Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowships is sponsored by Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation provides grants to support postdoctoral researchers at various institutions, including the University of California, Berkeley. These grants often focus on science and can include areas relevant to advanced materials and emergent phenomena.

Strengthening the U.S. scientific talent pipeline through postdoctoral fellowships Former-foundation president, Harvey Fineberg, and chairman emeritus and co-founder, Gordon Moore, discuss the Statement of Founders’ Intent with staff.

Environmental Conservation Conservation and Markets Initiative Wildfire Resilience Initiative Curiosity-Driven Science Initiative Emergent Phenomena in Quantum Systems Initiative Experimental Physics Investigators Initiative Green Chemistry Initiative Symbiosis in Aquatic Systems Initiative Strengthening the U.S. scientific talent pipeline through postdoctoral fellowships Students walking through a college campus on a sunny day 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. ” 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 Massachusetts Institute of Technology San Diego State University 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 Southern California 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). If you know someone who is interested in this field or what we are doing at the foundation, pass it along.

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California Institute of Technology Massachusetts Institute of Technology Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey (Rutgers University Foundation) San Diego State University Research Foundation University of Arizona (Arizona Board of Regents) 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 Colorado at Boulder University of Hawaii Foundation University of Southern California