Scholar Awards

The Beckman Young Investigator (BYI) Program provides research support to the most promising young faculty members in the early stages of their academic careers in the chemical and life sciences, particularly to foster the invention of methods, instruments and materials that will open up new avenues of research in science. Cycles for the program typically occur in the summer.

The Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists recognize the United States’ most promising faculty-rank researchers in Life Sciences, Physical Sciences & Engineering, and Chemical Sciences. One Blavatnik National Awards Laureate in each disciplinary category will receive $250,000 in unrestricted funds, and additional nominees will be recognized as Finalists, and will receive $15,000 in unrestricted funds. Cycles for the program typically occur in the fall.

The Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Awards Program supports the research and teaching careers of talented early career faculty in the chemical sciences. The Award, which requires an institutional nomination, is based on an independent body of scholarship attained in the early years of their appointment, as well as a demonstrated commitment to education, and provides an unrestricted research grant of $100,000. Cycles for the program typically occur in the fall.

The Greenwall Faculty Scholars Program in Bioethics is a career development award to enable junior faculty members to carry out innovative bioethics research. Cycles for the program typically occur in the summer.

The Mallinckrodt Foundation Grant funds are designed to provide to tenure track faculty members in their first to fourth year, at American Institutions, who hold M.D. and/or Ph.D. degrees, start-up support to move the project forward to the point where R01 or other independent funding can be obtained. Cycles for the program typically occur in the summer.

The Moore Inventor Fellowship supports scientist-inventors who create new tools and technologies with a high potential to accelerate progress in scientific discovery, environmental conservation and patient care. Cycles for the program typically occur in the fall.

Part of the High-Risk, High-Reward Research program, the award supports promising, newly graduated scientists with the intellect, scientific creativity, drive, and maturity bypass the traditional postdoctoral training period to launch independent research careers. Cycles for the program typically occur in the spring.

The Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Awards provide seed money for junior faculty members that often result in additional funding from other sources. The award amount provided by ORAU is $5,000. The applicant’s institution is required to match the award with at least an additional $5,000. This is a one-year grant (July 1 to June 30). Cycles for the program typically occur in the fall.

The Pew Scholars Program in the Biomedical Sciences provides funding to young investigators of outstanding promise in science relevant to the advancement of human health. Cycles for the program typically occur in the spring.

The Searle Scholars Program makes grants to selected universities and research institutes to support the independent research of exceptional young faculty in the biomedical sciences and chemistry. Cycles for the program typically occur in the summer.

Sloan Research Fellowships support fundamental research conducted by early-career scientists.
The two-year $75,000 fellowships are awarded annually to early-career researchers whose creativity, innovation, and research accomplishments make them stand out as the next generation of leaders. Cycles for the program typically occur in the summer.

The William T. Grant Scholars Program supports career development for promising early-career researchers. The program funds five-year research and mentoring plans that significantly expand researchers’ expertise in new disciplines, methods, and content areas. Cycles for the program typically occur in the spring.

Part of the High-Risk, High-Reward Research program, the award supports exceptionally creative early career investigators who propose innovative, high-impact projects in the biomedical, behavioral or social sciences within the NIH mission. Cycles for the program typically occur in the summer.

The objective of the DARPA Young Faculty Award (YFA) program is to identify and engage researchers in junior faculty positions at U.S. academic and non-profit research institutions and expose them to Department of Defense (DoD) needs and DARPA’s program development process. Cycles for the program typically occur in the fall.

The Air Force is receiving applications for the FY 2026 Young Investigator Program. Applicants must have received a Ph.D. or equivalent by April 1, 2018 or later. The program aims to foster creative basic research in science and engineering, enhance early career development of outstanding young investigators, and increase opportunities for young investigators to recognize the Air Force and Space Force mission and related challenges in science and engineering. Cycles for the program typically occur in the summer.

The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program is a Foundation-wide activity that offers the National Science Foundation’s most prestigious awards in support of early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization. Activities pursued by early-career faculty should build a firm foundation for a lifetime of leadership in integrating education and research. NSF encourages submission of CAREER proposals from early-career faculty at all CAREER-eligible organizations and especially encourages women, members of underrepresented minority groups, and persons with disabilities to apply. Cycles for the program typically occur in the summer.

The Alan T. Waterman Award honors an outstanding young researcher in any field of science or engineering supported by the National Science Foundation. The awardee receives a grant of $1 million over five years for scientific research or advanced study in any field of science, plus a medal and other recognition. Cycles for the program typically occur in the fall.

The Simons Foundation’s Mathematics and Physical Sciences (MPS) division invites applications for its Scientific Software Research Faculty Award (SSRF Award) in the MPS program for faculty appointments to start between September 2024–September 2025. The foundation strongly encourages scientists from disadvantaged backgrounds or underrepresented groups to apply. Cycles for the program typically occur in the fall.

The Helen Hay Whitney Foundation supports early postdoctoral research training in all basic biomedical sciences. To attain its ultimate goal of increasing the number of imaginative, well-trained and dedicated medical scientists, the Foundation grants financial support of sufficient duration to help further the careers of young men and women engaged in biological or medical research. Cycles for the program typically occur in the summer.