The Experimental Physics Investigators Initiative recognizes the need for support at a time in a researcher’s career when they can be creative and productive but may feel hampered as their early-career funding dries up. The initiative will provide significant funding to enable researchers to venture in new directions that have the potential to transform the field. We are organizing efforts to bring these scholars together to help encourage new ideas and collaborations, and to reinforce and help these scientists build a productive and inclusive research culture in their labs and within their department and university.  

Each grant will provide $1,250,000 over five years with additional funds available for research equipment. This amount includes a 12.5% indirect cost allowance on eligible expenses. Grants will be made to the applicant’s non-profit or public university or research institution. 

Investigators must have earned tenure (or equivalent) at their U.S. institution and be within five years of that appointment at the time of application. Investigators must not have access to significant funding (conventional or flexible) to pursue the research ideas described in the proposal.

Selection of experimental physics investigators will use a two-stage process. In the first stage, we encourage individuals from U.S. institutions to submit pre-proposals.

Pre-proposals will include CV information, grant support, short descriptions of two contributions to the field, and a brief narrative of a proposed research direction. Much of the CV information will be retrieved from the applicant’s ORCiD profile, simplifying data entry and allowing identifying information to be withheld from reviewers to reduce bias in the selection process. In addition, we are asking applicants to write narrative sections without identifying information.  

Pre-proposals will be reviewed by Moore Foundation staff in consultation with an external advisory board and a limited number will advance to the second stage. In the second stage, individuals will be invited to submit a more complete research proposal, answers to questions describing how the applicant is creating an inclusive research group and advancing equity in their department, budget information, and a list of reviewers (suggested and excluded with rationale). Supervisors (department chairs or equivalent) will also be asked to submit answers to several questions about the applicant. We will provide at least four weeks between notification that an applicant is advancing to the full-proposal phase and the deadline for final submission.. 

A frequently asked questions document provides answers to many questions. If you have additional questions or concerns that are not covered in the FAQ, please contact us at epi@moore.org.  

Q&A Office Hour 

The Moore Foundation Experimental Physics Investigators team hosted informational sessions to answer questions regarding the 2023 preproposal application process. The presentation slides from the virtual office hour are available for view. 

Contact epi@moore.org with any questions.