Pew Scholar Program in the Biomedical Sciences
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***Limited Funding Opportunity for all Stanford assistant professors* with PI eligibility--with UTL, MCL and NTL-Research faculty appointments-- of outstanding promise in science relevant to the advancement of human health. *Applicants must have been in their appointment for less than three years (not appointed before June 29, 2015). They encourage applications from individuals from diverse backgrounds, such as physics and engineering, who are using their expertise to tackle biomedical research questions.
Note to cancer researchers: you are encouraged to submit your proposals to the separate program, Pew-Stewart Scholars for Cancer Research, that has a June 4th internal deadline. (webpage >>)
# of applicants permitted: 1 (see internal submission guidelines below >>)
Timeline:
Internal deadline for each School (see contact list below*): Tuesday, June 5, 2018, 5 p.m. (see the internal submission guidelines below)
Each school submits their top 3 proposals to the Dean of Research Office: June 18, 2018, p.m.
The Dean of Research Office Limited Review Committee will meet on June 25, 2018.
Information on Stanford's nominee submitted to the sponsor: June 29, 2018
The sponsor will then send the applicant the login credentials
for their online application system which will open July 16, 2018.
For the applicant selected:
Institutional representative (RPM/RMG or CGO/OSR) deadline: Oct. 8, 2018
Sponsor's deadline: Oct. 15, 2018
- School of Engineering (including Bioengineering): Rachel Sparks at rachel.sparks@stanford.edu
- School of Humanities and Sciences: Kristi Geerke geerke@stanford.edu
- School of Medicine: Jeanne Heschele jheschele@stanford.edu
Sponsor website >>
Note: please read the Stanford eligibility clarification section below before reading the sponsor's guidelines.
Previous recipients webpage >>
Amount of funding:
$75,000/year for 4 years ($300,000 total)
Not more than 8% of the total award may be allocated for overhead costs.
Purpose
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 funding for these awards is provided by the Pew Charitable Trusts. 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. Candidates whose work is based on biomedical principles, but brings in concepts and theories from more diverse fields, are encouraged to apply. Risk-taking is encouraged.
- Candidates must have been awarded a doctorate in biomedical sciences, medicine, or a related field.
- Per the Pew program official: "Yes- a degree in physics [engineering, etc.] does qualify. We encourage applications from diverse backgrounds, such as physics, who are using their expertise to tackle biomedical research questions."
- As of Oct. 15, 2018*, nominees must hold full-time appointments at the rank of assistant professor** or the equivalent. Appointments such as research assistant professor (see clarification below **), adjunct assistant professor, assistant professor research track, visiting professor, or instructor are not eligible. *[This is a Pew requirement---so if your candidate's formal assistant professor appointment will not be finalized by the Provost Office until AFTER Oct. 15, 2018, your candidate will NOT be eligible and will have to wait until next year to submit an internal proposal.]
**Stanford eligibility clarification: Stanford assistant professors with UTL, MCL, NTLR faculty appointments are eligible***. Note: in light of the above comment, we confirmed with the sponsor that our assistant professors with NTL-Research appointments are eligible. (The program official indicated that statement above reflects that at some institutions "research assistant professors" are embedded in another lab and are not fully independent.)
- By June 29, 2018, candidates must have been in their assistant professor UTL, MCL, or NTL-Research faculty appointment for less than three years (not appointed before June 29, 2015), whether or not such an appointment was on a tenure track. Time spent in clinical internships, residencies, or in work toward board certification does not count as part of this three-year limit
- Not eligible: Clinician Educator (CE) assistant professors are not eligible. Per correspondence with the sponsor, applicants must run their own independent research program and have a lab with graduate students/postdoctoral fellows. Per Dr. Harry Greenberg, CE faculty are not allowed to have graduate students and not allowed to do lab (bench-based) work so they are not eligible for this RFP.
- Not eligible: Clinical Instructors, Instructors, Academic Staff-Research (i.e, research associates) are not eligible because Stanford does not consider them to be independent or faculty-level appointments.
- It is expected that Pew Biomedical Scholars will spend at least 80 percent of their time in work related to the accomplishment of their overall research goals. However, Pew provides flexible support to the overall research aims of the Scholar and does not monitor or restrict percentage of effort or time of Pew Scholars.
- Candidates may be nominated by their institution twice in total.
- Other support: funding from the NIH, other government sources, and project grants from non-profit associations (including foundations) do not pose a conflict with the Pew Scholars Program.
- 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.
INTERNAL SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
By Tuesday, June 5, 2018, 5 p.m., please submit one PDF containing the following in the order listed below to your respective school's contact person:
- Engineering (including Bioengineering): Rachel Sparks at rachel.sparks@stanford.edu
- Humanities and Sciences: Kristi Geerke geerke@stanford.edu
- Medicine: Jeanne Heschele jheschele@stanford.edu
File name: PI Last Name_Pew_2018.pdf
Institutional representatives: not applicable. You do not need to submit your internal proposals to RMG or OSR for their approval. You can submit them directly to your school representative above.
a) Title Page
Pew Scholars Program in Biomedical Sciences
Title of your proposal
Your name,
Title, your type of appointment (UTL, MCL, or NTLR) and start date (the date approved by the Provost Office)
Your department
Adress
Email address
b) Nomination (recommendation) letter addressed (**) printed on your department letterhead and signed by either your division chief (if applicable) or your department chair
Please include the date the Provost Office formally approved your appointment as an assistant professor in the MCL, UTL, or Research line.
As the sponsor gives considerable weight to evidence that the candidate is an independent investigator and to significant published work, the nomination letter should provide evidence of the creativity and publication list of the nominee. This letter should also confirm that the candidate will devote at least 80% of his or her time conducting research.
**Each nomination letter should be addressed as follows (according to your respective school):
- Engineering (including Bioengineering): Dr. Stacey Bent, Senior Associate Dean, c/o Rachel Sparks
- Humanities and Sciences: Dr. Kam Moler, Senior Associate Dean for Natural Sciences, c/o Kristi Geerke
- Medicine: Dr. Peter Sarnow and the School of Medicine Awards Committee members, c/o Jeanne Heschele
c) 4 page scientific abstract/research proposal (illustrations and references not included in the page limit)
Format: Arial or Helvetica font (no smaller than size 11), half-inch margins, single spaced.
d) NIH-format biosketch
e) List of ALL other support, current AND pending (list name of sponsor, amount and term of funding)
Selection process:
Each school will select the top 3 proposals to be forwarded to Jeanne Heschele by June . Jeanne will distribute those proposals to Dr. John Brauman and the Dean of Research Office Limited Program Internal Review committee members. That committee will select the applicant to represent Stanford so that the information on the applicant can be submitted to Pew by June 29th. The applicant's full proposal will be due at the sponsor by Oct. 15, 2018.
