DNLF Fellowships

The next call for nominations opens 15 January 2024. The submission deadline is 15 April 2024 noon CEST.

What is a Distinguished NIAS-Lorentz Fellowship?
The Distinguished NIAS-Lorentz Fellowship (DNLF) is awarded annually to a leading researcher to work on cutting-edge research at the interface between the humanities and social sciences on the one hand and the natural and technological sciences on the other. Distinguished NIAS-Lorentz Fellows are nominated by prominent figures from within the Dutch academic community. The NIAS-Lorentz Fellowship Board evaluates the DNLF nominations.

A Distinguished NIAS-Lorentz Fellowship consists of:

  • A fellowship at NIAS for 5 months between September – January of the academic year. It includes a personal study, participation in an interdisciplinary community, communal lunch and, if applicable, subsidized accommodation or travel expenses.
  • A personal stipend or, for scholars affiliated to a Dutch university or research institute, a Dutch University Grant, given to the institution. Both are set on € 2,500 per month.
  • A workshop at the Lorentz Center on the fellowship topic, with full organizational support and a budget of € 20,000.

How to nominate
Candidates must be nominated by a leading figure from one of the following Dutch scientific communities: rectors and deans of Dutch universities, members of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and of the Young Academy (DJA), the board of the Dutch Network of Women Professors (LNVH), directors of KNAW, NWO and TNO institutes and directors of museums or industrial organizations with a research agenda.

Nominations (with all documents in English) are submitted to selection@nias.knaw.nl.

The nomination consists of:

  • The nomination letter signed by the nominator.
  • Title of the intended DNLF research project.
  • Brief description of the intended DNLF research project (max. 1 page) that bridges the divide between the humanities and/or social sciences and the natural and/or technological sciences. The description should be explicit on the interaction of specific alpha/beta/gamma elements and how the research project will encourage research at the interface of these different scientific areas. It should also describe the possible societal impact as well as plans for one or more publications.
  • Brief outline of the NIAS-Lorentz workshop related to the fellowship topic (max. 3 pages: see Guidelines for a DLF Workshop Outline (PDF)).
  • Curriculum Vitae of the nominee (max. 3 pages).
  • Short list of the nominees most important publications (max. 10 publications).

Evaluation
Nominations will be evaluated by the NIAS-Lorentz DNLF Board. Nominees and nominators will be informed of the outcome within six weeks of the submission deadline. The successful nominee will be asked to submit a Full Proposal of the NIAS-Lorentz Workshop at a later date.

Evaluation criteria include:

  • The nominee is an outstanding scientist with an excellent academic track record.
  • The nominee has the capacity to bring together researchers from necessary disciplines.
  • The topic is firmly embedded within the Dutch scientific community.
  • The topic is clearly interdisciplinary and brings together perspectives from the humanities and/or social sciences with the natural and/or technological sciences.
  • The interdisciplinary approach will contribute to achieving the research goals.
  • The topic has the potential to produce exciting advances at the interface of scientific fields.
  • The topic is relevant to current societal issues.
  • The topic will broaden the scope of the NIAS-Lorentz Program.
  • The quality of topic and researcher will attract wider interest.

DNLF Fellowship
The Distinguished NIAS Lorentz Fellow will become a member of the fellows community at NIAS. This means that the general NIAS criteria and fellowship regulations also hold for the DNLF. This includes:

  • At least 3 years of post-Ph.D. experience on the closing date of the call
  • Applicants/nominees can only submit an application for one type of fellowship per academic year
  • Interest in participating in the interdisciplinary community at NIAS
  • For the complete eligibility criteria and regulations, see here.
  • For a full overview of more practical and financial information about what a (DNLF) Fellowship at NIAS entails, see here.

Contact
For information about the suitability of candidates, please contact Professor Jan Willem Duyvendak (director NIAS) or Professor Arjen Doelman (director Lorentz Center). For general information about the fellowship and the nomination procedure, contact Dindy van Maanen.

When is the next call for nominations?
The Call for DNLF nominations for the academic year 2025/26 will open 15 January 2024 and the submission deadline will be: 15 April 2024.

Current and previous Distinguished Lorentz Fellows

2022    Computational Linguistics to aid Diagnosis and Treatment Monitoring in Psychiatry
             Iris Sommer, University Medical Center Groningen
2021    Unravelling the interconnected dynamics of infectious disease spread and health-related beliefs and behaviours
             Luc Coffeng, Erasmus Medical Center
2020    Tools for theory: Improving the theoretical foundations of psychological science
             Iris van Rooij, Radboud University
2019    Population Health: A New Comprehensive Framework
             Hall Caswell, University of Amsterdam
2018    Two Worlds: the Interplay of Cultures and Technologies
             Corinne Hofman, Leiden University
2017    Toward a Mechanistic Theory of Cultural Evolution
             Workshop: Probing the Foundations of Cultural Evolution
             Franjo Weissing, University of Groningen
2016    Privacy by Design: Is It Possible?
             Bert Jaap Koops, Tilburg University
2015    From a Fossil to a Bio-based Economy – Adding Value Combining Science,
             Technology and Social Science
             Patricia Osseweijer, Delft University of Technology         
2014    Socio-Economic Complexity
             Workshop: Socio-Economic Complexity
             Cars Hommes, University of Amsterdam
2013    Cognition, Biology and the Origins of Music
             Henkjan Honing, University of Amsterdam
2012    The Ticking Composite Mind: Psychological, Social and Clinical Consequences
             Henk Barendregt, Radboud University Nijmegen; Carnegie Mellon University
2011    Core Knowledge and Culture
             Workshop: Core Knowledge, Language and Culture
             Johan Rooryck, Leiden University
2010    Science Meets Justice: Forensic Statistics at the Interface
             Richard Gill, Leiden University
2009    Philosophy of Information and Computing Science
             Jan van Leeuwen, Utrecht University