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The Leon Levy Scholarships in Neuroscience (LLSN) aim to promote groundbreaking neuroscience research in the five boroughs of New York City by supporting the most innovative young researchers at a critical stage of their careers—their postdoctoral research—as they develop new ideas and directions that will help establish them as independent neuroscientists. The Scholarship is a three (3)-year award. Scholars will receive an annual stipend equal to 125% of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) postdoctoral rate, according to postdoctoral year, a USD 2,000 one-time computer allowance, and an annual care supplement.

By the time of appointment on September 1, 2025, the applicant must:

• Hold a doctoral degree (PhD, DPhil, MD, DDS, DVM, etc.)
• Hold a full-time postdoctoral position at an eligible institution, or an institution that has obtained eligibility prior to the closing of the application period, in one of New York City’s five boroughs
• Possess no more than three (3) years* of cumulative postdoctoral experience
• Conduct research in Neuroscience or one of its sub-disciplines while they hold the Leon Levy Scholarships
• Be able to meet at least one of the following designated criteria at the time of appointment: be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or U.S. permanent resident (holder of a Permanent Resident Card); holder of J-1 Research Scholar status or an H-1B Temporary Employee Status visa valid for the full tenure of the Scholarship; an individual granted deferred action status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program; Indigenous individual exercising rights associated with the Jay Treaty of 1794; Individual granted Temporary Protected Status; Asylee; or Refugee. Conditional Visas will be considered.

*Exceptions to this time limit will be considered upon a detailed written submission from the applicant received by The New York Academy of Sciences by September 27, 2024. For more information, please contact us at leonlevy@nyas.org prior to starting your application. We strongly encourage candidates requiring this exception to contact us as early as possible during the application period.

There is no upper limit on the number of applicants per institution or per laboratory. Previous recipients of a Leon Levy Fellowship are not eligible to apply.

All materials must be submitted by October 18, 2024. Scholarships for the 2025 cohort of Scholars will run from September 1, 2025 to August 31, 2028.

August 30, 2024: Applications open for Leon Levy Scholarships

October 18, 2024: Applications close for Leon Levy Scholarships

March 2025: All applicants notified to the outcome of their application

April 2025: Leon Levy Scholars publicly announced

September 1, 2025: Leon Levy Scholarships period begins (all Scholars expected to be in residence in NYC by this date)

July 2025: Scholars’ Annual Report due.

Applicants must be employed by one of the institutions listed below at the time the Scholarship begins, and should have the support of their proposed Research Advisor at the time of application. Institutions not listed here may contact leonlevy@nyas.org to request inclusion on the list of eligible employing institutions.

• Albert Einstein College of Medicine
• Barnard College
• City College of New York
• CUNY Brooklyn College
• CUNY College of Staten Island
• CUNY Graduate Center
• CUNY Hunter College
• CUNY Lehman College
• CUNY School of Medicine
• CUNY Queens College
• Columbia University
• Columbia University Irving Medical Center
• Cooper Union
• Cornell Tech
• Flatiron Institute
• Fordham University
• Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
• New York Blood Center
• The New York Stem Cell Foundation
• New York University
• NYU Langone Health
• Pace University
• The Rockefeller University
• SUNY Downstate Medical Center
• Weill Cornell Medicine

• Terms of Appointment
  • Selected Scholars must dedicate 100% of research time to scientific research projects unless they have a clinical obligation, in which case, they may spend up to 20% of the time on clinical obligations.
• Stipend & Benefits
  • Annual stipend equals 125% of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) postdoctoral rate, according to the postdoctoral year
  • Fringe benefits at the host institution’s rate for postdoctoral Scholars
  • US$2,000 computer allowance as a one-time award
  • Annual supplement of up to US$10,000 to support care costs (e.g. dependent care)
  • Indirect support to the host institution will be allowed at the standard published rate if less than 20% and capped at 20%.
  • 3-year Membership to The New York Academy of Sciences
  • Participation in a structured Mentorship Program for Leon Levy Scholars
  • Access to leadership and skills-building workshops through The New York Academy of Sciences
  • Access to the community of past and present Leon Levy Scholars and Fellows
  • Grant writing support
• Duration
  • Each Scholar is expected to begin the 36-month Scholarship in September of the year in which the award is received (some remote orientation may begin before September/before arrival).
  • Should a Scholar depart the institution in which they were awarded the LLSN, if the new institution is eligible, the Scholarship may be transferred, otherwise, it will conclude.

Scholar Responsibilities:

1. Attend New Scholar Orientation.

2. Participate in the annual Leon Levy Symposium.

3. Attend quarterly virtual Group Seminars; Scholars are required to present a research update at a Group Seminar at least once during their tenure.

4. Participate in Mentorship and Career Development activities (detailed below).

5. Engage in Scholarship-related media activities and inquiries (e.g., video interviews, magazine profile interviews, etc.) as requested.

6. Provide an Annual Report describing research and career progress for each year of their tenure; the Final Report must summarize the research project and state final conclusions. Report templates will be provided.

All Scholars will be required to participate in a structured Mentorship Program in Neuroscience Research for the duration of their Scholarship. Scholars will receive their primary scientific mentorship from their Research Advisor. In addition, however, Scholars can greatly benefit from advice and mentorship from a senior scientist who is not directly involved in the Scholars’ research; here we refer to this person as the Mentor. In the Leon Levy Scholarships in Neuroscience program, Scholars will have access to both their scientific Research Advisor and a Mentor.

An essential feature of the Scholarship program will be this opportunity to learn from and be mentored by distinguished leaders across scientific fields. In this capacity, Mentors will provide guidance on the Scholars’ postdoctoral research and in their pursuit of an independent PI role or other scientific career paths. Each Mentor will have a successful track record of mentorship and will be paired with a scholar based on mutual scientific interests.

Once Scholars are chosen, they will work with the program team to find an appropriate senior Mentor from the Academy’s membership. Once matched, the mentoring pairs are expected to meet a minimum of once every other month (in person or virtual) and will have access to prompts and activities to help guide conversations if appropriate. Mentoring pairs will complete an expectations worksheet to help define how the pair will work together. All pairs will be expected to abide by the Academy’s Code of Conduct.

• Virtual Group Seminars
  • Each quarter, the Academy will host a meeting of all current Scholars to discuss ideas, share research updates and success stories, identify potential collaborations and help solve problems. These seminars will include Scholar presentations, interactive discussions, and informal networking. The Academy will work closely with the Scholars – through conversations, surveys, and other methods – to design programming that meets the short-term and long-term scientific and career needs of the Scholars.
• Leadership and Skills Building Opportunities
  • All Scholars will receive a professional membership to the Academy, providing them with free and reduced-cost access to career development events, courses, and workshops. There is no requirement for Scholars to participate. Leadership and Skills building opportunities include topics such as science communication, grant writing, Inclusive Leadership, teaching and pedagogy, and ethics. Scholars will also receive a newsletter and regular updates about these opportunities.
• Leon Levy Community
  • The Academy maintains a robust virtual community for scientists via Slack. Scholars will have the opportunity to join our Slack community and have dedicated channels to network with other Scholars.
• Membership to The New York Academy of Sciences
  • All Scholars will receive a (3) three-year membership to the Academy. Membership provides Scholars with access to our Global Member Directory, a deep archive of digital content, and access to free or significantly discounted registrations for over 100 symposia, webinars, and conferences annually.
• Grant Writing Support, as needed
  • Scholars will have access to a grant writing professional who can consult with them on a grant and provide them with guidance.