Biological Anthropology Program Senior Research Awards
This grant supports research on human and primate evolution, biological diversity, and interactions between biology, behavior, and culture in various settings and time scales.
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Funder: U.S. National Science Foundation
Due Dates: February 1, 2027 (Winter) | July 30, 2027 (Summer) | Rolling (Other proposals and supplements)
Funding Amounts: Typically $200,000–$600,000 over three years; $5 million estimated program funding
Summary: Supports basic research on human and primate evolution, biological variation, and interactions between biology, behavior, and culture.
Key Information: PIs and co-PIs need a Ph.D. or equivalent education and experience sufficient for independent basic research.
Description
NSF’s Biological Anthropology Program supports basic research on processes shaping biological diversity in living and fossil humans and their primate relatives. Administered by the Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences, it funds work engaging biological anthropological and evolutionary theory through field, laboratory, and computational methods. Projects may span molecular, organismal, population, and ecosystem levels, from short-term processes to evolutionary change.
The program considers ethical implications and societal impacts alongside scientific contributions. Supported broader impacts include training, outreach, broadening participation in STEM, and research outcomes benefiting society. Secondary-data research is encouraged where appropriate. Biocultural and bioarchaeological projects may receive co-review with Cultural Anthropology or Archaeology, at the participating programs’ discretion.
