Simons Collaborations in Mathematics and the Physical Sciences program

The Simons Foundation invites letters of intent for its Simons Collaborations in Mathematics and the Physical Sciences (MPS) program, which aims to stimulate progress on fundamental scientific questions of major importance in mathematics, theoretical physics, and theoretical computer science.

A Simons Collaboration in MPS should address a mathematical or theoretical topic of fundamental scientific importance, where a significant, new development creates a novel area for exploration or provides a new direction for progress in an established field. The questions addressed by the collaboration may be concrete or conceptual, but there should be little doubt that answering them would constitute a major scientific milestone. The project should have clearly defined initial activities and goals by which progress and success can be measured. The support from the foundation should be seen as critical for the project’s objectives.

The project should involve outstanding researchers in various career stages, and the project should be organized and managed in a manner engendering a high level of collaboration. Each collaboration is led by a collaboration director who is expected to determine the scientific agenda, coordinate the scientific activities of the other members, determine (in collaboration with the other members) the scientific themes, coordinate a collaboration website, and organize collaboration meetings and activities as appropriate, including a two-day annual meeting at the foundation. The director will be the foundation’s main contact for the collaboration activities. They will be responsible for monitoring the overall progress of the research effort and deciding on research directions and personnel as the collaboration evolves.

A Simons Collaboration in MPS is budgeted at up to $2 million per year for four years, including indirect costs. The scientific impact of the collaboration will be evaluated at the year-four annual meeting, and an extension of three additional years may be granted. 

To be eligible, the collaboration director must hold a tenured faculty, or equivalent, position at a U.S. or Canadian educational institution, on campus within these countries, with a PhD program in the director’s department at the time of application. PIs and co-investigators (co-Is) must hold a tenured or tenure-track faculty, or equivalent, position at an educational institution at the time of application and for the duration of the award. There are no restrictions on the department and/or discipline of the director or PIs/co-Is. PIs, co-Is, and other collaboration participants may be from non-U.S. institutions.

An individual may be part of more than one letter of intent (LOI) or full proposal, as long as all eligibility requirements are met. There is no LOI limit per institution or individual. An active PI on a currently funded collaboration project can be part of an LOI or proposal but cannot participate on more than one funded collaboration. Additionally, active Math+X Investigators cannot be a funded director or PI in a collaboration.

Letters of intent are due October 31, 2024, at 12 noon ET and selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal, due February 25, 2025, at 12 noon ET.

For complete program guidelines and application instructions, see the Simons Foundation website.