For European nations, retaining scientific talent is difficult. And getting it back once the leading lights have left the country is even harder. But a scheme by Britain's Royal Society is proving that neither goal is impossible. In less than a year, the Royal Society-Wolfson Research Merit Award has secured places for 20 researchers at British universities.

In a recent round, three of the awards attracted scientists working in the United States back to the United Kingdom. These include a British expert in quantum chemistry who left England when he was 13 (see Movers).

Although the award's administrators don't explicitly state that their aim is to entice British scientists back, they quietly celebrate such victories. “It's a bonus if there's a candidate from abroad,” says Charlotte Ennis, manager of research appointments for the Royal Society.

The award is attractive because it provides up to a further £75,000 (US$107,000) per year over five years — up to half of which can be applied as a salary supplement and the remainder as research expenses. After five years, the institution can determine ways to continue its support.

Universities apply for the award by nominating someone they already have on staff or whom they wish to recruit (see http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/funding/index.html). There are now four rounds of awards each year, with up to seven appointments per round.

If the scheme becomes a permanent fixture, it could make a sizable impact on British science. And perhaps European countries that suffer from even more serious brain drains (see Nature 415, 245; 2002) will adopt similar schemes.