Research funding and scientific careers

In this chapter, we explore the catalytic human capital outcomes of grant funding, relevant to a career-stage model of research careers. To do this, we provide an overview of the state of knowledge on the relationship between funding and research careers. Because funding tools that target various career stages have emerged over time, we identify several important trends in research funding and their consequences for the support of research careers. Our discussion is organized around career stages to highlight the early, mid, and later career factors relevant to the design of funding instruments and how career scripts are reflected in, and potentially shaped by these career-stage-specific instruments. We conclude with a discussion of the knowledge gaps relevant to improving our understanding of the relationships between research funding and academic careers, with suggestions for future research.