[American Physical Society](https://www.aps.org)

October 8, 2026 (2027 cohort application deadline)

$1,300,000 over 5 years (typical award); supports PI, team, and research equipment

Supports mid-career experimental physicists in the U.S. to pursue innovative, transformative research directions.

Applicants must have received tenure after October 8, 2021; only one application per eligible investigator per cycle.

--- ## Description The Experimental Physics Investigator (EPI) Initiative, supported by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation in partnership with the American Physical Society, provides substantial, flexible funding to mid-career experimental physicists at U.S. institutions. The initiative aims to empower investigators to pursue bold, creative, and transformative research directions that may not be possible with conventional early-career funding, strengthening the experimental physics community and accelerating scientific breakthroughs. --- ## Due Dates - October 8, 2026: Application deadline for the 2027 cohort All dates are projected based on the annual cycle; check the program page for updates. --- ## Funding Amount - Typical award: $1,300,000 total over 5 years - Funds may be used for PI salary, team support, and research equipment - Recent awards to individual investigators at U.S. universities confirm this level of support --- ## Eligibility - **Career Stage:** Applicants must have received tenure (or equivalent) at a U.S. institution within the past 5 years (for the 2027 cohort, after October 8, 2021). - One-year extension available for significant life events (e.g., childbirth, family care) since earning tenure; pandemic-related extensions are not available. - **Institutional Affiliation:** Must be employed at a U.S. nonprofit or public academic/research institution (including national labs in some cases). - For-profit organizations are not eligible. - Applicants do not need to be in a physics department, but research must be experimental physics. - **Field of Research:** Supported areas include atomic/molecular/optical physics, biophysics, chemical physics, condensed matter, fluid dynamics, geophysics, laser physics, materials, polymer physics, plasma physics, precision measurements, quantum information, and soft matter physics. - Theoretical/computational work is only supported if part of a larger experimental effort. - Not supported: education research, public engagement, large collaborations (e.g., astrophysics, high energy physics, fusion, gravitational/nuclear physics), or observational astronomy. - **Application Limits:** Applicants eligible for both the EPI Initiative and the Emergent Phenomena in Quantum Systems (EPiQS) Initiative may apply to only one per cycle. --- ## Application Process - **Two-Stage Review:** 1. **Pre-proposal:** Brief research proposal, professional background (via ORCID), and personal information. - Reviewed by Moore Foundation staff and external advisory board. - About half advance to the next round. 2. **Full Proposal:** Detailed research plan, facilities, budget, suggested/excluded reviewers, and supervisor support. - Technical experts and advisory board participate in review. - About one third of full proposals are selected for funding. - **Anonymized Review:** Application content is anonymized to reduce bias. - **Feedback:** Technical reviews of full proposals are shared with applicants; pre-proposal feedback is not provided. - **Submission:** All applications must be submitted through the Moore Foundation portal. Late applications are not accepted. - **ORCID:** Required for CV/professional background submission. --- ## Additional Information - **Office Hours:** The Moore Foundation team hosts virtual office hours in September and early October for applicant Q&A. - **Teaching Buyout:** Some teaching buyout is permitted, but investigators are expected to maintain standard academic duties. - **Diversity and Inclusion:** Awards are made regardless of age, gender, race, or other protected attributes. - **Competitive Nature:** Around one third of full proposals are funded per cycle. --- ## External Links - [Program Overview & Application Portal](https://www.moore.org/initiative-additional-info?initiativeId=moore-investigators-in-experimental-physics-initiative) - [APS EPI Initiative Page](https://www.aps.org/funding-recognition/grant/experimental-physics-investigator) - [Recent Investigator Cohorts & News](https://www.moore.org/initiative-additional-info?initiativeId=moore-investigators-in-experimental-physics-initiative) - [Sign up for EPI Updates](https://mailchi.mp/moore/epi-subscribe) - [Recent EPI Investigator News](https://www.moore.org/article-detail?newsUrlName=advancing-discovery-2025-experimental-physics-investigators) --- ## Contact Information | Purpose | Contact | |------------------------|---------------------------------------------| | General Inquiries | [epi@moore.org](mailto:epi@moore.org) | | APS Contact | [APS Contact Page](https://www.aps.org/about/contact) | | Moore Foundation Info | [Moore Foundation Contact](https://www.moore.org/about/contact-us) | ---

Experimental Physics Investigator (EPI) Initiative

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