The Institute for Condensed Matter Theory at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Main Menu

Quick Links and Contact Infomation

ICMT Contact Information

Content

FAQ: Fellowships and other postdoctoral positions

  • In my ICMT fellowship application, must I mention the names of ICMT faculty members with whom I would like to work?
    You don't have to do this. But it's a good idea to mention one or more people, if you can. One place you do this is in the "candidates comments" section of the web-based application.

  • I'd like to apply for an ICMT postdoctoral fellowship. How many letters of recommendation do I need?
    Most applicants will list three recommenders. You're welcome to list one or two more but we don't expect this.

  • Should I ask my recommenders to send their letters directly?
    No. Just ask them to be prepared to receive a request for a letter from us. And please alert them to our preference fof PDF-format letters, uploaded by them. Once you've applied, you'll receive information about how and where their letters should be uploaded.

  • What if PDF and uploading are inconvenient for some of my letter writers?
    Don't worry. If necessary, letters can be sent by mail to this address. But we've found that most letter writers prefer PDF and uploading.

  • In my web-base application, what should I upload via the "supporting documentation" channel?
    You needn't upload anything under "supporting documentation". But you can use this channel to provide us with any preprints or reprints that are not readily available via the internet (PDF strongly preferred).

  • What are the main differences between the departmental postdoctoral positions and the ICMT postdoctoral fellowships?
    The departmental positions are typically more closely tied to a specific supporting project than the ICMT ones. However, all illinois postdoctoral researchers are encouraged to take advantage of the extensive opportunities provided to develop breadth through wide-ranging collaborations. Also, the normal expectation is for departmental positions to last for two years and for ICMT ones to last for three years.

  • I'm interested in applying for a departmental postdoctoral position with one or more of the ICMT faculty members (e.g. in the Physics or Chemistry or... departments). How can I do this?
    If you wish, you could certainly apply for departmental postdoctoral positions by sending your application materials directly to one or more faculty members. But instead, you can...
    • Apply for an ICMT postdoctoral fellowship by completing the web-based application at https://my.physics.illinois.edu/join.
    • Then be sure to contact the relevant ICMT faculty member(s) to let them know that you're also interested in being considered for a departmental postdoctoral position.
    • If you follow this route (and we recommend that you do), in addition to contacting the relevant faculty member(s) please send email to Sue Lynn Herdle, telling her which faculty member(s) you'd like to be considered by.
    • There's no need for ICMT postdoctoral fellowship applicants to send duplicate materials for their departmental postdoctoral position applications. Their fellowship applications materials will be accessible to the relevant faculty member(s).
  • Do you know of other postdoctoral positions that might interest me?
    We keep a list at http://www.icmt.illinois.edu/JobOpportunityBulletin.htm, although we don't have any responsibility for the information once you leave our site.