Team Science Accelerator

The Team Science Accelerator is a two-year pilot program run by Research Corporation for Science Advancement to support interdisciplinary teams pursuing high-risk, high-reward basic research across the physical sciences and adjacent fields. It will competitively select three to four teams and provide funding and structured support to help faculty adopt team science practices and accelerate discovery. Successful teams receive project funding and team-development resources including facilitated workshops, mentoring, and professional coaching. The program emphasizes bold, sharply defined scientific goals with milestones that position teams for follow-on funding.

Up to $1 million total project funding over two years; facilitated two-day in-person workshop for finalists; mentoring from discipline-based team-science experts; professional team coaching; participation in a national cohort/network.

Teams of three to five scientists whose members hold full-time, independent positions (academic appointment or equivalent scientist track) at U.S. or Canadian institutions, national laboratories, or appropriate research institutes. Each team member must have started their first full-time independent position within 10 years of the LOI submission (extensions may be requested for documented career delays); teams should be interdisciplinary and oriented toward cohort participation.

Submit a Letter of Intent (LOI). Finalist teams attend a two-day in-person workshop as part of selection. Final proposals are submitted after the workshop reflecting refined goals and team structures.