The University of California, Berkeley, has designed a suite of funds to support exceptional individuals pursuing fundamental, discovery research in the life sciences, chemistry, engineering, mathematics, physical, and computer sciences. This program offers donors opportunities to support at many levels, including “institute-sized” investments that could encompass combinations of the funds and award mechanisms.
PURPOSE AND FOCUS:
These funds will support the most innovative minds, at all career stages, pursuing fundamental scientific questions with the potential to revolutionize multiple fields.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE:
Graduate students, postdocs, and faculty, depending on the specific project and fund (see details below).
APPLICATION AND REVIEW:
Recipients will be selected by an interdisciplinary faculty committee on the basis of merit. Once funded, an experienced advisory board composed of faculty leaders and external partners will be appointed by the Chancellor and Vice Chancellor of Research to review recipients of funds once a year.
TYPE OF SUPPORT:
- Science Discovery Seed Fund: $50,000/year for 3-5 years; targeting early-career faculty for initial stages of basic research
- New Directions in Science Fund: $250,000/faculty; targeting mid-career faculty switching to new areas of high-risk, high-reward or interdisciplinary research.
- Science Frontiers Fund: from a $50,000 seed grant up to a $1M multiyear award for a sustained program with interdisciplinary collaborative teams of researchers.
- Fund for Innovative Scientific Tools: from a $50,000 one-time grant to more significant, multiyear support; available to all faculty interested in developing new scientific tools and technologies.
To learn more about the program, view the University of California, Berkeley Full Description or visit http://vcresearch.berkeley.edu/SciencePhilanthropy