Simons Foundation Independence Award RFAs: Informational Session and Conversations with Current Fellows

The Simons Foundation is invested in supporting the next generation of researchers as they transition from mentored training to their first independent research positions. To that end, the foundation offers three Independence Awards through the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI), Simons Collaboration on the Global Brain (SCGB) and Simons Collaboration on Plasticity and the Aging Brain (SCPAB). Our Independence Awards provide talented early-career scientists with up to two years of postdoctoral support, mentorship, community and professional development activities, and three years of grant funding at the start of their professorships.

On December 8, 2022, Simons Foundation staff held an online informational session describing the SFARI Bridge to Independence (BTI), SCGB Transition to Independence (TTI) and SCPAB Transition to Independence (TTI) requests for applications (RFAs). This session provided a brief overview of the programs, including their distinct scientific missions and eligibility criteria. The session ended with three 30-minute breakout room conversations between program scientific staff and a fellow from each program. The staff and fellows also addressed audience questions. Interested applicants are advised to review each of the RFAs, watch the videos provided here, and contact the respective program teams with questions. Applications are due February 16, 2023.

 
The SCGB Transition to Independence conversation featured current SCGB TTI fellow Danique Jeurissen, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow at Columbia University, Alyssa Picchini Schaffer, Ph.D., senior scientist and administrative director for the Simons Neuroscience Collaborations, and Krithika Venkataraman, Ph.D., SCGB scientist.

 
Current SCPAB TTI fellow Abhilasha Joshi, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow at the University of California San Francisco, shared her experience in the fellowship with Kim Scobie, Ph.D., SCPAB senior scientist and Jennifer Valdivia Espino, student and fellow program manager for SFARI and the Simons Neuroscience Collaborations.

 
Current BTI fellow Ranmal Samarasinghe, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, joined Kelsey Martin, M.D., Ph.D., director of SFARI and Neuroscience Collaborations, and Alan Packer, Ph.D., SFARI senior scientist, to answer audience questions about the SFARI BTI program.