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. 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.
Based on their performance during their education and training, candidates should demonstrate outstanding promise as contributors in science relevant to human health. This program does not fund clinical trials research. Strong proposals will incorporate particularly creative and pioneering approaches to basic, translational, and applied biomedical research. Candidates whose work is based on biomedical principles but who bring 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 both the project proposal and the researcher, including evidence that the candidate is a successful independent investigator and has the skill set needed to carry out their high-impact proposal.
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 2024 award:
Candidates must meet all of the following eligibility requirements:
- Hold a doctorate in biomedical sciences, medicine or a related field.
- As of Sept. 7, 2023, 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 12, 2019, 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 four-year limit.
- May apply to the program a maximum of two times. All applicants must be nominated by their institution and must complete the 2024 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 12, 2023, and the submission deadline is Sept. 7, 2023
Interested applicants should upload the following documents in sequence in one PDF file (File name: Last name_Pew_2024) 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 reference letter writers (name, title, institution, and a two-three sentence overview of their area of expertise) - Reference letters are not required for this internal selection.
- Scientific reference - an individual external to Penn State who is familiar with applicant’s work and is not a collaborator or mentor
- Postdoc Advisor - If you did not complete a Postdoc, a second graduate program or scientific reference is acceptable.
- Thesis Advisor
The Office of Foundation Relations is available to consult on proposal narrative elements and answer other foundation-related questions. University Park and Commonwealth Campus applicants should please contact Jara Dorsey-Lash, Associate Director, Foundation Relations (jed72@psu.edu). Penn State College of Medicine applicants should please contact Jess Kiely, Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations, (jkiely1@pennstatehealth.psu.edu) for additional support.