Star-Friedman Challenge for Promising Scientific Research

Deadline: February 15, 2024

Award Amount: $80,000-$150,000

The Star-Friedman Challenge for Promising Scientific Research invites eligible faculty members to apply for seed funding for work within the life, physical, and social sciences in their research programs. Projects that take the investigators in directions that are new for them are encouraged. Ladder faculty members from the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS), The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (The Harvard Chan School), Harvard Medical School (HMS), Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM), and Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) are eligible to submit single- or multi-investigator proposals for consideration.
 
The Star-Friedman Challenge for Promising Scientific Research aims to fund cutting-edge scientific projects that may not receive support through traditional funding channels. With a focus on novel work and new directions, Challenge grants will ordinarily range from $80,000-$150,000. In truly exceptional circumstances, larger awards can be considered.
 
A review committee of tenured faculty members from the participating Schools will select award recipients, who are then invited to refine their projects and discuss their ideas with the Harvard community at a Challenge event in Spring 2024. The committee will be looking to fund projects that can attain demonstrable results within one year. Longer-term projects should provide milestones of success for assessment upon a one-year review.