Simons Foundation Accepting Applications for Fellows-to-Faculty Award

The Simons Foundation’s Autism & Neuroscience division recognizes the need for diverse ideas and perspectives that contribute to the scientific enterprise. To advance that goal, the foundation’s Fellows-to-Faculty Award program supports talented early career scientists and their research vision as they transition into tenure-track or equivalent faculty positions. This award is a new iteration of the previously offered Simons Foundation Independence Award.

The 2025 Fellows-to-Faculty request for applications is intended for senior postdoctoral scholars or equivalent researchers whose backgrounds and experiences are underrepresented in science, such as members of historically underrepresented racial or ethnic groups, individuals whose gender, gender identity, sexual orientation or disability status is underrepresented in science, or other individuals with disadvantaged social or economic backgrounds.

The foundation is currently accepting applications for the award offered through the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI) or Simons Collaboration on Plasticity and the Aging Brain (SCPAB). Applicants may submit an application to SFARI, SCPAB or both. Prospective applicants are encouraged to review SFARI scientific perspectives and SCPAB’s mission before applying.

The Fellows-to-Faculty award provides up to five years of financial support, split into a faculty research award over three years and an optional postdoctoral award for a maximum of two years. The faculty research award provides a total budget of $600,000, including 20 percent indirect costs, intended to supplement a full, institution-provided start-up package. For the years over which it can be active, the postdoctoral award provides an $85,000 stipend, a $10,000 career development allowance and $15,000 for health insurance and other benefits. Fellows may activate the award at research institutions within or outside of the United States.

An informational webinar about the Fellows-to-Faculty Award will be held at 12:00 p.m. (noon) ET on Wednesday, October 16, 2024. Interested attendees can register here. A recording of the webinar will be available on the foundation’s website within two weeks.

The deadline for application submission is 12:00 p.m. (noon) ET on Tuesday, January 14, 2025. Finalists will be invited for a short virtual interview in May 2025.

The full request for applications is available here.