Captain Eppley was a physical chemist, born in New Jersey in 1883. Studying at Princeton, he received his M.A. in 1912 and his Ph.D. in 1919.

The First World War cut off the US supply of standard cells from Germany that were needed for precise calibration of potentiometers and other electrical manufacturing instruments. At Princeton, Captain Eppley had begun experimentation in the manufacture of these cells and in 1917 launched the Eppley Laboratory in Newport, Rhode Island, to produce them.

In the course of his career, Captain Eppley worked to improve the efficiency and reliability of cadmium standard cells through research in theoretical aspects of electromotive force in Ostwald’s dilution law, relating ionization of an electrolyte to its concentration, and in general theory of solutions. Under Captain Eppley’s guidance, the Eppley Laboratory also entered the field of thermal radiation and today continues to be involved in both laboratory and solar measurement of radiation. Captain Eppley directed the Eppley Laboratory until the end of his life.

In 1947, Captain Eppley established The Eppley Foundation for Research. On his death in 1960, his will created the Eppley Charitable Trust, the income from which also goes to support the work of the Eppley Foundation.

Twice in the course of his career Marion Eppley’s work was interrupted by service to his country. During the First World War he served as a lieutenant commander and he was recalled to duty in 1941 as a captain. He was with the Pacific Fleet until the conclusion of hostilities as personal representative of Chester W. Nimitz, Fleet Admiral, and he was awarded the Legion of Merit.

Today, through Captain Eppley’s generosity and foresight, the Foundation is able to continue to contribute support and encouragement to new generations of scientists in their search for insight into the workings of the world, as was the Captain’s wish.

​​​Board of Directors

Rivington Winant, ​President 1960-2011

Joan O’Meara Winant, ​President
Amy Saar, ​Secretary
Constance Hermance
John Winant, M.D.
Cynthia Zujkowski

Ingrid Eisenstadter, ​Director of Grants

The Eppley Foundation supports advanced, novel, scientific research by PhDs or MDs with an established record of publication in their specialties. Candidates with newly awarded doctorates occasionally, but rarely, meet the Foundation’s requirements for advanced research. Any applicant to the Foundation must be associated with a nonprofit organization with headquarters or a branch office in the US to process the funds. Checks are not issued directly to individuals.

Grants may be awarded for research in foreign countries but only when such applicants are US-based or associated with a US institution that will administer the grant on their behalf. The Foundation rarely considers proposals from foreign nationals studying in the US solely because they are therefore unable to qualify for federal funds.

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Letters of inquiry and grant proposals should be written in language clear to the layman. LOIs, not to exceed 1,000 words, should be received by September 15th or March 15th. Submissions in advance of those deadlines are encouraged. LOIs should specify the sum that will be requested. Invited grant proposals are considered during board meetings in December and June of each year. For invited proposals, due on October 15 or April 15, there is no page limit, but the proposal — as the LOI — is expected to be concise and incorporate clear statements of significance, objectives, novelty, methods, expectations of success, and why the researcher believes the work cannot reasonably expect federal support, or support from other conventional funding sources. There should also be a discussion of the broader ramifications of your work once it is completed.

Notification of a successful application usually follows within two weeks of board meetings. A true emergency may be considered outside this schedule.

Grant recipients should promptly acknowledge receipt of funds.

An interim report, which may be a letter, is required after half a year. A full report is required from grant recipients after one year. This report should follow precisely the sequence of events in the proposal, addressing each step or goal as discussed in the proposal.

Should the need arise for a substantial change in research protocols, timetable or budget allocations, the Foundation should be notified in advance.

​​$5,223, University of Florida:​
"A methane emission model for broad  application, to" create easy-to-use software for manipulation of statistics in methane research of soils emissions.

​$10,000, New York City Audubon:
​"Toxins-uptake analysis of herring gulls in NY Harbor after Superstorm Sandy," to compare with pre-Sandy database of waterbirds as bioindicators in the polluted waters of this densely populated harbor.

​​$10,000, Boise State University, Peregrine Fund:
​"Gyrfalcon diet during the nestling period on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska:  Climate change, seasonal mismatch, and popluation matintenance".

​​$11,900, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles:
​Evolution and Paleobiology of Primitive Birds," to study 100 Chinese fossils of the Mesozoic bird, Confuciousornis sanctus, which is at the crossroads of dinosaur-to-bird evolution.

​$17,900, James Madison University:
​"A systems approach to understanding an ecologically threatened river ecosystem in the Chesapeak Bay Watershed,“ to sequence and investigate the impacts of increasing algal blooms.

​$20,306, World Wildlife Fund:
​​"Monitoring of Africa's longest terrestrial wildlife migration," to track Burchell’s zebra, ​Equus burchelli , in the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, a cooperative effort of five southern African countries, guarding 109 million acres.

​$20,495, Drexel University:
​"Erythritol sweetener as insecticide," to explore the effectiveness of an insecticide that is not toxic to humans.