skip to main content
Caltech
Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute for Neuroscience
Chen Institute Homepage  /  Grants  /  Chen Graduate Innovator Grant

Chen Graduate Innovator Grant

The T&C Chen Centers for Systems Neuroscience and Social and Decision Neuroscience are delighted to announce a call for applications for the Chen Graduate Innovator Grants. We invite graduate students to submit neuroscience focused proposals for independent experiments that will be supported by funds provided by the Centers. 

Up to five grants of $10K each will be awarded by the T&C Chen Center for Systems Neuroscience

Up to three grants of $10K each will be awarded by the T&C Chen Center for Social and Decision Neuroscience

The project must be conceived and driven by the graduate student and should not be an obvious extension of other research in their lab. Proposals should not be copied and pasted from another proposal such as a student's NIH NRSA proposal or from a PI's NIH RO1. Such proposals are unlikely to do well. The program is meant to fund out-of-box ideas that would not otherwise be pursued.

Collaboration between students in different labs is highly encouraged (though not a necessity). Funds are to be used for research purposes only and not for personal expenses.

Proposals should include:

  1. Cover Page with the following information:
    Project Title
    First and Last Name
    Year (G2, G3, G4 etc.)
    Lab
    Chen Center to which you are applying (T&C Chen Center for Systems Neuroscience OR T&C Chen Center for Social and Decision Neuroscience)
  2. 3-page description of the project (including any figures)
  3. Budget justification
  4. The proposal should address how the project is distinct from ongoing research in the student's lab
  5. Form, available here, to be completed by PI(s) of sponsoring lab(s), indicating support and attesting to the origination of the project idea.

Submission deadline is Monday, November 27, 2023.

Please submit proposals here by attaching your proposal to the email in this link:
2023_Ch.trdxi0h4wbgan6qe@u.box.com

The proposal attachment should be a single pdf file that contains the 5 items listed above. Name your attached proposal as follows: Chen Innovator Grant_Last Name(s)
For example, a proposal submission from David Anderson would be named "Chen Innovator Grant_Anderson"

Your proposal will be uploaded to Box and you will receive a confirmation email from Box within a few hours of submission. If you do not receive a confirmation email after 24 hours, please contact us directly at Chen.Inst@caltech.edu

Submissions will be reviewed by a committee of Caltech neuroscience faculty members.
Recipients will be announced on December 19, 2023.