The Chief of Naval Research (CNR) Fellows program will bring five newly tenured academic research professors to ONR for a one-year fellowship. The program is designed to bring a constant infusion of state-of-the-art knowledge to ONR while providing leading academic minds with unparalleled insight into the Navy and Marine Corps' most critical research challenges. This initiative seeks to build a powerful bridge between academia and the Department of the Navy (DoN), ensuring our research efforts are informed by the nation's brightest minds.
Term
One (1) year, with all fellows participating as a single cohort.
Eligibility
Nominees must be tenured associate professors by Sept. 1, 2026 or full professors who were promoted to full professor within the last two (2) years.
Award
The fellowship includes a $150,000 stipend award and $50,000 for travel funding.
What will Fellows gain?
During their year at ONR, Fellows will be immersed in the naval S&T ecosystem. They will gain firsthand experience with:
How ONR Program Officers develop programs and evaluate proposals.
Critical Navy and Marine Corps operational problems.
The Planning, Programming, Budget and Execution (PPBE) process.
The roles of various lab and industry partners.
ONR’s internal performance and portfolio metrics.
What are their responsibilities?
Fellows will provide technical feedback on proposed and ongoing research efforts and are expected to spend approximately four days per month in person at ONR headquarters with opportunities to engage at naval laboratories and warfare centers.
This experience is designed to create a powerful feedback loop. In return for this unique opportunity, Fellows will be expected to:
Amplify ONR’s Mission: Return to their universities and share their knowledge of DoN challenges with colleagues, inspiring new avenues of relevant research.
Build the Talent Pipeline: Connect students to unique employment and research opportunities within the DoN.
Nomination Process
Fellows must be nominated by their university's department head or dean.
To nominate a candidate from your department who demonstrates exceptional research acumen and potential for high-impact contributions, please email the candidate’s Curriculum Vitae and a letter of nomination from your office outlining their qualifications to:
Dr. Thomas C. Fu, Executive Director of the Office of Naval Research: thomas.c.fu2.civ@us.navy.mil
Nominations are due by Friday, July 3, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Please review our Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about the CNR Fellows program.
General Information
The CNR Fellows program brings academic research professors to ONR for a one-year fellowship. The initiative provides ONR with state-of-the-art knowledge and builds a growing network of researchers who can help translate Navy and Marine Corps challenges into immediate Science & Technology (S&T) research.
Five Fellows will be selected each year. The fellowship lasts for one year, and the entire cohort will start and end at the same time to foster collaboration. The program will be offered annually.
The program provides a stipend of $150,000 and $50,000 for travel expenses.
Eligibility
Eligible candidates include:
Associate Professors: Must be a tenured associate professor at any stage by Sept. 1, 2026.
Full Professors: Must have been promoted to full professor within the last two (2) years.
No, you do not need to be a U.S. Citizen. The program is open to both U.S. Citizens and permanent residents.
Nominations
Candidates must be nominated by their university’s department head/chair, dean, vice-provost, or provost. The nominator must email the candidate’s Curriculum Vitae and a letter of nomination outlining their qualifications to Dr. Thomas C. Fu, Executive Director of the Office of Naval Research.
No, there is no limit. ONR is looking to build a cohort that covers a wide range of technical areas. Universities are encouraged to submit all candidates they believe are a good fit, as the final selection will aim to cover broad areas of interest to ONR rather than simply taking the top five candidates from one specific field.
Commitment and Logistics
No, Fellows are not expected to be on leave. You will be able to maintain your teaching and research at your home university. The time commitment is not full-time.
The fellowship is a hybrid format:
In-Person: Fellows are expected to spend approximately four (4) days per month in person at ONR (or another site), plus travel time.
Remote: You will spend roughly a few hours each week (approximately one day per week) doing remote work at your home university. This includes virtual meetings, reviewing documents and proposals, and developing 2–3 white papers throughout the year.
During your year at ONR, you will:
Review proposals, provide technical feedback on ongoing ONR efforts, and propose new research areas and programs
Gain firsthand experience with how ONR Program Officers develop programs and evaluate proposals.
Learn about critical Navy and Marine Corps operational problems and the ONR and Department of the Navy (DoN) internal budget/execution processes.
Amplify ONR’s mission by sharing your knowledge of DoN challenges with university colleagues.
Build the talent pipeline by connecting students to unique employment and research opportunities within the DoN.