About iAMscientist

iAMscientist is a global community of science, technology and medical researchers who come together to accelerate research, support career development and drive the distribution of discoveries. We welcome participation from everyone passionate about the next big idea.

How iAMscientist will impact research

iAMscientist was borne of the observation that the way research progresses towards discovery has changed.

New tools, better models and faster data collection techniques all serve to make research interdisciplinary, collaborative, data driven, and much less predictable. As a result, new directions and new hypotheses often arise without published preliminary evidence. However, these are the ideas that have the potential to become the discoveries that change the way we live, cure disease and interact with each other.

These important changes in research funding and practice have not yet impacted the process of funding science. The application process is complex, can take up to two years from beginning to end and lacks transparency. This encourages large-scale projects but ignores the transformational impact that new colleagues, new ideas or new technologies can have on the direction of research. The existing funding system is not designed to support the small, well-defined investigator initiated projects that often blaze a trail to important discoveries. It is no wonder, then, that the success rate for grant applications has been declining. A new system to fund research and realize new ideas is needed.

iAMscientist is designed to fill this gap by providing a community based and open platform to fund and distribute research. Our goal is simplify and accelerate the funding process by encouraging very well defined projects with modest funding requirements that can be quickly considered and funded by the community.

How iAMscientist works

The cornerstone of iAMscientist is the belief that the community of practicing researchers is the best support and vetting mechanism for new research proposals.

At the heart of our community is the Open Access Funding Platform (OAFP). OAFP provides two avenues of participation. The first is as a platform for researchers to propose and discuss tightly defined projects with clear goals and objectives. Once a project is approved for posting the Project Investigator can solicit the funding required to execute their project. The second is for the community to support one another by financially backing projects posted on the OAFP.

There is no minimum required number of projects to fund, nor is there a minimum amount of funding. The number of projects members fund and amount of funding members provide is a personal decision to be made by each iAs community member as an expression of support for research. In this way we will individually and collectively take control of our research and transform our work. Read more about what it takes to post a project in our FAQ.

By making it to possible for researchers to pursue their work with a simpler funding process on a faster timeline we will help to accelerate discoveries across fields of research. Government and NGO (not for profit institutions and foundations) funding sources, as well as commercial partner sponsorships, will have the opportunity to support projects funded on iAs; and to fund the continuation of important research begun with iAs funding. Finally and importantly, projects which are funded through OAFP, will be included in the PI's iAs Profile. This new and important form of "credentialing" will identify skills, experiences and interests not reflected in a traditional CV. Members will find this rich Profile a powerful tool when seeking additional funding, new employment opportunities, consulting contracts and collaboration opportunities.

What are the benefits of the iAMscientist funding platform?

The most important benefit of posting a project on iAMscientist is that researchers can fund and launch innovative projects easily and quickly.

Our fast track funding for transformational research will increase transparency and accountability while decreasing the time and resources required to get funded. Colleagues, individuals, NGO's, government agencies and corporations can all provide funding.

We have designed this platform for anyone with a passion for research. Our goal is to provide an easy to access platform to secure funding for well-defined projects. Any member wishing to propose a research project or an experiment for consideration by the community can access a simple application process, hosted on the iAs site. The research community will then have the opportunity to share their thoughts on the design and goals of the project and to contribute funding to the project. The requirements to submit a project for OAFP are straightforward, and there is no cost.

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Our Vision

We believe that science, technology and medical research have outgrown the existing funding and publishing resources. iAMscientist is a new model, one that is open to all where researchers as a community control their destiny.

Mission

Our mission is to transform the pace of discovery by providing a new platform to fund and share research.

Values

WE BELIEVE in the democratization of research and that the research community is the best arbiter of what research to fund.

WE BELIEVE that the current funding process has a low grant success rate because it only rewards large scale, long term projects at a time when the pace of innovation demands that research projects be more granular, of shorter duration and executed at lower cost.

WE BELIEVE that by creating an open access model for research funding we will recognize researchers, accelerate science and technology and reward leadership and commitment.

WE BELIEVE the best outcomes for research occur in an environment that encourages innovation and creativity to increase efficiency and effectiveness.

WE DEVELOP community to build an integrated approach to accelerating research accessibility and effectiveness.

WE CONDUCT every aspect of our business with the highest ethical standards and integrity.

WE DO the right thing, always, for scientists, their commercial partners, funders and our employees.

WE VALUE AND EMPOWER our community, including researchers of every stripe and their partners, to succeed in a community based on trust, respect, loyalty, and commitment to advancing research and the creation of new and valuable Intellectual Property.

The Team