The IAE conceived the idea of setting up the talent program in order to strengthen the recruitment and training of young scientists, support and encourage them to do innovative and creative research, and make effort to build a "national team" of high-level young talents.

The "Greenfield Talent Program" is a follow-up program for those who were granted the "Special Research Assistants Program". It mainly supports young researchers who are under the age of 35, have the ability to carry out scientific research independently, have clear research goals and ideas, have high potential in achieving innovative research, and have not been funded by a national or CAS level talent program. 

The full program period will be three years. Each of the selected candidates will get a research fund of one million yuan (150,000 dollars approx.), and will be hired as an associate researcher.