The Star-Friedman Challenge for Promising Scientific Research offers opportunities for eligible faculty to seek support for new work in their research programs within the life, physical and social sciences. There are no limitations on the subject areas that may be considered, and programs that take the investigators in directions that are new for them (a “forty-five degree” turn) are encouraged. Established in 2013 by a generous gift to Harvard University at the suggestion of James A. Star, AB (1983), the program expanded in the 2018-19 academic year through a gift from Joshua Friedman, AB (1976), MBA (1980), JD (1982) and Beth Friedman to invite proposal submissions from Harvard Medical School (HMS), Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (HSPH) in addition to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) and the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS). The Star-Friedman Challenge was previously supported by immediate-use funding; in 2020, the donors made generous new gifts to permanently endow the Challenge, ensuring that it can continue to support cutting-edge research at Harvard in perpetuity. Each year, award recipients are invited to refine their projects and discuss their ideas with the Harvard community at a Challenge event.

A list of previous award recipients may be viewed here.