Fostering Scientific Breakthroughs: A Look Inside Kaufman Day

Each year, a dedicated group of scientists gathers for a pivotal event known as "Kaufman Day." This is the one day of the year that the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) of the Charles E. Kaufman Foundation meets in person to finalize its grant recommendations, shaping the future of scientific research in Pennsylvania.

This September, the SAB convened at The Pittsburgh Foundation to carry out this important work. For most members, it was a familiar journey, as six of the seven have served on the board since the Foundation's inception. This year, we were pleased to welcome Dr. Bekka Klausen for her first Kaufman Day, bringing a fresh perspective to the group’s deliberations.

A Commitment to Rigorous and Fair Review
The work of Kaufman Day is the culmination of a meticulous, multi-stage review process designed to identify the most promising research proposals. Our commitment to a fair and transparent process ensures every application receives the careful consideration it deserves.

Here’s how the process unfolds:

• Conflict of Interest Check: To maintain impartiality, SAB members first declare any potential conflicts. They do not review proposals from their own institutions or those submitted by researchers with whom they have a professional affiliation.
• Comprehensive Review: This year, the SAB assessed a total of 31 full proposals across three categories: 13 New Initiative, 13 New Investigator and 5 Integrated Research-Education Grants (IREG).
• Assigned Reviewers: Each proposal is assigned a primary, secondary, and tertiary reviewer from the SAB. This core group leads the in-depth discussion on the day of the meeting.

• Initial Scoring: Before the meeting, all SAB members independently score every proposal on a 1 to 5 scale. These scores help structure the order of discussion, starting with the highest-rated submissions.

   

The Deliberation Process
This year, the SAB dedicated nearly seven hours to a thorough discussion of each proposal’s merits. During these deliberations, members advocate for proposals, debate their potential impact and collaboratively determine a final ranking. Detailed notes are taken throughout the session to provide valuable, constructive feedback to every applicant, which is available to applicants upon request. The final step is confirming the grant recommendations by the Charles E. Kaufman Foundation's Board of Directors. 

Our goal is to foster innovation and support visionary science. This collective effort ensures that the most impactful and promising research is recommended for funding.