About our Scholars

The Presidential Scholars are the heart of an experiment in working across disciplines to foster a new culture of interdisciplinary inquiry across the human, social, and natural sciences, and help to break down the barriers between the different schools, institutes, and campuses within Columbia University.

Scholars are selected through a competitive application process. Ideal postdoctoral candidates will be original and creative scholars who have completed a doctoral-level degree within the previous five years. They will have a background either in neuroscience with a deep knowledge of another discipline in the arts, humanities, or social sciences, or they will have a background in the arts, humanities, or social sciences and a critical understanding of neuroscience. Integral to the assessment of candidates is an innovative proposal for an interdisciplinary research project that can be carried out in the three years of the scholarship. Scholars will be supported by (at least) two mentors from the Columbia/Barnard faculty - each with expertise in an area of the Scholar’s research focus.