Ithaca, NY (WHCU) – Cornell University’s one of 14 US-based institutions chosen to host the 51 Pegasi b Postdoctoral Fellowship in Planetary Astronomy.

Supported by the Heising-Simons Foundation, the endeavor provides up to eight postdoctoral scientists per year with up to $375,000 of support for independent research over three years. The fellowship also includes mentorship, an annual summit and the chance to conduct theoretical, observational and experimental research in planetary astronomy.

Officials say Cornell was chosen to host this initiative because it’s one of the few places in the US that includes planetary science as part of its astronomy department.