The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) has announced the selection of 31 new Freeman Hrabowski Scholars, lauding them as “outstanding early career faculty in science who have potential to become leaders in their research fields and to create diverse and inclusive lab environments in which everyone can thrive.”
Every Freeman Hrabowski Scholar will be appointed to a five-year term, which is renewable for a second five-year term after a successful evaluation. Each Scholar will receive up to $8.6 million in funding over 10 years, including full salary with benefits, a research budget, and scientific equipment. In addition, they will participate in various professional development activities to advance their leadership and mentorship skills.
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HHMI anticipates that the Scholars will become leaders in their field and believes that, by fostering equitable and inclusive environments in their labs, they also will provide a strong foundation for their own trainees’ future scientific success.
This first cohort of Hrabowski Scholars comes from 22 U.S. universities and research institutions. Three are affiliated with Harvard University. Cornell University, Columbia University, UCLA, MIT, the California Institute of Technology, the University of California at San Francisco, and the University of Washington had two scholars each.
The scholars are working in a wide variety of research areas, including immunology, sleep, tactile perception, the sense of smell, the role of metabolism in disease, neurodevelopmental disorders, social behavior, the biology of menstruation, and gene expression.
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“Each of our Freeman Hrabowski Scholars has demonstrated their unique potential to advance cutting-edge science and carve out pathways for the inclusive development of postdocs, students, and other researchers,” said HHMI Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer Leslie Vosshall, in the institute’s announcment. “We are thrilled to welcome this inaugural cohort to HHMI, and we are proud to support each Scholar’s contributions to the broader scientific community in the years to come.”
Over the next 20 years, HHMI expects to support up to 150 Freeman Hrabowski Scholars, appointing approximately 30 Scholars every other year for the next 10 years. The Institute has committed up to $1.5 billion for the Freeman Hrabowski Scholars program over the next decade.
HHMI launched the program in 2022, naming it in honor of Freeman A. Hrabowski III, President Emeritus of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Over the course of his higher education career, Hrabowski has been a highly influential advocate for increasing the number of scientists, engineers, and physicians from backgrounds that have been traditionally underrepresented in science in the U.S.
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Located in Chevy Chase, Maryland, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute is the largest private biomedical research institution in the nation. Founded in 1953, the HHMI has net assets of about $24 billion. Over the last five years, HHMI has provided approximately $4.1 billion in support of scientific research and education.
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