(CLOSED) 2021 Pew Scholars Program in the Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor Name: 
Pew Charitable Trusts
Amount: 
$300,000
Description of the Award: 
  • Institutional Nomination Due: Monday, May 18, 2020

The Pew Biomedical Scholars Program supports assistant professors of outstanding promise in science relevant to the advancement of human health. The award provides $300,000 in flexible support- $75,000 per year for a four-year period. One nomination is invited from each participating institution.

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. The program makes grants to selected academic institutions to support the independent research of outstanding individuals who are in their first few years of their appointment at the assistant professor level.

Based on their performance during their education and training, candidates should demonstrate outstanding promise as contributors in science relevant to human health. Strong proposals will incorporate particularly creative and innovative approaches. This program does not fund clinical trials research. Candidates whose work is based on biomedical principles, but brings in concepts and theories from more diverse fields, are encouraged to apply.

Ideas with the potential to produce an unusually high impact are encouraged. Selection of the successful candidates will be based on a detailed description of the work that the applicant proposes to undertake, evaluations of the candidate’s performance, and notable past accomplishments, including honors, awards, and publications. In evaluating the candidates, the National Advisory Committee gives considerable weight to evidence that the candidate is a successful independent investigator and has published significant work.

Funding from the NIH, other government sources, and project grants from non-profit associations do not pose a conflict with the Pew scholars program.

Eligibility for the 2021 award:

Candidates must meet all of the following eligibility requirements:

  • Hold a doctorate in biomedical sciences, medicine or a related field.
  • As of Sept. 10, 2020, hold a full-time appointment at the rank of assistant professor. (Appointments such as research assistant professor, adjunct assistant professor, assistant professor research track, visiting professor or instructor are not eligible.)
  • Must not have been appointed as an assistant professor at any institution prior to June 15, 2017, whether or not such an appointment was on a tenure track. Time spent in clinical internships, residencies, in work toward board certification, or on parental leave does not count as part of this three-year limit.
  • May apply to the program a maximum of two times. All applicants must be nominated by their institution and must complete the 2021 online application.
  • If applicants have appointments at more than one eligible nominating institution or affiliate, they may not reapply in a subsequent year from a different nominating entity.
  • May not be nominated for the Pew Scholars Program and the Pew-Stewart Scholars Program for Cancer Research in the same year.

Once the Pew program office has received the name and contact information of the nominee from the institution, login information will be emailed directly to the selected applicant. The online application website will open June 15, 2020, and the submission deadline is Sept. 10, 2020

 

Limit (Number of applicants permitted per institution): 
1
Sponsor Final Deadline: 
Sep 10, 2020
OSVPR Application or NOI Instructions: 

Interested applicants should submit the following documents in sequence in one PDF file (File name: Last name_Pew_2019.pdf) no later than 4:00 p.m. on the internal submission deadline:

  • Research Project Summary (3 pages including references & figures)
  • Curriculum vitae (2 pages including publications and external funding)
  • Department Head Letter of Support (1 page)
  • List of external references (name, title, institution)

    • Scientific reference familiar with applicant’s work
    • Postdoc Advisor
    • Graduate Advisor

The Office of Foundation Relations is the designated institutional contact responsible for communicating with the Foundation and is collaborating with Limited Submissions on the internal downselect process. For questions concerning the application process and other foundation-related questions, University Park and other campus applicants should please contact Alan Gibson, Assistant Director of Foundation Relations, (ajg6181@psu.edu or 814-863-4415); Penn State Health and College of Medicine applicants should please contact Jess Kiely, Associate Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations, (jkiely1@pennstatehealth.psu.edu or 717-531-5827).

To be considered as a Penn State institutional nominee, please submit a notice of intent by the date provided directly below.
This limited submission is in downselect: 
Penn State may only submit a specific number of proposals to this funding opportunity. The number of NOIs received require that an internal competition take place, thus, a downselect process has commenced. No Penn State researchers may apply to this opportunity outside of this downselect process. To apply for this limited submission, please use this link:
OSVPR Downselect Deadline: 
Friday, April 24, 2020 - 4:00pm
Notes: 
Guy Townsend (CoM)