Harnessing the momentum of Research Scouts year one, up to 20 Research Scouts will be selected and given 12 months to make a single award of $150,000 or two awards of $75,000 to Medical School scientists with compelling, new ideas.

Based on feedback from Research Scouts year one, Scouts in 2025 will also be able to combine their funds to support Scout Scholars who request higher amounts. Scout positions are voluntary; they will receive modest discretionary funds that may be used to facilitate faculty connections to identify opportunities. There is not an RFP or grant application process. Scouts actively seek out and identify early-stage ideas for funding, review the funding portal, or attend themed pitch events. Scouts will not accept unsolicited pitches or proposals directly from faculty. 

Research Scouts are outstanding scientists from diverse backgrounds and various career stages who demonstrate immense curiosity, creativity, and calculated risk taking. Scouts have an innate tendency to support the success of others.

Beginning October 15, 2024, CLICK HERE to submit the name of a Medical School faculty who you think would be a great Scout. Self-nominations are encouraged.  Nominees will then be contacted and invited to apply to be a Research Scout. Nominees may accept or decline the invitation.

Faculty who accept the nomination to be considered for a Research Scout will be invited to submit a video recording, three minutes or less, describing why she/he would make a great Research Scout. Please showcase or provide examples demonstrating the characteristics of a Research Scout, such as intellectual curiosity, creativity, and calculated risk taking. If a video exceeds three minutes, only the first three minutes will be viewed.

Any medium, such as phone, Zoom, webcam, etc. can be used for the video. Videos are not expected to be professional and are intended to get to know you in a way that a paper CV does not convey. 

The video and a current CV should be submitted to [email protected] by 11:59 PM on Friday, November 1, 2024.

Submissions will be evaluated by a review panel composed of faculty and members of the Medical School Office of Research. Applicants will be assessed on their curiosity, creativity, and risk taking as well as their scholarly work, mentorship, service, and diversity. Weighted emphasis will be given to diversity to ensure we have a diverse cadre of Research Scouts. Diversity includes scientific interests, disciplines, departments, career stages, gender, and racial/cultural backgrounds. Scouts will be featured on the Office of Research website.

Faculty with a primary appointment in the Medical School. Research Scouts from year one (2023) can also apply to be Research Scouts in the 2025 program. Scout Scholars from Research Scouts year one are also encouraged to apply to be Research Scouts. 

A Scout Scholar is a faculty member who receives funding for their bold idea. This program is currently limited to faculty with a primary appointment with effort in the Medical School. Scouts cannot make awards to faculty with whom they have directly collaborated on a grant proposal (submitted or awarded) within the last five years. Research Scouts are discouraged from funding faculty within their immediate area of research interest and within their department (division for large departments). Ideally, awards will be made to faculty at arm’s length. Scouts will not entertain unsolicited requests directly from a faculty, and any faculty who approaches a Scout for funding will be deemed ineligible. A Scout Scholar can only receive funding for a single bold idea. Scout Scholars will be featured on the Office of Research website.

Ideally, the types of ideas that may be funded don’t fit or are too early for traditional funding criteria and, if an idea does come to fruition, it may…

• challenge common dogma
• be potentially paradigm shifting
• transform our current understanding of or approach to a scientific concept or field
• be wildly new and visionary

Ideas should be at an early stage. Preliminary data is not required. This investment mechanism is not intended to advance research that has had a funding track record; it aims to spark new lines of investigation. Funding is intended to support remarkable ideas and enable our faculty the full intellectual creativity and exploration that is often hindered by traditional funding sources.

We recognize that with pushing boundaries and placing bets on bold, novel ideas there is a high likelihood of unexpected or negative findings. Knowledge comes in all forms – both from positive and negative results.

Research Scouts use their curiosity and ability to see exciting opportunities, where others don’t, to identify research ideas/projects that excite them. Upon discussions and due diligence, the Scout may invite a faculty, a “Prospect,” to flesh out their idea. Projects should be scoped realistically. A Prospect, if funded, should be able to deploy the dollars quickly, and meaningful progress in testing the hypothesis should be achievable within the funding level and 18-24 months. If the Scout and Prospect reach mutual agreement on the progress that can be made within an appropriate budget and timeline, the Scout may elect to invest in the project. If so, the Scout and Prospect will complete the short Research Scout Investment Agreement form and submit it to the Medical School Office of Research. The form includes information about the Prospect Scout Scholar, a brief description of the idea, key milestone(s)/deliverable(s) to be achieved with the investment, award amount, and attestation that the Scout and Prospect are not current or recent collaborators. The Scout Scholar, or a member of their team, will need to agree to participate in a future symposium showcasing the Scout Scholars and ideas in which the Research Scouts invested.

Scouts cannot make awards to faculty with whom they have directly collaborated on a grant proposal (submitted or awarded) within the last five years. Scouts are discouraged from funding faculty within their immediate area of research interest and within their department (division for large departments). Ideally, awards will be made to faculty at arm’s length. Scouts will not entertain unsolicited requests directly from faculty, and any faculty who approaches a Scout for funding will be deemed ineligible. 

The Research Scouts program does not issue RFPs or hold other grant application processes but will hold themed pitch events for investigators seeking scout funds. Scouts also actively seek out and identify early-stage ideas for funding. Scouts will not entertain unsolicited requests or proposals and any faculty who approaches a Scout directly for funding will be deemed ineligible. The Medical School Office of Research will provide a tool for Medical School faculty to submit ideas to Scouts for their consideration.

Formal pitch events will use a lightning talk, “Shark Tank” format based on feedback and success from both Scout Scholars and Scouts in year one. There will also be mixer opportunities for Scouts, Scout Scholars, and Potential Scout Scholars to informally discuss bold science and possible collaborations. 

Additional questions about the Research Scouts program should be directed to [email protected].