Broader Impact Statement Overview

Carnegie Observatories Santa Barbara Street campus.

Broader Impact Statement Information

2024-2025 Fellowship Applications:

Carnegie Science highly values leadership within the scientific community that enhances the field’s diversity, equity, and/or inclusion. Carnegie’s mission includes supporting and mentoring new scholars—including scientists from historically under-represented groups—as well as community engagement and outreach. The Observatories hosts summer undergraduate interns whose primary mentors are commonly Carnegie postdoctoral fellows, as well as graduate fellows from several universities. In addition, the Observatories runs numerous ongoing community outreach programs that postdocs are encouraged to contribute to or expand in consultation with our outreach coordinator. 

Carnegie Observatories’ postdoctoral fellows are integral members of our community, and often advance to leadership positions at universities and research institutions.  As such, they are critical to the intellectual atmosphere of the Observatories and the field as a whole. We seek individuals who actively contribute to their academic community through leadership and sustained participation in community events (e.g., engaging in conversations and collaborations with other Carnegie postdocs and staff scientists, and actively leading and/or participating in Carnegie programs, discussions, and talks series).

The Observatories is seeking postdoctoral fellows who will be partners in improving and maintaining a culturally diverse, intellectually vibrant environment that is welcoming to all. As part of their fellowship applications, candidates should submit a one-page written statement detailing the relevant aspects of their past work and plans at Carnegie. 

Observatories postdocs at work on an instrumentation project.

Examples

Topics that one may include in this broader impact statement are past or planned efforts to:

  • Broaden diversity, equity, and/or inclusion in astronomy at any level

  • Build an intellectually rich and inclusive academic community through advocacy and/or participating in or contributing to campus/departmental programming

  • Intent to participate in, lead, or expand existing Carnegie programs (highlighted above)

  • Mentor graduate (Masters or PhD), undergraduate (Bachelors) or K-12 (ages 5-18) students

  • Develop, lead, or consistently participate in public outreach programs

  • Serve on departmental or national professional committees

  • Any other example of leadership or contribution to DEI efforts within or outside of academia

Summer student doing engineering work with a Carnegie postdoc.

Process

The rubric used to evaluate the Broader Impact statements will include the following criteria:

  • Has demonstrated a commitment to service within their department, mentoring within the field, and/or to outreach to the community (professional or public) through prior actions

  • Has demonstrated commitment to expanding diversity, equity, and/or inclusion in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) through specific prior actions or through their lived experience.

  • Has particular experience that expands representation at Carnegie or articulates a thoughtful plan or thoughtful ideas to increase diversity, equity, and/or inclusion at Carnegie and/or in their subsequent career.