Kansas Bioscience Eminent Scholars

The Kansas Bioscience Eminent Scholars Program is designed to recruit distinguished bioscience researchers to conduct their research and commercialization activities at Kansas research institutions. An eminent scholar is an individual acknowledged as a scholar of distinction by national measures. As such, he or she should have a continuously distinguished record of research and scholarly achievement. The expectation is that the most substantial contributions to the discipline will be in the future work of the Kansas Bioscience Eminent Scholar. Moreover, a Kansas Bioscience Eminent Scholar not only generates and disseminates knowledge but is engaged in the education and training of other scholars.

Program Goals

  • Embrace the goal of the Kansas Economic Growth Act to enhance the national eminence of selected outstanding academic research programs in the biosciences at Kansas universities;
  • Enhance the competitiveness of already outstanding research programs that, through the leadership of a Kansas Bioscience Eminent Scholar, will gain increased national visibility while providing direct support for continued research and commercialization; and
  • Through the research and commercialization activities of the new Kansas Bioscience Eminent Scholar, make important, direct contributions to Kansas’ capabilities for research and innovation in the biosciences.

Eligibility

All universities and colleges located in Kansas conducting bioscience research are eligible to apply for funding under the Kansas Bioscience Eminent Scholars Program. To qualify for funding under this program the proposing institution must match KBA funds.

Key Evaluation Criteria

  1. Scholar’s qualifications, leadership, commitment to education, and ability to attract R&D investment, as well as the impact the scholar will have on enhancing the vitality of bioscience research at the institution.
  2. Institutional commitment and plans for raising funds for the program, as well as the plan for recruitment of the desired scholar.
  3. A clear and concise statement describing how the eminent scholar will address critical statewide needs for technology commercialization in the biosciences.

Proposals submitted for funding under the Eminent Scholars Program will be subjected to a rigorous peer review by a panel of nationally known experts in the biosciences who live and work outside of Kansas.

Eminent Scholars Overview and Application

“We have some very exciting life sciences companies in various stages of development here in our region, and with support from the Kansas Bioscience Authority, we have a much better opportunity to be successful and to grow and retain them here.”

- Sam Campbell, Co-founder, CritiTech