The QISS Philosopher Fellowship program is part of a partnership with the Rotman Institute of Philosophy and the Quantum Information Structure of Spacetime (QISS) Consortium.

From the period of 2022-2025, opportunities are available for faculty, postdocs, and graduate students in philosophy to apply for visits to the Rotman Institute.

The program is open to qualified candidates pursuing research overlapping with or otherwise complementing scholarly activities of the QISS Initiative. Visiting fellows will have the opportunity to conduct their research in collaboration with one or more members of the Rotman Institute who are part of the QISS Consortium.

Fellowship Benefits

QISS Philosopher Fellows will be provided with an office at the Institute, library access, some administrative support, and economy travel to and from London. During the visit, fellows will take up residence in the Institute and London, Ontario. The cost of accommodations will be covered for short-term visits; long-term visitors may receive a monthly stipend of $1300 CAD to help defray living expenses. There are a number of options for accommodations close to campus, including Guest House on the Mount and the Ivey Spencer Leadership Centre.

Visit Duration

Applications may be submitted for visits in varying lengths. Short-term fellows will stay for a period of roughly one – two weeks. Sabbatical or long-term fellows may apply to stay for a period of one academic term or year. Note that for long-term stays the purchase of the University Health Insurance Plan is mandatory; cost varies depending on the length of stay and family size. Please see the UHIP information page for enrolment requirements, current premiums, and further details.

Long-term visitors from outside of Canada will receive guidance from Institute staff and Western’s Office of Faculty Relations to obtain a temporary Canadian work permit, if needed. Please note that in accordance with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) visitors are required to submit a letter from their home institution verifying that they hold a permanent appointment and will be returning following the end of their stay in Canada.

Visiting Graduate Students

Per Western’s School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, graduate students will need to submit a visiting graduate student (research only) application. Please note that visiting graduate students are not permitted to take courses at Western.

Fellow Obligations

QISS Philosopher Fellows will participate in the stimulating environment of the Institute. They are expected to offer a lecture on their current research and are invited to contribute fully to the intellectual life of the Institute by participating in reading groups, seminars, talks, workshops and other activities. They are strongly encouraged to interact with our members, including researchers, postdoctoral fellows and graduate students. Fellows are also invited to take advantage of the activities in the broader university, including colloquia, conferences, and graduate seminars (with instructor permission).

When appropriate, fellows may also be able to coordinate interactions with members of the QISS Consortium affiliated with the Perimeter Institute, located in Waterloo, Ontario, approximately 90 minutes from London.

Application Deadlines

Applications for short-term visits must be submitted a minimum of 3-months in advance and will be considered on a rolling basis. Sabbatical or long-term fellows typically need to apply a minimum of 6-months in advance of their planned visit. Calls for applications will be distributed annually with rolling deadlines of May 30, September 30, and January 30.

How to Apply

In order to apply, please complete the online form linked below. Please note that you will be asked to upload the following documents (combined into a single pdf):

  1. Cover Letter, outlining plans for your time at Rotman
  2. Curriculum Vitae, including a publication list

General inquiries regarding the QISS Philosopher Fellowship Program can be directed to rotman.institute@uwo.ca.

Western University is committed to employment equity and welcomes applications from all qualified women and men, including visible minorities, Aboriginal persons and persons with disabilities.

Apply for a QISS Philosopher Fellowship
Learn More About Members of the Rotman Institute
Learn about the Rotman Visiting Fellowship Program