The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced the allocation of $138 million in funding to 91 early career scientists across the United States. This initiative is part of the Early Career Research Program (ECRP) and aims to support research in areas such as artificial intelligence, fusion energy, and quantum technologies. The awards align with the Biden-Harris Administration’s strategy to nurture future STEM leaders and bolster America's position as a global leader in scientific innovation.
“Investing in cutting-edge research and science is a cornerstone of DOE's mission and essential to maintaining America’s role as a global innovation leader,” stated U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “The Biden-Harris Administration is funding scientists and researchers at our nation’s national labs and universities, early in their careers, ensuring they have the resources to expand scientific discovery and pursue solutions to some of the most complex questions.”
The 2024 ECRP awardees are based at 50 universities and 12 DOE national laboratories. The program supports promising researchers at the beginning of their careers, a period often marked by significant scientific contributions. Since its inception in 2010, ECRP has made 961 awards: 631 to university researchers and 330 to national laboratory researchers.
University-based awards are approximately $875,000 over five years, while those for DOE national laboratories or Office of Science user facilities start at around $2,750,000 over five years.
The latest round includes recipients from 26 states and the District of Columbia: California (25); Illinois (12); Pennsylvania (6); New Mexico, New York, and Washington (5 each); Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia (3 each); District of Columbia, Indiana, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Virginia (2 each); Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, New Jersey, Ohio South Dakota Tennessee Wisconsin (1 each).
Detailed information about the awardees and their projects can be found on the Early Career Research Program webpage.
Eligibility for this round required that applicants be untenured researchers or tenure-track assistant or associate professors at U.S. academic institutions or full-time employees at DOE national laboratories or Office of Science user facilities who received their Ph.D.s within the past 12 years.
Research proposals needed to fall within one of eight major program areas:
- Accelerator R&D and Production
- Advanced Scientific Computing Research
- Basic Energy Sciences
- Biological and Environmental Research
- Fusion Energy Sciences
- High Energy Physics
- Isotope R&D and Production
- Nuclear Physics
Awardees were chosen based on peer review by external scientific experts. These selections are for negotiation of financial awards; final details depend on grant negotiations between DOE and recipients.
Profiles highlighting previous award recipients’ experiences with ECRP are available on the early career profiles page.
It should be noted that selection for award negotiations does not guarantee funding; final agreements depend on successful negotiations between DOE and applicants.
###
