Fermilab’s Superconducting Quantum Materials and Systems Center, or SQMS, is announcing a new fellowship opportunity for Black and African American postdoctoral scholars this month: the Carolyn B. Parker Fellowship, named for the first African American woman to earn a postgraduate degree in physics. The fellowship is sponsored by the Department of Energy Office of Science.
“We knew we wanted to create a fellowship for postdoctoral students, and when discussing what we wanted from this appointment, Carolyn B. Parker’s name came up,” said Sandra Charles, chief equity, diversity and inclusion officer at Fermilab, who led the effort to obtain permission to use her name for the fellowship. “This fellowship prioritizes the aspirations of Black and African American scholars in STEM research, which aligns with her legacy and her family’s values.”