Application Process

Program Overview
Application Process
FAQ
Prospective Mentors
Postdoctoral Fellows
The application portal for the 2027 cohort will open on August 17, 2026.
Scientific Scope Eligibility Expectations Application Process Application Package Timeline Selection Criteria Submission Questions

Scientific Scope

This postdoctoral program supports postdoctoral researchers (Fellows) whose proposed research aligns with one or more of the following areas: 

  • Enhancing Scientific and Societal Impact: Integrating methodologies and tools to enable responsible data science and AI research and enhance its scientific impact; applying data science and AI methodologies and tools to inform policy and promote social good.
  • Measuring and Improving Society: Better understanding society through the use of new data types such as text, image, sensor and digital trace data (including social media and other digital transactions).
  • Transforming Health Interventions: Enabling the transformation of health interventions through the use of cutting edge data analytics and AI methods.
  • Data Science Theory and Methodology Development: Developing theories and methodologies in data science with a focus on advancing research in one or more of the three areas listed above.

Please note that there is a sister program at MIDAS, the Eric and Wendy Schmidt AI in Science Postdoctoral Fellowship, which supports postdocs who apply AI methodology to address significant research questions in science and engineering. Potential applicants whose research is out of scope of the MDS Fellowship may consider applying to the Schmidt AI in Science program.

The application deadline for the 2027 cohort is November 23, 2026.

Eligibility

Applicant Eligibility

  • This program seeks to support early-career researchers. Therefore, the candidate must have a PhD that (1) is conferred before the Fellowship start date (August or September, 2027) and (2) was received after Sept. 1, 2022. 
  • The candidate’s PhD can be in any field. (Note the research domains listed above that are in scope: these apply to the area of proposed work, but not to the field of the candidate’s PhD.)
  • It is acceptable for the candidate to already have a postdoc position, whether at U-M or elsewhere. 
  • Candidates who are current U-M postdocs or U-M PhD students before Sept 1, 2026 are considered internal candidates. Internal candidates are eligible to apply only if BOTH their proposed project AND proposed faculty mentors are substantially different from their current ones (see “Faculty Mentor Eligibility” below). 
  • The candidate should not have had a faculty appointment anywhere that is equivalent to a North American university’s tenure-track position. 
  • The ideal candidate will have training in both data science and the science domain discipline. However, this may not be the case for many candidates.
    • We require that a candidate have deep expertise in at least one of the two: either data science methodologies or the domain science discipline, in conjunction with demonstrated interest in the other.  
    • The key requirement is evidence of excellence and a passion for the proposed research direction at the intersection of two disciplines. 

Faculty Mentor Eligibility

  • Each candidate must ultimately have two (2) U-M faculty mentors with expertise that is complementary for supporting the candidate’s research, i.e. covering both data science and domain science expertise.
    • At time of application, having the support of both mentors is preferred. However, applicants may submit an application with just one (1) faculty mentor, with the understanding that, if you receive an offer, you must identify and secure the support of a second mentor before your start date. 
  • This Fellowship seeks to foster new collaborations. For that reason, a U-M applicant’s prior or current faculty mentor is ineligible to act as a faculty mentor for this postdoc program. 
  • In the same spirit, applicants whose mentors have appointments in two different departments will be viewed favorably.
  • Prospective mentors may submit letters of support for more than one applicant in a year, but at most one of these will be selected across all MIDAS research Fellowships. Therefore, supporting more than one candidate in a year will effectively eliminate all but one candidate.
  • Additionally, MIDAS seeks to cultivate capacity for AI and data science research across the U-M community. For this reason, each U-M faculty member can serve as mentor for at most one (1) Fellow every two years across all MIDAS research Fellowships (including the Schmidt Postdoctoral Fellowship, the African Faculty Fellowship, and the Michigan Data Science Fellowship). 

Note: All current and prospective mentors are listed in the faculty directory, here. Any mentor or host for the 2026 cohort is ineligible to serve as a faculty mentor for any MIDAS research Fellowship for this application cycle. It is advisable that applicants check their prospective mentors’ eligibility and discuss these requirements with them.

List of Prospective Michigan Data Science Mentors

Click here for a list of prospective MDS Mentors.

Expectations

Fellows are expected to successfully implement their research and training plans and actively participate in collaborative learning and other program activities. They are expected to spend at least 50% of time in-person at MIDAS’s postdoctoral office space (currently 3520 Green Court, Ann Arbor). In addition, Fellows will be expected to build professional service experience through contributing ~10% of their effort to programmatic activities including training, coordinating research collaboration, or building research tools. 

Faculty Mentors are expected to devote sufficient time to provide research and career guidance to the Fellows, meet with them regularly, attend Fellowship Committee meetings, and help Fellows seek opportunities for career advancement. 

The MDS program operates under a 50-50 cost-sharing structure to cover Fellow salaries and benefits. Thus, faculty mentors are required to cover 50% of the Fellow’s salary and benefits, and MIDAS covers the other 50%. Additionally, faculty mentors cover all the costs of the Fellows’ research, including research space, lab facilities, computers, computing resources, and data access; travel to research conferences (at least two each year); publication costs; and visa fees. The faculty mentors may wish to make desk space available in their research groups as well. 

Faculty mentors are also expected to actively participate in the MDS postdoc program activities in MIDAS, including being the champions for the program, reviewing applications, and participating in collaborative learning sessions, among others.

Application Process

  • An applicant will need to first secure interest from two U-M faculty mentors. See this list of prospective MDS mentors.
    • An applicant may reach out to any U-M faculty member(s) to inquire; they do not need to be included on the list above. 
    • If one faculty member agrees to be a mentor, they may work with the applicant together to secure a second mentor.
    • Applicants are required to directly upload a letter of support from both faculty mentors (see “The Application Package” below).
  • Applicants are encouraged to consult with the mentors extensively about the research statement and their career goals before submitting the application.

The Application Package

The application materials below must be uploaded separately to the application form. All documents must be in .pdf format, prepared with legible formatting, including a 1-inch margin on all sides. Required application materials are:

  • The candidate’s CV.
  • Data Science/AI Keywords: Please list up to 3 keywords describing specific data science or AI methodologies/approaches you will be applying.
  • A Research Tagline: A phrase describing your overall research goals, no more than 8 words. Accepted applicants will have this tagline posted on the program website. 
  • A Research Blurb:
    • A short description of the candidate’s research goals as a MIDAS Fellow, written in the third person for a generalist audience. In other words, people outside of the candidate’s discipline(s) should be able to understand their work and why it is important. It should be written with a mix of technical expertise and generalist explanation. 300 words maximum. 
    • Note: accepted applicants will have this summary posted on the program website. 
  • Research Statement, up to 2 pages single spaced, font size 10 and above, including:
    • A compelling vision and a plausible approach to achieving that vision. Note that the program seeks to promote research that is transformative and creative, with the potential to spur significant advances in the application of data science in science domains. The statement should also describe the feasibility of the initial scope of the proposed research and its potential to grow into a sustained research program for an independent research career.
    • Qualifications that make the applicant particularly suitable for this program.
    • Essential citations used in the research statement should be included in the 2 pages.
  • Individualized Development Plan (IDP), up to 2 pages, font size 10 and above, including:
    • Past accomplishments and current skills that will contribute to the applicant’s success in this postdoctoral training program. 
    • The data science expertise the applicant will need to acquire during the Fellowship and an initial learning plan that may consist of a variety of formal and informal options.
    • Long-term career aspirations, including research, professional development, and career goals, and how this Fellowship will benefit those.
    • How the applicant will contribute to the Program.
  • A Responsible Data Science Statement, up to ½ page, font size 10 and above. Applicants should describe their approaches to responsible data science research. The focus can range from the rigor of study design and the explainability of models, to the unbiased use of data and algorithms, and to data sharing and making a research project fully reproducible. 
  • Your Three Best Papers: Upload three written works that best reflect your accomplishments and expertise as a researcher. Publications in peer-reviewed journals will be evaluated most highly, but preprints, working papers, public-facing science writing, and other research-related writing are also appropriate. These should be works where you are a primary contributor.
  • A Letter of Support from each faculty mentor. One letter required; two preferred (see “Faculty Mentor Eligibility” above). This is not a reference letter. Instead, this is similar to a letter of support that is included in a training grant, delineating the applicant’s qualifications, the significance of the research project, the fit with this program, and a plan to mentor the applicant and to support their career development. In order to be eligible, each Mentor Letter must contain exactly the following language:
    • As a mentor for the Michigan Data Science Fellowship, I affirm my understanding and support for the program requirements as outlined in the call for applications and program website, including the following: (1) the Fellow’s other mentor and I will jointly cover 50% of the cost of the Fellow’s salary and benefits; (2) I will support my Fellow’s attendance and participation in programmatic and training activities, including 50% in-person time at the MIDAS postdoctoral offices; (3) the Fellow’s other mentor and I will jointly cover all costs of the Fellows’ research, including research space, lab facilities, computers, computing resources, data access, travel to research conferences (at least two each year), publication fees, and other necessary costs, such as visa fees when applicable; and (4) I agree to review applications for future cohorts of MIDAS Fellows.
  • 2-3 References – contact info. Applicants will be prompted to provide the names and contact information for individuals who can speak to the applicant’s training, skills, and experiences pertinent to this program. These individuals will be contacted via email to request a letter of recommendation on the applicant’s behalf. It is advisable to notify these individuals well in advance of the application deadline.
    • Note: On the application portal, Infoready, you are able to send requests for Reference Letters before you submit your final application. It is strongly encouraged that you send reference requests in a manner that gives your Referees a reasonable amount of time to complete your reference before the November 30 application deadline.

Timeline

  • Priority deadline: 11:59 pm EST, Nov. 23, 2026. All applications received by this deadline will be given full consideration.
  • Offers will start to be sent out in early February 2027.
  • Accepted Fellows will have two weeks to decide whether to accept the offer.
  • The expected start date will be in August or September, 2027, negotiable for special cases..

For questions about this application, please contact [email protected].

Selection Criteria

  • Fit with the program: Whether the proposed research vision and the specific project align with the program scope.
  • Candidate qualification: The candidate’s past experience and accomplishments in both AI and domain research; the candidate’s potential to become a research leader of the next generation: their willingness to take risks, creativity and originality, curiosity, collaborative spirit, entrepreneurship, and the ability to think big, as reflected in their past accomplishments and proposed plans.
  • Research statement: The vision, the approach, and initial feasibility, the potential of making groundbreaking discoveries, the potential of becoming a sustained research portfolio after the Fellow leaves the program. 
  • Skills development: The candidate’s potential to acquire strong AI skills for the proposed research and long-term impact in the field; evidence that the candidate and mentors have carefully thought about the needs for skills development and are committed to it.
  • Mentors: Whether the selection of mentors is appropriate for the research project, the training plan, and career development, as well as consistency among the mentor’s letters and the explicit commitment of the mentors in participating in the broader program.
  • For University of Michigan internal applicants: Whether the proposed research is significantly different from the current research and whether the proposed mentors are different from current ones.

Submission

The application portal for the 2027 cohort will open on August 17, 2026.

Questions?

For questions, please see the FAQ page or contact [email protected].

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