Funding Briefs

Kresge Works To Rebuild Labs Seattle University will renovate its chemistry labs; the University of Notre Dame is fixing up its Center for Biotechnology and Pollution Control; and Clark University in Worcester, Mass., will get new equipment for its Consortium Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Facility. These schools are three of 15 institutions to receive Kresge Foundation Science Initiative Grants. The two-year program provided $5 million in 1989 and will provide $5 million in 1990 to nonprofit institutions that need to beef up their science facilities. But there is a catch. The applicant must already-have raised half the money it needs to replace its scientific equipment or modernize its laboratories. In addition, the program requires that twice the amount awarded then be raised from other sources as endowment for continuing support of the facility. The point is to attract more donations from corporations and individuals to help revitalize the science infrastructure, says John E. Marshall Ill, Kresge Foundation president. In the first round, 15 of 40 proposals received support ranging from $200,000 to $500,000. The Kresge Foundation will continue to accept proposals until April 1990. Meanwhile, Kresge, with $1.2 billion in assets and a $55 million annual grants budget, continues to provide “bricks and mortar” grants. Twenty-five institutions this year have received grants for the construction and renovation of science facilities. For more information, contact the Kresge Foundation, P.O. Box 3151, 3215 W. Big Beaver Rd., Troy Mich. 48007-3151; (313) 643-9630. Bucks For Biotechnology To encourage more students and scientists to pursue cross-disciplinary approaches to biotechnology, NIH this year began a three-tiered training and fellowship program. The National Institute of General Medical Sciences will spend $2.8 million to sponsor 101 graduate students and 29 post-doctoral fellows. The program also provides a year of support to senior scientists seeking to develop skills in biotechnology. This year about one in three postdoctoral applicants to the Lawton Chiles Fellowships program will receive $18,000 to $28,000 salary, depending on the applicant’s experience. Selections will be made based on the applicant’s background, the relevance of the project proposed, and the qualifications of the sponsoring laboratories. Previous experience in biotechnology is not a prerequisite. The fellowships are named after the recently retired Florida senator who is recognized for his strong support of scientific research. Awards can be extended up to three years. So far, 24 universities have applied for the 101 graduate training slots; the recipients will be announced this month. The training program will emphasize applications of engineering, mathematics, chemistry and physics to the analysis of biological processes and biotechnology. Tuition and a stipend for the students are provided for three or four years. NIH has requested funding in 1990 to double the size of the program. Deadlines are Jan. 10, May 10, and Sept. 10. For more information, contact Marvin Cassman, NIGMS, NIH, 926 Westwood Bldg., Bethesda, Md. 20892; (301) 496-0186. Science, Humanistically Know of an important scientific endeavor that you would like to document for future generations? Then consider teaming up with a historian and applying for a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. NEH supports research that uses the theories and methods of humanities to study science, technology, or medicine. A fellowship and seminars program covers small projects. If the project is too big for one person for one year, try for a Humanities, Science, and Technology grant. This program encourages collaborative work between scientists and humanities scholars in an effort to understand the form, content, and purposes of scientific knowledge; the processes of science, invention, and technology transfer; social, moral, and legal issues related to innovation; and science and society issues. These grants cover part-time or full-time salary, and travel and research costs for one to three years. Awards generally range betweeen $9,000 and $300,000 and cover up to 80% of total costs. NEH will also support writings about the history of science for general audiences. The next deadline is October 15. For more information, contact Daniel Jones, Program Officer for Humanities, Science and Technology, Room 318, National Endowment for the Humanities, Washington, D.C. 20506; (202) 786-0210.

Funding Briefs

The Scientist Staff

Kresge Works To Rebuild Labs

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