Schlumberger Foundation Inc.

The Schlumberger Foundation operates a single, highly focused fellowship program — Faculty for the Future — rather than accepting broad grant proposals. This is not a traditional grantmaking foundation; it funds individual women scientists from developing countries, not organizations or projects.

Who Should Apply: Women citizens of low- or middle-income countries who are pursuing or preparing for doctoral or post-doctoral research in STEM disciplines at a university abroad. You must demonstrate academic excellence, a strong research proposal, leadership potential, and a commitment to returning to your home country to contribute to STEM capacity building.

Strategic Approach: - This is a fellowship, not an organizational grant. Individual researchers apply directly; nonprofits and universities cannot apply on behalf of candidates. - Host institutions can register interest but the application comes from the fellow herself. - Emphasize your connection to underserved communities and your track record of STEM outreach, particularly encouraging girls and women in science. - Highlight how your research addresses challenges in your home region — the Foundation values alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goals. - The Foundation favors candidates who have overcome significant cultural, geopolitical, environmental, or economic challenges. - Renewal is possible through completion of studies, so frame your proposal with a multi-year research trajectory.

Key Fit Indicators: You are a strong candidate if you are a woman scientist from a developing nation with a clear plan to use advanced STEM training to build research capacity back home.

The Schlumberger Foundation's funding patterns reflect a disciplined, endowment-driven corporate philanthropy model with remarkably consistent giving:

Financial Profile (2024 IRS Data): - Total assets: $29.1 million (stable in $24-29M range over the past decade) - Annual revenue: $1.37 million (primarily investment income — dividends 32.6%, asset sales 62.5%, interest 4.9%) - Charitable disbursements: $1.37 million (96.6% expense ratio — nearly all spending goes directly to program) - No new contributions since 2011 endowment gift; the Foundation operates entirely on investment returns - All officers and directors serve without compensation

Grant Characteristics: - Individual fellowships, not organizational grants - PhD fellows: up to $50,000/year based on actual eligible costs - Post-doctoral fellows: up to $40,000/year based on actual eligible costs - Median grant size approximately $50,000 per year - Fellowships are renewable through completion of studies (typically 3-5 years for PhD) - Since 2005: 965 fellows across 95 countries from one initial $50M endowment

Funding Cycle: - Annual cycle: applications open September 1, close November 7 - Awards announced for the following academic year - No rolling admissions or mid-cycle awards

Trend: The Foundation maintains a lean, focused operation. With no new endowment contributions since 2011 and stable assets, the giving level of ~$1.4M/year appears sustainable for the foreseeable future. The number of new fellowships per year is naturally constrained by investment returns.

The Schlumberger Foundation occupies a distinctive niche as a corporate-linked foundation exclusively focused on STEM fellowships for women from developing countries. Here is how it compares to peer organizations with similar missions:

Key Differentiators: - Unique niche: Schlumberger is one of very few foundations combining all three criteria: (1) women only, (2) STEM only, (3) developing countries only. L'Oreal is the closest peer but operates as a corporate program rather than an endowed foundation. - Individual focus: Unlike Sloan or Mott which fund institutions and projects, Schlumberger funds individual scientists directly. - Competitive award size: At $40K-$50K/year renewable, Schlumberger offers more generous and longer-duration support than AAUW ($18K-$30K one-time) and comparable to OWSD. - Smaller asset base: At $29M, the Foundation is orders of magnitude smaller than peers like Sloan ($2.2B) or Mott ($3.8B), but achieves outsized impact through its narrow focus. - Return-home commitment: Unlike most fellowships, Schlumberger explicitly requires fellows to return to their home countries, reinforcing its development mission.

The Schlumberger Foundation has maintained active programming and demonstrated steady impact through 2024-2026:

2025-2026 Fellowship Cycle: - Applications for the 2026-2027 Faculty for the Future fellowships opened September 1, 2025 with a November 7, 2025 deadline. - Both new and renewal applications were accepted. - The program continues to operate through its online portal at fftf.slb.com.

2025 Impact Survey: - The Foundation published its 2025 Impact Survey highlighting fellow achievements and their emerging roles as scientific leaders in their home countries. - Featured research includes neurological care advancement in Mozambique and forest landscape restoration in Malawi.

Leadership Transition (October 2024): - Capella Festa assumed the role of President, succeeding Roseline Chapel who had served in the role through October 2024. - Gerard Martellozo continues as Chairman.

Program Milestones: - The program has now supported 965 women scientists from 95 countries since its 2005 inception. - Fellows are increasingly taking on roles as change agents and scientific leaders in their home institutions. - Research by fellows spans diverse STEM fields including environmental science, neurology, agricultural science, and engineering.

Financial Stability (2024): - Total assets remained strong at $29.1 million. - The Foundation operated at near break-even (net income of -$51K on $1.37M revenue). - 96.6% of expenses went directly to charitable disbursements. - No new endowment contributions; the Foundation continues to operate sustainably on investment returns from the original $50M gift.

Website and Communications: - The Foundation maintains an active web presence at schlumbergerfoundation.com with regularly updated fellow profiles and impact stories. - The separate Faculty for the Future portal (facultyforthefuture.net and fftf.slb.com) handles applications.

Applying to the Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future Fellowship — Practical Guide

1. Confirm Your Eligibility First - You must be a woman citizen of an eligible low- or middle-income country (check the country list on fftf.slb.com). - You must be pursuing or about to begin a PhD or post-doctoral program in a STEM discipline at a university outside your home country. - You must demonstrate a commitment to returning to your home country after completing your studies.

2. Timeline and Deadlines - Applications open: September 1 each year - Deadline: November 7 each year (strict — no extensions) - Plan to begin preparing your application by July/August to allow time for securing recommendation letters and refining your research proposal.

3. Strengthen Your Application - Academic record: Ensure your transcripts reflect strong and consistent performance throughout your academic career. The Foundation emphasizes "academic excellence." - Research proposal: Be specific about your STEM research, its methodology, and its potential impact on your home country or region. Align with UN Sustainable Development Goals where possible. - Community engagement: Document your history of STEM outreach, especially efforts to encourage girls and women in science. This is a heavily weighted criterion. - Overcoming adversity: If you have overcome cultural, geopolitical, environmental, or economic challenges, describe them honestly. The Foundation values resilience. - Return plan: Articulate a clear plan for how you will use your training to build STEM capacity in your home country — this is non-negotiable.

4. Budget Carefully - PhD fellows can request up to $50,000/year; post-docs up to $40,000/year. - Awards are based on actual costs for eligible expenses — not a flat stipend. Itemize tuition, living expenses, research costs, and travel realistically. - Renewals are possible through completion, so plan a multi-year budget trajectory.

5. Choose Your Host Institution Wisely - Select a university with a strong reputation in your specific STEM field. - The host institution must demonstrate a supportive, inclusive environment for women and international scholars. - Universities can register interest in hosting fellows through the Foundation website.

6. Common Mistakes to Avoid - Applying without a confirmed or near-confirmed admission to a PhD/postdoc program abroad. - Vague or overly broad research proposals that do not connect to home-country needs. - Neglecting the community engagement and outreach component of the application. - Missing the November 7 deadline — there is no rolling admission.