Kummer Innovation and Entrepreneurship Doctoral Fellows Program

The Kummer Innovation and Entrepreneurship Doctoral Fellows Program (Kummer I&E Doctoral Fellows) is one of several new initiatives established through a generous gift of $300 million from June and Fred Kummer, longtime benefactors of Missouri S&T. This program is designed to help Missouri S&T realize Mr. and Mrs. Kummer’s desire to encourage innovative-minded students to pursue doctoral degrees to strengthen applied research, technological innovation, and economic development in the region, state and nation.

The Kummer I&E Doctoral Fellows Program is limited to no more than 100 scholars each year. The program is open to domestic and international students. Each I&E fellow will receive a 12-month stipend and tuition remission for required course work for up to four years.

Exclusive opportunities

Kummer I&E Fellows will engage in a number of special opportunities, including:

  • The Kummer I&E Doctoral Fellows Welcome and Kickoff the week prior to start of classes
  • Participation in the annual two-day Kummer I&E research conference that includes researchers from industry and academia
  • $1,500/year in supplementary funds to be used to advance research (conference travel, software, etc.).
  • Attendance at S&T Industry Day where fellows get to pitch their ideas/research to industry subject matter experts
  • Serving as mentors to S&T undergraduate Kummer Vanguard Scholars – collaborating on joint poster presentations to be showcased at the Kummer I&E and Scholars poster competition day
  • The Kummer Doctoral Achievement Award and medal for fellows who complete their PhD in 4 years
  • Doctoral I&E Award for fellows whose research leads to commercialization

Program Requirements

The Kummer I&E Doctoral Fellows Program is open to:

  • Domestic and international full-time Ph.D. students admitted to a STEM degree program starting the Fall 22 semester.
  • Preference will be given to those with a master’s degree.
  • Not open to current S&T graduate students.

 

Application Deadlines and Review Process

There are several steps involved in the application process. Please note that all I&E doctoral fellow applicants must be nominated by an S&T faculty who is willing to serve as their advisor during their doctoral studies. A student is expected to have the nominator identified by the application deadline. 

January 1 - Submit your completed doctoral application and required documents. Contact S&T faculty based on research interests and discuss their interest in advising you. Students are encouraged to start this process months before the January 1st deadline 

January 31 - Nomination letter from faculty due to the Kummer I&E doctoral fellows selection committee. Students are expected to have this nominator by the application deadline. The faculty will have untill this deadline to submit the support letter.

March 1 - Kummer I&E Doctoral selection committee to announce awards.

March 1 - April 1 - I&E Doctoral fellow awardees will be invited to campus for an in-person visit (for students living in the United States) with their academic departments. Travel costs will be covered. International students will be able to schedule a virtual visit. Dates available for the visit will be published by March 1st.

Apr 15 - Deadline for Kummer I&E Doctoral Fellows to accept their award.  

Application Process

If you have applied already to the doctoral program or are a newly admitted incoming doctoral student, please review the application requirements and complete the application below.

Complete a Kummer I&E Doctoral Fellowship application.

Apply Now

If you have not applied to the Missouri S&T doctoral program, you must first apply for the doctoral program and submit all required documents. Once that process is complete you can submit your Kummer I&E doctoral fellow application.

Start your doctoral application. 

Apply Now

Admitted Kummer Doctoral Fellow Requirements

Once you have been admitted as a Kummer I&E Doctoral Fellow you will receive a welcome packet with additional program information.

Requirements to stay in the I&E Doctoral Fellows program include:

  • Maintaining a GPA of 3.5 and be enrolled with full-time status
  • Passing a PhD qualifier exam by the end of third full semester (excludes summer semester)
  • Participation in I&E classwork/activities
  • Preparing an annual progress report, to be reviewed by the Kummer Fellows Committee

 

Have questions about the scholarship?

Contact us at kummerfellow@mst.edu or 573-341-6903.

 

Kummer I&E Doctoral Fellows Program Recommendations

Are you an academic faculty/leader who would like to recommend an exceptional student for this fellowship program?

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