (Asst. Professor, Polytechnique Montreal)
  • 2013 - 2014: Isaac Larsen (Asst. Professor University of Massachusetts, Amherst)
  • 2012 - 2013: Jessica Hawthorne (Associate Professor, University of Oxford)
  • 2009 - 2010: Bin Chen (Associate Researcher at University of Hawaii at Manoa)
  • 2007 - 2008: Alon Amrani (Associate Professor, Hebrew University of Jerusalem)

O.K. Earl Prize Postdoc

  • 2023 - 2024: Alba Rodriguez-Padilla (arriving Fall 2023)
  • 2022 - 2023: Qian Yuan (current postdoc)
  • 2019 - 2020: Christine Chen (Postdoc at Lawrence Livermore National Lab)
  • 2016 - 2017: Xi Liu (University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)
  • 2015 - 2016: Claire Bucholz (Asst. Professor at Caltech)
  • 2014 - 2015: Uri Ryb (Senior Lecturer at Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
  • 2012 - 2013: Christopher Reinhard
  • 2009 - 2010: Jonathan P. Wilson (Assoc. Professor and Chair of Environmental Studies at Haverford College)
  • 2011 - 2012: Edwin Kite (Assoc. Professor at University of Chicago)
  • 2010 - 2011: Wei Leng (Professor, University of Science and Technology of China)
  • 2008 - 2009: Thomas Bristow (Research Technician, NASA Ames)
  • 2006 - 2007: Pierre-Henri Blard

The Foster and Coco Stanback Postdoctoral Fellowship at the California Institute of Technology

The intent of the program is to support innovative and creative early career scientists working in global environmental science, including research in areas such as climate adaptation and mitigation, environmental microbiology, terrestrial and marine biogeochemistry, glaciology, paleo-climatology, atmospheric chemistry and composition, physical oceanography, and climate dynamics. We seek to nurture the careers of exceptional individuals who contribute to a diverse and inclusive scientific workforce.

The fellowship is funded in part by an endowment provided by Foster and Coco Stanback. It carries an annual stipend of $74,000 plus a one-time research expense fund of $10,000 and up to $1,500 for one-way travel costs to Pasadena. The duration of the appointment is normally two years, contingent upon completion of the Ph.D. degree and good progress in the first year. Fellows are eligible to participate in Caltech's benefit programs, including health and dental programs. The Stanback Fellow will be hosted by one or more division professors (designated by the Chair) who will provide both financial support and mentorship.

To be eligible for the Stanback, candidates should have received their Ph.D. no earlier than April 1, 2022, except in exceptional circumstances.

Applications for the Stanback will be accepted between September 1 and November 10 each year. All applicants will be notified by January.

GPS Option Postdocs

The GPS Division offers yearly Option Postdoc positions in Geology, Geochemistry, Geobiology, Geophysics, and Planetary Science. These postdocs are selected from the pool of O.K. Earl applications and will be selected after the final decisions for the O.K. Earl have been made (January/February). The current salary for these postdocs is $68,000 per year, plus a $2,000 research fund in the first year. Postdocs are eligible to participate in Caltech's benefit programs, including health and dental programs.

For questions about our prize postdoc program, please contact Jen Shechet

GPS Postdocs and Researchers