The purpose of the program is to support postdoctoral research of the highest level in the physical and life sciences at the Beckman Institute. The program will establish postdoctoral appointments that will initiate careers in interdisciplinary research in the physical and life sciences. The program will provide for independent research, in addition to collaborative interactions and affiliations with other institutes.
The grant will support two fellowships a year at the Beckman Institute. Each fellowship award will be a three-year appointment.
Dr. Arnold O. Beckman and his wife, Mabel M. Beckman, established the foundation that bears their names in 1977. In 1934, while a professor of chemistry at Caltech, Dr. Beckman invented a pH meter which became a widely used tool for analytic chemistry. He went on to found Beckman Instruments, Inc., and in 1940 he left Caltech to devote full time to his company. Dr. Beckman served as chairman of the Caltech Board of Trustees from 1964 to 1974, when he was elected chairman emeritus. He has received many honors for his technical, business, and civic contributions, including the Caltech Distinguished Alumni Award and the Robert A. Millikan Medal for distinguished service to the Institute. The foundation supports research primarily in the area of chemistry and the life sciences.
Founded in 1891, Caltech has an enrollment of some 2,000 students, and an academic staff of about 275 professorial faculty and 130 research faculty. The Institute has more than 19,000 alumni. Caltech employs a staff of more than 2,100 on campus and 4,800 at JPL.
Over the years, 28 Nobel Prizes and four Crafoord Prizes have been awarded to faculty members and alumni. Forty-five Caltech faculty members and alumni have received the National Medal of Science; and eight alumni (two of whom are also trustees), two additional trustees, and one faculty member have won the National Medal of Technology. Since 1958, 13 faculty members have received the annual California Scientist of the Year award. On the Caltech faculty there are 77 fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; and on the faculty and Board of Trustees, 70 members of the National Academy of Sciences and 48 members of the National Academy of Engineering.
Contact: Deborah Williams-Hedges (626) 395-3227 debwms@caltech.edu
Written by Deborah Williams-Hedges