Most research funding is awarded in grants that last for five years or less, says Nicole White, a statistician at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia. But short funding cycles favour projects that are able to deliver results quickly, which can disadvantage high-risk but potentially ground-breaking research and cut promising work short before its impact is fully realized, she says. 'Some of the most impactful scientific discoveries have taken decades, not years, to achieve,' White adds. Dou Xiankang, president of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), described the agency's latest initiative at a forum held by the New Cornerstone Science Foundation in Shenzhen on 19 September. He said that 44 researchers under the age of 35 (women under 38) had been chosen, including 9 from outside China, as part of the National Distinguished Young Scientists Fund. Their names and projects have not been released. At the forum, Dou said the 15-year grants would...
learn more
