Cornfield PhD Fellowship

The Cornfield PhD Fellowship is a prestigious doctoral award program established through a donation from David J. and Linda Archer Cornfield. The fellowship provides comprehensive financial support valued at up to $120,000 to exceptional doctoral students in the Department of Systems Design Engineering at the University of Waterloo's Faculty of Engineering. This fellowship is specifically designed to support students with a demonstrated interest in sustainable systems design, reflecting the donors' commitment to advancing research in sustainability. Recipients of the Cornfield PhD Fellowship receive their award in equal installments distributed over the standard program length of their doctoral degree. The fellowship is structured to provide consistent financial support throughout the recipient's doctoral journey, lasting up to 12 terms as long as the student remains registered full-time. This substantial award is designed to allow students to focus on their research without financial constraints, complementing additional funding they receive through Graduate Research Studentships from both their supervisor and the Faculty of Engineering. The selection process emphasizes both academic excellence and commitment to sustainable systems design. Applicants must demonstrate a minimum 80% cumulative average in their current or most recently completed graduate program. The fellowship program expects to award up to eight fellowships in fall 2026, with twelve awards available in total. This significant investment in graduate education aims to attract and retain top-tier doctoral candidates who will contribute to advancing sustainable engineering solutions through their research in systems design engineering.