Nexus Awards

The Nexus Awards are a universitywide initiative launched in 2023 to support convening, research, and teaching anchored at the Johns Hopkins University building at 555 Pennsylvania Ave. Awarded projects and programs span the breadth of the faculty’s scholarship and expertise: Artificial intelligence and health policy, the arts and humanities, global health and gender equity, and much more.

woman wearing goggles and working in a laboratory

In Spring 2023, 40 wide-ranging projects and programs – anchored at the Johns Hopkins University building at 555 Pennsylvania Ave. – received Nexus Awards. The awardees include 102 researchers and scholars from all nine academic divisions of the university.

Nexus Award Recipients

Examine each of the winning projects selected for the 2023-24 academic year.

“The inaugural Nexus awardees will bring exceptional creativity, innovation, and energy to 555 Pennsylvania Avenue, our university’s magnificent new home in Washington, D.C.. These new ideas and opportunities ensure our faculty’s best insights and discoveries
will inform society’s approach to its greatest challenges.”
JHU President Ron Daniels

Convening: Awards up to $100,000 for up to one year for the development and execution of a conference or a series of related events on any topic, to be hosted at 555 Pennsylvania Ave. Example: “Cities and Development in DC: Bringing Research and Policy Together to Solve Problems in Urban Development and Climate Change Adaptation” — Filipe Campante, School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS)

Research: Awards up to $300,000 for up to two years, focusing on either a new area of collaborative work or an expansion of an ongoing area of collaborative work in fundamental, clinical, or applied research, or projects within the arts and humanities. Example: “Evaluating Accuracy and Reproducibility of Forensic Science Methods Used in Criminal Courts” — Michael Rosenblum (Bloomberg School of Public Health), Elizabeth Ogburn (BSPH), Ilya Shpitser (Whiting School of Engineering), Alex McCourt (BSPH)

Teaching: Awards up to $25,000 for up to one year (with the option to renew for a second year) for undergraduate or graduate courses and co-curricular opportunities that will make significant use of 555 Pennsylvania Ave. Example: “National Symphony Orchestra Masterclass” —Marin Alsop (Peabody)

Application Guidelines

The Nexus Awards have four independent streams. Learn more about eligibility, funding, submission guidelines, and review criteria for each stream below.

Applications are closed for 2023; funding for this years recipients began on July 1, 2023.

Frequently Asked Questions

May I apply for a Nexus award in more than one stream?

Yes, applicants may apply to more than one stream, but each stream requires its own proposal.

May Nexus awards be used for expansions of established projects or programs?

Yes, Nexus Awards may expand established projects or programs, as long as the expansion takes place primarily in Washington, D.C.

Do Nexus awards require new interactions between investigators throughout Johns Hopkins?

No. Applicants for Nexus Awards may have previously worked together.

Should Nexus awards focus on a particular topic or area?

Proposals do not need to focus on a particular topic.

Is there D.C.-based support for Nexus award recipients?

Nexus Award recipients have access to D.C.-based support for the implementation of their awards. This support may include, for example, the creation of additional D.C.-based programming for students; access to training for faculty in the translation of research for policymakers; or assistance with D.C.-based outreach for convenings.

When will the new Johns Hopkins building in Washington, D.C. open? May I tour the building before it opens?

The building will open in late summer 2023. Nexus Award recipients will have the opportunity to tour the building shortly after receiving notice of their award.

Can the Johns Hopkins building in Washington, D.C. accommodate wet labs or other similar facilities?

The building cannot accommodate wet labs.

How many classrooms does the building have?

The building has 38 classrooms that range in size from 24 to 80 seats. The building also has a host of smaller rooms that can accommodate seminar-style courses.

What size convening or conference can the building accommodate?

The building can host events for up to several hundred people. The building’s theater can accommodate up to 375 people. Groups of this size can also be accommodated on the building’s conferencing levels (floors 8, 9, and 10).

May I offer a meal or gift to a public official?

As a general rule, faculty, staff, and any affiliated organization or entity should refrain from offering meals, tickets, travel, or other gifts of any value to public officials; such activity is prohibited or conditionally restricted by federal, state, and local laws. Gifts are allowed in certain situations, so please direct any questions to the offices of Federal Strategy (for federal officials) or State & Local Affairs (for officials on a state or local government level).