Advancing the frontier of experimental physics

The Experimental Physics Investigators Initiative was established to help the next generation of scientific leaders achieve remarkable physics insights and open new frontiers. 

The goal of the Experimental Physics Investigators Initiative is to provide substantial funding to our investigators over an extended period. This allows creative individuals to pursue exciting research goals, try new ideas, and explore areas that might not otherwise attract this level and duration of financial support  from conventional funding sources. Each investigator receives at least $1,250,000 over five years. 

We employ a two-stage proposal process and typically advance about 50% of submissions to our full-proposal stage and fund about a third of these each year. The pre-proposal is short and simple – applicants submit ORCID data, and a two-page outline of their ideas. Individuals from any United States nonprofit or public academic or research institution are encouraged to apply for this opportunity.  

The goals of the initiative by the end of the eleventh year are: 

• Approximately 120 mid-career scientists who have received Moore Foundation funding have distinguished themselves among their peers as having made extraordinary contributions to the field of experimental physics.
• Collaboration among these investigators has led to advances in experimental physics that would not have occurred without Moore Foundation support.
• Supported researchers accelerate their research through team management practices that encourage participation by all group members and support continued professional development.

The Experimental Physics Investigators Initiative seeks to support creative individuals who have recently received tenure (or its equivalent) to tackle interesting new research problems with enough flexibility to pivot when necessary and to bring on students and a postdoc to accelerate their progress. We are committed to advancing science in highly productive research teams. We will also make available additional equipment funds if progress dictates a course change, and we are enabling investigators to spend time with peers in the same career stage who are probing physics frontiers with new tools and ideas to foster collaborations and out-of-the-box research ideas.

The first cohort was announced in 2022, with plans to support 120 mid-career scientists over six annual cohorts with an eye to evaluating our ability to have a significant impact in advancing the science among this unique group of individuals.

To date, we have funded investigators across the United States including in:

Explore the profiles of our Experimental Physics Investigators to learn about the variety of research areas supported to date.

Learn More

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