About the Program

The Link Trainer, invented by Mr. Link in 1929, was the first successful flight simulator and truly a pioneer engineering effort that started a whole new field of endeavor. Simulation is on the brink of further major developments in many new fields where operators use complex systems.

Today, The Link Foundation is proud of its record of supporting doctoral fellowships in these areas of endeavor pursued by Edwin A. Link and also supporting educational institutions in the communities where its founders, Edwin and Marion Link lived. Since its inception, the Link Foundation has provided more than $14 Million in grants to support worthy programs consistent with its mission.

The Link Foundation supports programs to foster the theoretical basis, practical knowledge, and application of energy, simulation, and ocean engineering and instrumentation research, and to disseminate the results of that research through lectures, seminars and publications.

The Modeling, Simulation, and Training Fellowship Program was put in place by the foundation in 1990 and the first awards made in 1991. Grants are awarded by a selection committee to qualifying doctoral students. Through 2016 the Foundation has made approximately $14.8 million worth—to qualifying doctoral students studying in the simulation and training field at U.S. and Canadian universities. The Foundation intends to continue the program as the simulation and training field continues to develop.

The Link Foundation also offers fellowships in the areas of energy production and utilization; and in the area of ocean engineering.

Photo Credit: National Research Council of Canada