Secretary Chu Announces 69 Early Career Scientists to Receive up to $85 Million in Funding to Support Research
Recovery Act Investment to Bolster the Nation’s Scientific Workforce
January 14, 2010 - Underscoring the Obama Administration’s commitment to investing in innovation and research, U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced that 69 scientists from across the nation will receive up to $85 million in funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for five-year research grants as part of DOE’s new Early Career Research Program. The new effort is designed to bolster the nation’s scientific workforce by providing support to exceptional researchers during the crucial early career years, when many scientists do their most formative work.
“This investment reflects the Administration’s strong commitment to creating jobs and new industries through scientific innovation,” said Secretary of Energy Steven Chu. “Strong support of scientists in the early career years is crucial to renewing America’s scientific workforce and ensuring U.S. leadership in discovery and innovation for many years to come.”
Under the program, university-based researchers will receive at least $150,000 per year to cover summer salary and research expenses. For researchers based at DOE national laboratories, where DOE typically covers full salary and expenses of laboratory employees, grants will be at least $500,000 per year to cover year-round salary plus research expenses. Beginning with the next fiscal year, the Department’s Office of Science plans to continue the program, choosing new candidates on an annual basis, and supporting them under annual appropriations. A list of the 69 awardees, their institutions, and titles of research projects can be found here. Read the full DOE press release >>
Some highlighted awardees from the Early Career Research Program:
Argonne National Laboratory: Argonne scientist awarded $2.5 million for Early Career Research Program
Colorado State University: Colorado State University Professor Awarded $750,000 to Improve Scientific Computer Modeling
Cornell University: Professor Erickson receives Department of Energy Early Career Award
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory: Berkeley Lab scientists win four DOE Early Career Research grants
Los Alamos National Laboratory: Five Los Alamos Researchers Receive Early Career Awards
Purdue University: 2 Purdue researchers awarded DOE early career grants
University of California, Irvine: Potma, Law Awarded Early Career Grants
University of California, Santa Barbara: UCSB Physicist Wins National Award from the U.S. Department of Energy
University of Colorado-Boulder: Four CU-Boulder Professors Win $750,000 Department of Energy Early Career Research Awards
University of Florida: UF plant geneticist only Florida researcher to receive special DOE funding
University of Michigan: Two U-M faculty receive special early career grants from DOE
University of Pittsburgh: Technique to Study Galaxies Earns Pitt Researcher U.S. Department of Energy Grant for Young Scientists
Washington State University: WSU’s VanReken Earns DOE Early Career Research Grant
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