Brief Description:

The Star-Friedman Challenge for Promising Scientific Research provides seed funding to interdisciplinary high-risk, high-impact projects in the life, physical and social sciences.

Description:

The Star-Friedman Challenge for Promising Scientific Research (formerly known as the Star Family Challenge for Promising Scientific Research), provides seed funding to interdisciplinary high-risk, high-impact projects in the life, physical and social sciences. Early-stage projects that are unlikely to receive funding from traditional grant-making agencies 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).

Single- and multi-investigator projects are welcome. To qualify for a collaborative award, a project must list at least two investigators who meet the Challenge’s eligibility criteria. Ordinarily, awards will range from $80,000-$150,000. In truly exceptional circumstances, the committee may consider larger awards.

Application Information:

To apply, please submit a one- to two-page proposal (one inch margins, 11 point font or larger, PDF format) that briefly addresses the following in language accessible to a non-specialist audience:

What questions are you trying to answer in this project? What problem are you addressing and why is it important?
How will you approach the problem, and how does your approach differ from others? How does your experience enable you to approach the problem in an innovative way?
What kind of impact could your project have? How will you measure results?
Who will be involved in your project, and what resources will be required?

A third page may be used for graphics and/or references.

Applicants must submit a two-page biosketch (PDF format). There is no prescribed format for presenting this information, though many applicants submit an abbreviated NIH or NSF biosketch. In addition, applicants may submit a two-page biosketch for any collaborators involved in the project.

A detailed budget is also required (PDF format). There is no prescribed format for presenting this information. For multi-investigator projects, separate budget requests should be submitted for each lab. Faculty are encouraged to work closely with their grant administrators to develop a budget. School assessments and/or indirect costs should not be included in the budget request (these will be accounted for at the time of award). Applicants may request funding to support any expenses related to the cost of performing research, over whatever time period makes the most sense. The funding period will begin on July 1, 2022. While this funding does not expire, the committee will be looking to support projects that can attain demonstrable results within one year. Longer-term projects will need to show milestones of success upon a one-year review.

Applications must be submitted online by clicking the Apply button in the top right corner of this page. Applications must be submitted by February 28, 2022 by 5:00PM EST.

Eligibility Criteria:

This competition is open to ladder faculty members in the participating schools (HMS, HSDM, HSPH, FAS and SEAS). In HMS and HSDM, this program is open to ladder faculty members (assistant professors, associate professors, and professors) who have primary appointments in the basic and social science departments AND whose laboratories are located on the HMS Quadrangle or at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. In HSPH, eligible PIs include primary Harvard Chan School ladder faculty whose research operation is based at the Harvard Chan School. To qualify for a collaborative award, a project must list at least two investigators who meet this eligibility criteria. For multi-investigator projects, separate budget requests should be submitted for each lab. Only investigators based at the participating schools may request and administer this funding.

Review Criteria:

Applications will be evaluated for their significance, innovation, potential impact, interdisciplinarity, and the ability of the applicant or team of applicants to successfully carry out the project. Successful applications will clearly address these points in a manner accessible to the entire review committee, which draws its members from a broad range of disciplines. Highly technical proposals written for an audience of specialists are not likely to succeed in this competition.

Additional Information, Related Websites, and Proxy Instructions:

Complete guidelines and answers to frequently asked questions can be found at
https://research.fas.harvard.edu/star-friedman-challenge-scientific-research.

Please contact Jennifer Corby, Research Development Officer (jcorby@fas.harvard.edu), or Susan Gomes, Director of Research Development and Strategy (susan_gomes@harvard.edu), for more information about this program.

Search Filters:

Institution

Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
Harvard Medical School (Quad)
Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM)

Position

Assistant Professor
Associate Professor
Professor

Type of Competition

Harvard Internal Funding

Discipline

Basic Science
Clinical Science
Environmental Science
Engineering
Life Science
Population Science
Multidisciplinary
Physical Science
Social/Behavioral Science
Translational Science
Other

Type of Award

Research

Begin Accepting Applications Date:

1/18/2022

Deadline Date (EST Time Zone):

2/28/2022 5:00 PM