How do I determine if I am eligible to submit a preproposal; what is the first step?

An Eligibility Quiz has been created to assist you in determining whether or not you are eligible to apply for this award.  Successful completion of the Quiz will take you to the next application step.  You will be notified upon conclusion of the Quiz if you are not eligible to continue. 

Do I need to be nominated by my institution to submit a preproposal application?

No.  In previous years, candidates for this award had to be nominated by a North American degree-granting institution.  This year, eligible candidates may self-nominate by submitting a preproposal application by the preproposal deadline.

Do I need to be nominated by my institution to submit a full application?

You do not need to be nominated, but you do need to obtain approval from your institution. All full applications must be approved by an official responsible for sponsored programs at the institution where the work will be performed during the postdoc period of the grant (generally from the institution’s grants and contracts office, office of research, or sponsored programs office). Institutional approval is indicated by including a completed, signed Institutional Certification Form (ICF) as an attachment to your application.

Can I contact BWF to determine my eligibility?

It is the responsibility of applicants to read the published guidelines and FAQs to determine eligibility. The FAQs are updated regularly in response to questions received. BWF staff will do their best to respond to every inquiry, but will prioritize those questions that are not already clearly addressed in the published guidelines. Please do not contact BWF to ask if we can make an exception to clearly stated guidelines.

Which Ph.D. fields are eligible?

Candidates must hold a Ph.D. degree in one of the fields of mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer science, statistics, or engineering. This includes related areas of physical and computational science. Exceptions will be made only if the applicant can demonstrate significant expertise in one of these areas, evidenced by publications or advanced course work.

I have an engineering degree/background? Can I apply to the program?

Yes – as long as you meet all other eligibility requirements, you can apply.

I hold an M.D.  Am I eligible to apply to the CASI program?

Possibly.  If you hold both an M.D. and a Ph.D., and your Ph.D. is in one of the fields of mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer science, statistics, or engineering, you are eligible. This includes related areas of physical and computational science. Exceptions will be made only if the applicant can demonstrate significant expertise in one of these areas, evidenced by publications or advanced course work.  In addition, you cannot have spent more than 48 months in postdoctoral research since receipt of your Ph.D.  If you hold an M.D. without also holding a Ph.D., you are not eligible to apply to this program, but you may want to consider applying to BWF’s Career Awards for Medical Scientists.

Can I send my CV/biosketch to BWF to determine eligibility?

Due to the high volume of inquiries, BWF cannot evaluate candidate CVs/biosketches. Please read the guidelines and FAQs carefully before contacting BWF. If your situation is not addressed in the guidelines or FAQs, you may contact us for clarification.

What date should I use as having received my Ph.D.?

You can use either the date of your Ph.D. defense or the date your degree was conferred by your institution.

My work experience since receiving my Ph.D. exceeds the 48-month limit. However, my work has not always been as a postdoc. At present, I am working in a postdoctoral position. Am I eligible?

If your entire work experience since receiving your Ph.D. has been in any scientific field (including outside academia) and exceeds 48 months, you would not be eligible. However, if part of your work experience was not in a science field, and your scientific work experience doesn’t exceed 48 months, you are eligible. 

I’m a U.S. temporary resident. Am I eligible for the award?

Possibly. If you are a temporary U.S. resident and you hold a valid U.S. visa that allows you to remain in the U.S. during the postdoctoral period of the grant, you are eligible. If a grant is awarded and your visa does not allow for such a stay, BWF may terminate the grant. BWF will not intercede on behalf of non-citizens whose stay in the U.S. may be limited by their visa status. If you are invited to submit a full application, your institution must verify your immigration status as part of your application.

I am a temporary resident of Canada. Am I eligible to apply?

No.

I have applied for permanent residency in the United States, and I have not received my green card. Am I eligible for the award?

Possibly. If you are a temporary U.S. resident and you hold a valid U.S. visa that allows you to remain in the U.S. during the postdoctoral period of the grant, you are eligible. If a grant is awarded and your visa does not allow for such a stay, BWF may terminate the grant. BWF will not intercede on behalf of non-citizens whose stay in the U.S. may be limited by their visa status. If you are invited to submit a full application, you institution must verify your immigration status as part of your application.

I hold a J-1 visa. Am I eligible?

Possibly. As long as your visa is valid and will allow you to remain in the U.S. during the postdoctoral period of the grant, you are eligible.  If a grant is awarded and your visa does not allow for such a stay, BWF may terminate the grant. BWF will not intercede on behalf of non-citizens whose stay in the U.S. may be limited by their visa status. If you are invited to submit a full application, you institution must verify your immigration status as part of your application.

I am a postdoc at an independent research institute. Am I eligible for a career award?

Possibly.  Two criteria must be met in order for you to be eligible – (1) your research institute must be a non-profit institution (501(c)(3) or equivalent) in the U.S. or Canada, and (2) your postdoctoral mentor must hold an appointment at an accredited, degree-granting institution in the U.S. or Canada.  If both of these criteria are met, you are eligible to apply.  With the exception of eligible postdoctoral fellows at the National Institutes of Health, preproposal applications will not be accepted from federal facilities.  These policies are non-negotiable.

The eligibility requirements mention that a candidate must be based at a non-profit institution [501(c)(3) or equivalent] in the U.S. or Canada. What is a 501(c)(3)?

According to the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, a 501(c)(3) organization is an American tax-exempt, nonprofit organization.  Almost all degree-granting institutions are classified as such, as are most research institutes.  You will need to check with your institutional officials, usually called the grants and contracts office or the sponsored programs office, etc., to confirm your institution’s classification. BWF cannot make this determination for you.

My title is not "postdoctoral fellow".   Am I eligible for the award?

Possibly.  You are eligible if (1) you have at least 12 months, but not more than 48 months of postdoctoral research experience, including time as, for example, an instructor, research associate, or non-tenure track research faculty, and (2) you meet all other eligibility requirements.

I have two postdoc mentors. Can I still apply?

Yes. One of the mentors will need to be the primary mentor.  The primary mentor will be the one you enter into the online preproposal application, the one you list on the preproposal application form, and the one who will sign off on the form.  Be sure to mention your second postdoc mentor on the preproposal application form in the “description of proposed work” field.

What if I am planning to start a faculty position in the fall after the preproposal application deadline and before the full application deadline?

This award cannot be made to a tenure-track faculty member, because it is a transition award. If you are planning to start a faculty position before the award begins you are not eligible to apply.

What if I am planning to start a faculty position in the spring after the full application deadline and before the interview?

This award cannot be made to a tenure-track faculty member, because it is a transition award.  If you are planning to start a faculty position before the award begins you are not eligible to apply.

My Ph.D. is in biochemistry/biophysics/biology/cell biology/etc. Am I eligible?

Possibly. The Career Awards at the Scientific Interface program is designed to support those working in biology with backgrounds in the physical/mathematical/computational sciences. If you can show evidence of significant accomplishment or competence in one of those areas (i.e., papers published, advanced coursework, or undergraduate major), and if your proposal draws on that background, you are eligible. You will need to make a case that your work is truly interdisciplinary, and making use of non-biological approaches.

My Ph.D. is in chemistry. Am I eligible?

Yes, as long as you meet the other eligibility criteria, and can demonstrate that your work is truly interdisciplinary.

I hold, or have accepted, a NIH K99 award.  Can I apply for this program?

No.

I have applied to the NIH K99 program, but the awards have not been selected. Can I apply to the BWF CASI program?

Yes. However, awardees cannot receive funding simultaneously from both a K99 and a CASI award. 

Do I need a commitment from a university for a faculty appointment to apply for this award?

No.  The purpose of the award is to help postdoctoral scientists obtain a faculty appointment at an institution of the choosing.  Candidates may be applying for faculty positions at the same time of application, but if you currently hold or have accepted, either verbally or in writing, a tenure-track faculty appointment, you are not eligible.

I am based at a North American non-profit institution, but my postdoctoral mentor doesn’t hold a faculty appointment at an accredited, degree-granting North American institution. Can I apply to this program?

No.  An eligible candidate’s postdoctoral mentor must hold such an appointment.

My postdoctoral mentor holds a faculty appointment at an accredited, degree-granting North American institution, but I am not based at a non-profit North American institution. Am I eligible for the award?

Possibly. You are eligible to apply only if you are a postdoctoral researcher at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), and meet all other eligibility requirements.  The NIH will support these award recipients during the postdoctoral years, and BWF will support them for the faculty portion of the award only.

I have not yet decided whether I will pursue a full-time career in research as an independent investigator at a North American degree-granting institution. Can I apply to this program?

No.

I have publications from my graduate (and undergraduate) studies, but I am not a first-author on any of them.  Am I eligible to apply?

No.  You must have at least one first-author publication to be eligible to apply for this program.  This includes papers on which "first authorship" is shared.

I have submitted a first-author manuscript from my graduate (or undergraduate) studies, but it has not yet been published.  Am I eligible to apply?

Possibly.  If the manuscript is accepted for publication or in press, you are eligible to apply – otherwise you are not eligible.

After submitting a preproposal, can I change my mentor or institution if I am invited to submit a full application?

Invitations to submit a full application are based on the information submitted in the preproposal. The training environment (mentor and institution) are an important part of this consideration, thus cannot be changed for the full application.

I may be changing institutions to complete additional postdoc training after I’ve submitted a preproposal application. Can I still submit a preproposal application?

Invitations to submit a full application are based on the information submitted in the preproposal application. The training environment (mentor and institution) are an important part of this consideration, and therefore cannot be changed after submitting the preproposal. Thus, if you move to a new institution after submitting the preproposal application, you will not be able to submit a full application, even if invited to do so.