Schmidt Science Polymaths 2026
| To: | Chairs and Administrators; Departments in the Biological, Physical and Social Sciences; Associate Deans for Research; College/School Research Administrators |
| From: | Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research |
| Date: | June 18, 2025 |
| Subject: | Schmidt Science Polymaths 2026 |
Deadline
| Deadline for Internal Review: | July 08, 2025 |
Project Description
The Schmidt Science Polymaths Program supports extraordinary researchers with remarkable track records, promising futures, and a desire to expand their research portfolios by exploring a substantive disciplinary or methodological shift soon after achieving tenure. Each professor will be awarded $500,000 per year, paid through their institution, for up to five years to help support a research group through talent, such as three to four students or postdocs, and resources. These grants are intended to make possible the exploration of new ideas across disciplines, using emerging technologies to test risky theories that may not otherwise receive funding or support. They are not intended to relieve the researcher of pursuing other grants to continue their mainstream work, nor to be large enough to fully support a modern lab.
Amount per Award: $500,000 per year
Duration of Award: up to 5 Years
Number of Awards: 6 in 2024
Eligibility
Schmidt Sciences is seeking nominations for the Schmidt Science Polymaths Program, which aims to encourage the best “polymath” scientists to expand their research portfolios by exploring a substantive disciplinary shift after achieving tenure or the equivalent status. Eligible candidates should be innovative researchers who have:
- Achieved tenure or an equivalent status prior to the nomination deadline and within the past three calendar years (between January 1, 2022 and August 10, 2025),
- A remarkable record of accomplishment in mathematics, computer science, natural sciences, and/or engineering,
- A demonstrated history of pursuing and publishing results in more than one field,
- A desire and plan to expand their research portfolios by exploring a substantive disciplinary or methodological shift, but have not yet launched such shifts,
- Demonstrated a need for additional funding to enable new experiments, explorations, or shifts in research directions.
Applications will be judged based on:
- The breadth and depth of the candidates’ work
- The quality, impact, and innovation displayed in the candidates work
- The candidates’ track-record of high variance thinking and approaches, as well as their capacity for creative new research or shifts in research directions given flexible resources
- The candidates’ proposed research directions and projects as outlined in their application, including likelihood of success and significant impact, and expectation that the candidate’s research directions will change over time.
UW–Madison may nominate 2 candidates.
Website
The following link contains additional information on the program and specific application instructions:
https://www.schmidtsciences.org/schmidt-science-polymaths/
Internal Competition Application Instructions
Applications for Internal Review
To submit your application, attach a single PDF to an email to grants@research.wisc.edu.
Please include the following:
- Cover page including:
- PI name
- Contact information
- Lab website address
- Date of tenure, or if not yet tenured, please share any information about the candidate’s pending tenure status such as date or pending tenure announcement (must be between January 1, 2022 and August 10, 2025)
- CV
- Brief (3-page maximum) personal statement outlining the applicant’s history and how they meet the qualifications as outlined in the Nominator Guide and website. Please include past accomplishments and a description of potential problems or projects you might pursue if awarded. Please also reference the nomination form requirements and include any relevant information with your internal submission
- Statement on why the candidate should be considered for the Schmidt Science Polymath Program (200 words or less)
Sponsor Deadlines
Nominations are due to Schmidt Futures by August 10, 2025. Applications are due to Schmidt Futures by October 01, 2025.
Questions?
Contact grants@research.wisc.edu.