Eleven emerging scientists will soon take on some of Hawaiʻi’s most urgent environmental and scientific challenges through a new University of Hawaiʻi systemwide postdoctoral fellowship program, funded by a $2 million grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. From safeguarding coral reefs to exploring the origins of the universe, these scholars will help drive discoveries to shape the future of the Pacific and beyond.
“As federal support for research becomes increasingly constrained, philanthropy plays a crucial role in fueling innovation and discovery,” said Harvey V. Fineberg, president of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. “At the Moore Foundation, we invest where science can make long-term, measurable change and in the talented people whose ideas will shape the future.”
Developed through a partnership among UH’s Office of Strategic Philanthropic Partnerships, UH Mānoa’s Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Scholarship (OVPRS) and UH Foundation, this initiative strengthens the university’s research enterprise, encourages interdisciplinary collaboration and supports the development of future scientific leaders.
“This fellowship program exemplifies the power of strategic philanthropic partnership,” said OVPRS Research Program Officer Tarra McNally. “Our long-standing relationship with the Moore Foundation continues to nurture the next generation of scholars who will advance research in Hawaiʻi and beyond.”
From 2025 to 2028, the program will support 11 postdoctoral scholars working in astronomy, oceanography, life sciences, geophysics, atmospheric science and other fields vital to Hawaiʻi and the Pacific. Each fellow will receive up to two years of funding for salary and benefits, enabling them to focus on high-impact projects addressing critical scientific and environmental challenges.
“The Moore Foundation has been a steadfast partner to the University of Hawaiʻi for many years,” said Chad Walton, interim vice president for research and innovation. His office oversees research operations across the university’s 10 campuses. “Their sustained investment has strengthened UH research programs across disciplines—supporting scientists, seeding discovery and elevating Hawaiʻi’s role as a global leader in innovation.”
Building on that history of support, UH President Wendy Hensel added, “The Moore Foundation’s ongoing commitment has enabled UH researchers to pursue bold ideas that might otherwise go unexplored. This fellowship program continues that legacy, empowering early-career scholars whose work will expand knowledge, drive innovation and benefit communities across Hawaiʻi and the Pacific.”
Founded by Gordon and Betty Moore, the foundation supports breakthroughs in science and environmental conservation. Through this fellowship, UH and the Moore Foundation are investing in people, research and ideas that will help build a more sustainable and informed future.
For more information about the fellowship program, visit the Office of Strategic Philanthropic Partnerships website.
