As U.S. research universities navigate funding uncertainties, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation aimed to provide one-time support to maintain the pipeline of scientists-in-training. In consultation with leading scientists and university leaders, we identified an especially critical, immediate shortfall at the postdoctoral training level.
“Universities are experiencing budget cuts which are drastically curtailing funding for postdocs,” said Aileen Lee, president of the Moore Foundation. “Though critical to the scientific enterprise, postdoctoral trainees are typically less readily supported by university friends and alumni than are graduate and undergraduate students.”
The Postdoctoral Fellowship Commitment provided $55 million to 30 U.S. universities. Fund allocation plans submitted by the universities reveal that the funding will support more than 400 postdoctoral researchers across 25 fields.
“As funding for science becomes increasingly constrained, philanthropy plays a crucial role in fueling innovation and discovery,” added Lee. “We invest where science can make long-term, measurable change and in the talented people whose ideas will shape the future.”
This one-time infusion of funding will help universities adjust to changes and support these scientists at a critical juncture of their careers. We also expect the funding will advance progress in the foundation’s fields of interest.
“Receiving this fellowship gives me the flexibility to explore a new class of materials that could dramatically lower the cost of turning waste plastics and biomass into useful fuels and chemicals,” said fellowship recipient Leo Brody (pictured) from the University of Washington Department of Chemical Engineering. “I am especially excited about replacing rare, expensive catalysts with materials made from Earth-abundant elements like iron, aluminum and carbon. This support will help me prioritize making energy and chemical production cleaner, cheaper and more sustainable.”
University selection
The funds were awarded to 30 U.S. universities that have received past support from the Moore Foundation Science Program. Awards ranged from $1 million to $2.5 million per university, based on historical levels of Moore funding. The selected universities included all 14 R1 research universities in California, reflecting the foundation’s longstanding engagement in our home state. Outside California, 16 U.S. research universities were identified, that have each received at least $12 million in Science Program grant support over the past 25 years.
- California Institute of Technology
- Columbia University
- Cornell University
- Harvard University
- Johns Hopkins University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- New York University
- Oregon State University
- Princeton University
- Rutgers University
- San Diego State University
- Stanford University
- University of Arizona
- University of California, Berkeley
- University of California, Davis
- University of California, Irvine
- University of California, Los Angeles
- University of California, Merced
- University of California, Riverside
- University of California, San Diego
- University of California, San Francisco
- University of California, Santa Barbara
- University of California, Santa Cruz
- University of Chicago
- University of Colorado
- University of Georgia
- University of Hawai’i
- University of Illinois
- University of Southern California
- University of Washington
Although the foundation’s Science Program funding is typically tightly focused on a small number of long-term research priorities, in this case, universities defined where the funds were most needed. They were given the flexibility to determine the highest and best use of the funds within a defined set of fields. All awards were paid in 2025, and the universities have the latitude to expend the funds across three academic years (2025-2028).
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