Welcome to the National Academies Keck Futures Initiative
Welcome to the National Academies Keck Futures Initiative (NAKFI), a program of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) with support from the W.M. Keck Foundation. Launched in 2003, NAKFI has been catalyzing interdisciplinary research at the intersection of science, engineering and medicine, and enhancing education among researchers, funding organizations, and universities. We also support scientific communication by awarding four $20,000 cash prizes to those who bring science, engineering and medicine to the public through books, newspapers, television, radio, films and online media. We are an important component of the pursuit of discovery that President Obama, in his speech at the NAS annual meeting in spring of 2009, said is necessary to fuel our prosperity and success as a nation for the next 50 years.
NAKFI’s objectives include enhancing the climate for conducting interdisciplinary research, and breaking down related institutional and systemic barriers. We work toward these objectives by harnessing the intellectual horsepower of approximately 150 of the brightest minds from diverse backgrounds who apply to attend our annual “think-tank” style conference to contemplate the real world challenges of our day; and by awarding seed grants – on a competitive basis – to conference participants to enable further pursuit of bold, new ideas and inspirations generated at the conference. The generative ideas that surface in this process are the impetus for collaborative efforts with new partners toward new frontiers, and often remind us that the whole is better than the sum of its parts.
If you’re interested in interdisciplinary discovery and being part of an intellectually stimulating community, sign up for our email alerts and apply to attend our next conference. Conference attendees comprise the “Futures Network,” a virtual community to connect with fellow NAKFI alumni, share research ideas, search for collaborators and funders, and further the breakthroughs discovered through the NAKFI experience.
NAKFI Accepts Nominations for Communication Awards through February 10, 2012
The Keck Futures Initiative – a program of the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine, with the support of the W.M. Keck Foundation – will award four $20,000 prizes in 2012 to individuals or teams (up to four individuals associated with the creation of the work being nominated) who have developed creative, original works that address issues and advances in science, engineering and/or medicine for the general public.
NAKFI Smart Prosthetics Grant Leads to a $1.2M grant from the National Science Foundation
The National Academies Keck Futures Initiative (NAKFI) Smart Prosthetics Grant, Feedback Control for Smart Prosthetics: An Integrated Electrophysiological and Near-Infrared Methodology, has led led to the award (HCC: Medium: Collaborative Research: Improved Control and Sensory Feedback for Neuroprosthetics) of a $1.2 million grant by the National Science Foundation (NSF). This work has also been highlighted by NSF in its Discoveries Section, Discovery: Technology May Soon Turn Thoughts Into Action (http://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?org=NSF&cntn_id=121203&preview=false). The investigators for this grant include José Contreras-Vidal (University of Maryland), Bent Gillespie (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor), Marcia O’Malley (Rice University), and Patricia Shewokis (Drexel University).
NAKFI Synthetic Biology Grantees Co-Author Review Article on Synthetic Biology
National Academies Keck Futures Initiative (NAKFI) Synthetic Biology Grantees, Michael C. Jewett and Joshua N. Leonard of Northwestern University, along with their students co-authored a review article on Synthetic Biology in the Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology. Drs. Jewett and Leonard each acknowledge the NAKFI program for support in this effort (via their individual grants).
NAKFI Synthetic Biology Grantee Wins Grand Challenges Canada Grant
On June 29, 2011 Grand Challenges Canada announced their Canadian Rising Stars in Global Health Round 1 Grantees. Nineteen innovators were awarded $100,000 grant Synthetic Biology grantee, Ratmir Derda, received $100,000 for his proposal titled Paper as Enabling Platform for Cell-Based Assays for Basic Research and Medical Diagnostics in Resource-Limited Environment.
NAKFI Steering Committee on
The Informed Brain in a Digital World Chair
Michael S. Gazzaniga (NAS/IOM)
NAKFI Steering Committee on Ecosystem Services Chair Stephen R. Carpenter, University of Wisconsin
NAKFI Steering Committee on Imaging Science Chair Farouk El-Baz (NAE), Boston University
National Academies Communication Awards Selection Committee Barbara Schaal (NAS), Washington University
UPCOMING EVENTS
February 9, 2012 3:00 PM PST
Ecosystem Services Grant Application Process Closes
Applications for the NAKFI Seed Grants on Ecosystem Services will be accepted until 3:00 p.m. Pacific Time today. Applicants will be notified of the status of their application by early April
February 10, 2012
Communication Awards Nominations Process Closes
National Academies Communications Awards nominations process closes. Winners will be announced late
August and honored at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. on October 12.
National Academies Keck Futures Initiative
100 Academy 2nd Floor | Irvine, CA 92617 T: 949 721 2270 | F: 949 721 2216 | E:KeckFutures@nas.edu I:www.keckfutures.org
