The Star-Friedman Challenge for Promising Scientific Research provides seed funding to interdisciplinary high-risk, high-impact projects in the life, physical, and social sciences. This competition is open to ladder faculty members in the four participating schools (HMS, HSPH, FAS, and SEAS). In HMS, this program is open to ladder faculty who have primary appointments in the HMS basic and social science departments AND whose laboratories are located on the HMS Quadrangle. In HSPH, eligible PIs include primary Harvard Chan School ladder faculty whose research operation is based at the Harvard Chan School. 

Individual investigators may request up to $150,000 in direct costs; collaborative proposals involving funding to multiple independent investigators may request up to $300,000 in direct costs. Approximately five awards will be made annually. Award recipients will present and discuss their projects with a range of scholars in multiple disciplines at a Challenge event on May 10, 2019, prior to receipt of funding.