On Mar. 23, 2015, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Simons Foundation launched the Faculty Scholars Program which provided much needed research support to outstanding early-career scientists in the United States. The philanthropies invested a total of $148 million in research support over the program’s first five years, and awarded up to 70 grants every 2.5 years to promising scientists who had great potential to make unique contributions to their field.

The faculty scholar grants will provide research support to a significant number of excellent scientists at a time in their careers when funding is difficult to obtain. Talented early-career researchers are often discouraged from pursuing academic research careers by the challenging funding climate in the U.S., which forces them to spend a large portion of their time seeking funding rather than doing science. And pressure to secure funding through federal grant money may lead to ‘safer’ grant proposals rather than to creative and potentially transformative project ideas.

The awards are intended for researchers who have already demonstrated significant research accomplishments and show potential to make unique and important contributions to their fields. It is hoped that the grants will encourage these scientists to pursue research careers and will enable more innovative science.