The Marion Milligan Mason Awards are designed to kickstart the research career of promising future women senior investigators in the chemical sciences. The Marion Milligan Mason Fund provides four grants of $55,000 every other year to women researchers engaged in basic research in the chemical sciences. Awards are for women who are starting their academic research careers. In addition to research funding, the program provides leadership development and mentoring opportunities.

Applicants must be women who:

• Earned a Ph.D. in chemistry, biochemistry, physiology, or any chemistry related field.
• Are early in a research career as teaching or research staff with 10 or fewer years since earning a Ph.D, at the time of application (postdoctoral fellows are not eligible)
• Are teaching or research staff members originating independent research at an American Ph.D.-granting institution.
• Are American-born, naturalized citizens or permanent residents.

Applicants must have a "full-time" career-track appointment. More than one applicant from the same institution can apply for this award, provided that each application is scientifically distinct.

Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows are not eligible for this award.

Applications and supporting documents submitted for consideration for the awards will include:

• An application form and budget.
• A five (5) page research proposal.
• Four (4) letters of recommendation, including one letter from a top-level administrator at the applicant’s institution.

The awardees are required to participate in an award ceremony and in professional development activities. Awardees are expected to begin their proposed research around January 2027 and end on or before January, 2029.