Simons Early Career Investigator in Marine Microbial Ecology and Evolution Awards Launched

On August 28, the Simons Foundation launched the Simons Early Career Investigator in Marine Microbial Ecology and Evolution Awards program.

The awards are intended to help launch and support the careers of outstanding young investigators who use quantitative approaches to advance our understanding of marine microbial ecology and evolution. Supported projects will focus on marine microbes or fundamental problems that are highly relevant to understanding marine microbial ecosystems.

“We understand far too little about ocean microbes, which play enormously important roles on our planet and in feeding the world’s people,” says Marian Carlson, director of Life Sciences at the Simons Foundation. “The foundation has initiated this program because support for early career investigators is key for advancing research.”

Microbes inhabit and sustain all habitats on Earth. In oceans, microbes play an essential role, capturing solar energy, producing and consuming greenhouse gases, and providing the base of the food web. To understand the complexities of marine ecosystems, we must first understand the role of microbes that live within them.

Applicants must hold a Ph.D. or equivalent degree, have training in a quantitative field, have held a tenure-track, tenured or equivalent position for at least three years and no more than eight years, and must currently hold such a position at a U.S. institution. Grantees will receive $180,000 annually for three years.

The application deadline is October 15, 2014, 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.