New Fellowship Supports Scientists Accelerating Progress in Astronomical Instrumentation

LOS ALTOS, CALIFORNIA (January 13, 2026)—The Heising-Simons Foundation’s Science program is launching a new multi-year fellowship to support postdoctoral scientists who are developing instrumentation to shape the future of astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology, and planetary science.

The Astronomical Innovation (Astronova) Fellowship will provide funding for up to two scientists per year at select host institutions for the next four years, beginning in Fall 2026. Promising early-career instrumentalists interested in this fellowship are welcomed to submit an application for the inaugural cycle through the fellowship’s portal by February 27, 2026, at 2pm PT. 

“Innovations in astronomical instrumentation—whether they allow new sensitivity, precision, efficiency, or other advancements—often lead to breakthroughs in our understanding of the universe,” said Gabriele Betancourt-Martinez, Ph.D., Science Program Officer at the Heising-Simons Foundation. “Through the new Astronova Fellowship, we hope to both launch talented postdocs into faculty careers in instrumentation—where they can continue their pioneering research as well as mentor and teach the next generation of instrumentalists—as well as uplift the importance of the field of instrumentation within the astronomical community.”

The Astronova Fellowship is a companion to the Heising-Simons Foundation’s 51 Pegasi b Fellowship, which provides postdoctoral scientists with the opportunity to conduct research in planetary astronomy. Since 2017, more than 68 fellows have made unique contributions to our understanding of planetary system formation and evolution, many enabled by new astronomical instrumentation.

“The Heising-Simons Foundation Science program has been a steady supporter of novel instrumentation development in astronomy, from ground-based adaptive optics systems to future space-based detectors,” said Jochen Marschall, Science Program Director at Heising-Simons Foundation. “Over the years, we have learned that nurturing a pipeline of talented people specializing in this work is critical. The Astronova Fellowship is designed to meet the specific needs of emerging instrumentalists, helping them advance in their careers and maximize their impact on the field.”

Astronova Fellows will have wide latitude in the types of technologies they can develop. They will receive support for projects designing, developing, fabricating, characterizing, testing, or commissioning instruments that direct, collect, detect, or characterize photons from astrophysical sources. Examples of eligible technologies include optics, imagers, spectrometers, astrophotonic devices, coronagraphs, data acquisition and control, and other related systems. Instruments may be ground-based, airborne, or space-based. The Heising-Simons Foundation will select up to two Astronova Fellows in 2026. Key features of the program include:

• Flexible research award. Each fellow, through their host institution, receives funding for salary, benefits, and discretionary spending over a four-year term, with potential for a fifth-year extension.
• Access to Innovation Fund. Beginning in year two of the followship period, fellows may apply for an additional Innovation Fund grant to pursue a novel instrumentation concept or component of their own design.
• Catalytic support. Fellows who obtain a faculty or research position during their fellowship are eligible to apply for a new grant to augment their startup package.
• Peer learning and connections. Fellows have opportunities to participate in instrumentation-specific professional development and networking—including an annual research summit with their advisors and other leaders in the field.

Fellows in the first cycle of this program will pursue their proposed projects at one of six currently participating host institutions:

• Carnegie Science 
• Keck Observatory 
• University of Arizona
• University of California, Berkeley
• University of California, San Diego
• University of California, Santa Cruz

The first application cycle of the Astronova Fellowship is now open and closes at 2 p.m. Pacific Time on February 27, 2026. Applicants will be notified of their selection status in May 2026, and Astronova Fellows will be publicly announced June 2026.

Learn more about the Heising-Simons Foundation’s Astronova Fellowship here, including detailed program guidelines describing the Astronova Fellowship application and review process.

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The Heising-Simons Foundation is a family foundation based in Los Altos and San Francisco, California. The Foundation works with its many partners to advance sustainable solutions in climate and clean energy, enable groundbreaking research in science, enhance the education of our youngest learners, and support human rights for all people.

The Foundation’s Science Program funds basic research and supporting activities in astronomy and cosmology, fundamental physics, and climate change science.

Learn more at hsfoundation.org.