Early Science with the LSST
Funds collaborative, cross-disciplinary early-career research teams using LSST data from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory to advance innovative science in astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology, and related fields.
Funder: Research Corporation for Science Advancement
Due Dates (Anticipated): November 2026 (Full proposal) | May 2027 (Fellow application)
Funding Amounts: $60,000 per team member (direct funding, plus small overhead); 1-year duration; teams of 2–3 Fellows
Summary: Supports collaborative, cross-disciplinary research leveraging the Vera C. Rubin Observatory's LSST dataset to advance early science in astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology, and related fields.
Key Information: For early career faculty/independent investigators in the U.S., Canada, or Chile within 8 years of first appointment.
Description
This initiative is part of the Scialog: Early Science with the LSST program, designed to catalyze high-risk, high-reward, cross-disciplinary research using the unprecedented dataset generated by the Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST). The program aims to address the dual challenges of providing seed funding for early discoveries and fostering new collaborations among early career scientists in fields such as astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology, computational modeling, data science, and software engineering.
Each year, approximately 50 early career faculty and independent investigators are selected as Fellows to participate in an intensive conference. During the meeting, Fellows form new teams, develop innovative research ideas, and submit collaborative proposals to push the boundaries of early LSST science. The initiative emphasizes networking, creative thinking, and supporting projects that may not be possible through traditional funding mechanisms.
