Apply

Prospective Emerging Leaders in Biosecurity (ELBI) fellows must meet the eligibility criteria and submit the application materials listed below.
 

Deadline/Dates

We are currently accepting applications for the 2025 ELBI Class from September 11 – October 16, 2024.

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply, prospective fellows must:

• Have graduated from a masters or doctoral program, be currently enrolled in a doctoral program, OR have at least 3 years of professional experience in national security, public health, medicine, biotechnology, laboratory sciences, global health, or a related field
• Be from countries that do not have standing embargoes or sanctions as determined by the US Department of State or US Department of Treasury, respectively
   

Application materials

Prospective fellows must submit all of the following materials through this online portal:

• Personal statement, not to exceed 500 words, in which you describe your interest in exploring a career in biosecurity
• Essay, not to exceed 1,000 words, that describes a current technical or policy issue in biosecurity that interests you, and why you believe it is important
• Current resume or CV
• 2 letters of recommendation from academic advisors and/or professional supervisors, including their contact information
• Optional: Short video to introduce yourself and briefly describe your interests in biosecurity and the ELBI program. Videos should be no longer than 2 minutes.
   

Selection process

Fellows are selected based on the quality of their statement and essay, academic and/or professional accomplishments, and letters of recommendation. Additional factors are also considered to ensure geographic, technical, and experiential diversity in each class.

ELBI policy on use of AI for applications

In our increasingly digital age, the rise and incorporation of AI tools in everyday life have a large impact in research practices. While the ELBI review committee will allow the use of AI for grammatical revision and clarity, the use of AI to write the essay or personal statement in their majority or entirety will result in removal of your application from consideration. We view the essay and personal statement as critical parts of the application to get to know your passions in the field of biosecurity, which by their nature do not have a right or wrong answer but must be written from your own experiences and perspectives. 

We believe that this common sense rule represents a balance of utilizing technology for professional pursuits while maintaining the voice and expertise of the writer.