The Joan and Joseph Birman Fellowship for the Advancement of Women Scholars 2026–2027
- Omran Aburayya
- Sep 2, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 3, 2025
If you are a mid-career mathematician seeking a springboard for your research, applications are now open for the 2026–2027 Joan and Joseph Birman Fellowship for the Advancement of Women Scholars. This mid-career research fellowship, courtesy of a generous gift from Joan and Joseph Birman, offers US $75,000 and AMS membership to support your continued contributions to mathematics—especially by advancing the participation and success of women in the field.
🎓 Fellowship Summary
Location: United States (awarded via recipient’s institution)
Level: Mid-career (tenured, tenure-track, postdoctoral, or comparable positions)
Target Group: Women mathematicians whose research and activities have advanced women in mathematics
Fields: All areas of mathematics
Value & Coverage: US $75,000; flexible use (release time, travel, childcare, research programs, etc.); includes AMS membership
Duration: One academic year (2026–2027)
Application Deadline:
Application: 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, September 30, 2025
Reference Letters & Institutional Verification: until October 6, 2025 (11:59 p.m. ET)
Start Date: Academic year 2026–2027
Eligible To: Any mathematician holding a tenured, tenure-track, postdoctoral, or comparable position at a U.S. institution; no restrictions on race, ethnicity, national origin, or gender
📚 Fellowship Overview
The Joan and Joseph Birman Fellowship aims to boost the representation and success of women mathematicians at the highest research levels by providing mid-career scholars critical research support. Recipients are selected for both their mathematical accomplishments and their efforts to promote the participation, retention, and success of women in mathematics . The award is purposefully flexible—permitting expenditures on release time, child care, travel, or other research-enabling initiatives—and is disbursed through the host institution without indirect or overhead charges .
🎁 Benefits
Financial Support: US $75,000 to enhance research productivity.
Professional Inclusion: AMS membership for the fellowship's duration enhances networking and visibility.
Flexibility: Use of funds tailored to individual needs—whether for course relief, attendance at conferences, research programs, or family care support.
Recognition & Impact: Raises both the scholar’s profile and contributes to increasing women’s participation in mathematics.
✅ Eligibility Criteria
Position: Must hold a tenured, tenure-track, postdoctoral, or equivalent role at a U.S. institution.
Research & Impact: Must demonstrate significant mathematical accomplishments and involvement in advancing women in mathematics—through mentoring, leadership, or other activities recognized by the AMS .
Inclusivity: No discrimination based on race, ethnicity, national origin, or gender .
Special Circumstances: Consideration given for leaves or responsibilities such as caregiving .
📝 Application Procedure
The following must be submitted via MathPrograms (AMS portal) by September 30, 2025 (11:59 p.m. ET):
Research Statement (≤ 3 pages, including references): Outline past and planned research clearly for non-specialist mathematicians; highlight advancement of women in mathematics
Research Plan (≤ 1 page): Describe how the fellowship will impact your research success
Key Professional Accomplishments (≤ 1 page): Up to 10 publications and/or up to 5 activities that demonstrate contributions to mathematics and support for women in the field
NSF-Style Current & Pending Support: Generated via SciENcv (NSF format, PDF) .
NSF-Style Biographical Sketch: Generated via SciENcv (NSF format, PDF)
References: Contact information for 3 referees who can speak to both research achievement and contributions to advancing women in mathematics; referees submit letters directly after receiving instructions from the portal
Institutional Verification: Administrator at your institution must confirm institutional support and capacity to administer the award; submitted online by October 6, 2025 (11:59 p.m. ET)
ℹ️ Additional Information
Under typical circumstances, the fellowship cannot be deferred
Recipients receive AMS membership for the fellowship year
The fellowship addresses both research development and gender equity in mathematics, recognizing formal and informal contributions toward supporting women
For context and inspiration, the 2025–2026 fellow is Katherine E. Stange, a professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, known for her work in arithmetic geometry, elliptic curves, sequences, cryptography, dynamics, circle packings, and game theory
🚀 Final Thoughts
The Joan and Joseph Birman Fellowship provides a unique and valuable opportunity for mid-career women mathematicians to amplify both their research and their impact on the mathematics community. The generous support and flexible structure make it ideal for those seeking to deepen their research while fostering greater inclusion and leadership.
