The Mensa Foundation’s Early Career Researcher Mini-Grant provides a $2,500 award to post-doctoral researchers or early career faculty for research related to intelligence, creativity, or gifted education. The program seeks proposals for research projects regarding those who are gifted or twice exceptional or on human intelligence or creativity.
Mini-Grants are awarded for research related to intelligence, creativity, and gifted education. The purpose of the awards program is to promote research on the nature of intelligence and giftedness and to support the development of a research agenda focused on issues that will promote the understanding and support of intelligence.
There is no restriction to the type of study to be conducted, data sets used, or participants. Mensa members as participants if their study meets Mensa’s Research Review guidelines and has their university’s Institutional Review Board approval. As part of the proposal, applicants provide a budget that outlines anticipated research-related expenses.
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Applications must be received by Jan. 31.
Early Career Research Mini-Grants are available for post-doctoral researchers and faculty members who are in the first five years of their career since receiving their doctoral degree. Applications are encouraged from fields and disciplines closely related to gifted education, creativity, and intelligence including educational psychology, psychology, psychometrics, special education, and educational leadership and administration. Applicants for this one-year, non-renewable award must be employed at an accredited U.S. university.
Recipients should acknowledge the Mensa Foundation in any publication or presentation related to the study. A written report of the completed research study should be sent to the Mensa Foundation. Award recipients may be invited to present their work at an American Mensa Annual Gathering or Regional Gathering with conference fee waived. Stipends for travel to Mensa Gatherings may be available on a case-by-case basis.
Early Career Research Mini-Grant recipients may accept concurrent funding from other sources. Employees of American Mensa and members of the American Mensa Committee or Foundation Board of Trustees are not eligible to apply. Funding will be issued by check from the Mensa Education and Research Foundation directly to the awardee.
Applications will be reviewed by a committee. Evaluation criteria will include the significance of the research question, strength of methodology, potential contribution of the study to the field of intelligence or gifted education, and the applicant’s related experience and contributions to the field of study.
For more information, please contact our Foundation Director.