RIT College of Science awarded major funding through Simons Empire Faculty Fellowship to create four new tenure-track positions

Rochester, New York – Rochester Institute of Technology’s College of Science is set to make a major leap forward in research and innovation thanks to a prestigious grant from the Simons Empire Faculty Fellowship program. The funding will support four new tenure-track faculty positions in the college, marking a significant investment in RIT’s long-term commitment to advancing science and discovery.

The four new positions will focus on the priority fields of mathematics, neuroscience, physics, and ecology and evolutionary biology—areas that are considered critical to addressing the scientific challenges of the future. Each fellowship award totals $825,000, providing salary, fringe benefits, and start-up funding for a three-year period. Altogether, the grant represents an impressive $3.3 million investment in RIT’s scientific enterprise.

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“This award is a tremendous opportunity for the College of Science to continue its upward trajectory in research and innovation,” said André Hudson, dean of the College of Science. “By recruiting outstanding junior faculty, we are not only strengthening our academic community but also advancing RIT’s commitment to cutting-edge research, discovery, and scholarly excellence. These new faculty hires will help shape the future of science at RIT and ensure that our faculty, staff, and scholars are at the forefront of fundamental and translational breakthroughs.”

The Simons Foundation and Simons Foundation International (SFI) established the fellowship program with the goal of accelerating faculty recruitment and strengthening research in mathematics and the basic sciences across New York State. The initiative provides universities with resources to attract and support early-career faculty members whose research contributes to fundamental scientific discovery and innovation.

According to Hudson, the fellowship represents not just financial support but a strategic boost to RIT’s growing national profile in research. “This program allows us to bring in talented scientists who will lead pioneering projects, collaborate across disciplines, and inspire the next generation of innovators,” he added.

The funding recommendation for RIT’s proposal came through the university’s Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations, which played a key role in securing the award. Sara Vinch, assistant vice president of corporate and foundation relations, emphasized how crucial external partnerships are to RIT’s success in the current higher education environment.

“Especially given the current political and higher education landscape, the university recognizes the need to strategically seek a wide set of opportunities to bring in world-class faculty and to facilitate groundbreaking research,” Vinch said. “Our office supports RIT faculty while building strong external partnerships with the goal of harnessing opportunities such as these. We are so grateful to the foundations for their support.”

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Hudson also credited a dedicated team within the College of Science whose efforts made the successful proposal possible. Key contributors included Larry Buckley, senior associate dean; Kate Wright, head of the Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences; Michael Murdoch, head of the Integrated Sciences Academy; Seth Hubbard, head of the School of Physics and Astronomy; and Joshua Faber, head of the School of Mathematics and Statistics. Their collaboration and leadership were instrumental in aligning RIT’s proposal with the Simons Foundation’s mission and priorities.

Once the College of Science completes its faculty recruitment process and submits official offer letters and other documentation, the Simons Foundation will issue intent-to-fund letters for each position by July 2026. The newly appointed faculty members are expected to play a vital role in expanding RIT’s research portfolio, mentoring students, and strengthening partnerships between academia, industry, and the broader scientific community.

The Simons Empire Faculty Fellowship program underscores a growing recognition of RIT’s capacity to lead in science, technology, and research innovation. By investing in young faculty at a critical stage in their careers, the fellowship not only enhances RIT’s academic reputation but also reinforces its mission to tackle some of the most pressing scientific questions of our time.

With the addition of these new positions, RIT’s College of Science stands poised to deepen its contributions to the global research landscape—bringing together curiosity, creativity, and collaboration in the relentless pursuit of discovery.