Science:
A new research award granted by the National Institutes of
Health will allow some new PhDs to go directly to work as
independent investigators, without doing a postdoc. Called the
Early
Independence Award Program, it is the brainchild of Francis
Collins, NIH's director. The $60 million, 5-year pilot
project will award 10 recipients $250 000 a year for 5
years. Before applying to NIH, however, scientists will first
have to get a job with an institution willing to nominate them
for the award.
