- ANKURDESAI,AOS,DEPTSEMINAR

A modest proposal for getting funded in the

atmospheric and oceanic sciences for graduate school and beyond

Wikimedia

https://thefablesoup.wordpress.com/2016/03/03/jonathan-swifts-use-of-irony-in-a-modest-proposal/

Sciencecostsmoney

MyModestProposal

• Ifyouwanttosucceedasascientistinourfield,youneedtobewritingproposalsfrequently– Fundable,goodideasarebuiltonthebacksoflotsofbadideas

Proposalwritingisimprovedprimarilybyfrequentpractice

Current:

Inprep:

Pending:

Past:

Andgettingusedtorejectionandfailure!

Every$$helps

• A.Independentfundingsource• B.Practiceinproposalwriting• C.Prestige

Fellowshipsandawardsthatprovidestipend,travel,supplies,orotherincidentalsareworthgoingafter!

Let’splayNameThatJargon!

PI

• PrincipalInvestigator

• Co-PI,Co-I,Seniorpersonnel• PDRA:Post-doctoralresearchassociate

PM/PO/PD

• Programmanager,officer,director

RFP

• RequestForProposals

• FOA:FundingOpportunityAnnouncement• Solicitation• CallforProposals• GPG:GrantProposalGuide

GPG

• GrantProposalGuide

• HandbookforProposers• NSFPAPPG:https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=gpg

NOI

• NoticeofIntent

• LOI:LetterofIntent• Preproposal• Stage1/Step1proposal

ROSES

• ResearchOpportunitiesinSpaceandEarthSciences(NASA)

IDC

• InDirect Costs

• F&A:FacilitiesandAdministrativeCosts• Overhead

COI

• ConflictofInterest

• Collaborators• IdentifiedonCV(curriculumvitae)orseparateCOIdocumentand/orlistofcurrentandpendingproposals

NSPIRES

• NASASolicitationandProposalIntegratedReviewandEvaluationSystem

• Fastlane• Grants.gov /Research.gov• NOAAGrantsonline

• Submission,reviewing,panels,awardannouncements,reporting

WISPER

• WISconsin ProposalElectronicRouting

• RSP:ResearchandSponsoredPrograms• OfficeofSponsoredPrograms• https://www.rsp.wisc.edu/index.html

EPSCoR

• EstablishedProgramtoStimulateCompetitiveResearch(EPSCoR)

A.IndependentFundingSources• NSFGFRP• NIHPre-doctoraltraininggrants• NOAA• EPASTAR• DOESCGFandSCGSR• NASANESSF• DODSMART• AMS• AAAS• SCAR(Antarctica),3rd worldtravel• UNESCO• NationalAcademyofSciencesNRC• Privatefoundations:Hetrz,Ford,MacArthur,McNair,HHMI• Fulbright• Universityfellowships:AOF• Smallerawards:GradschoolandAOStravelawards,WISELIspeakerawards

Post-docs,too• NSFAGS• NSFIRFP(International)• NOAAClimateandGlobalChange• NCARAdvancedStudyProgram• NationalAcademypost-docs• DOEORISE• HarvardEnvironmentalFellowsProgram• MarieCurie(EU)• Mostnationallabs,manyprivateuniversities,andafewfoundations

Whatmighttheycover?

• Stipend,partialorfull,9or12month• Benefits• MaterialsandSupplies• Equipment• Travel• Tuition,partialorwaiver(rulesvary)

Let’slookatseveral• https://www.nsfgrfp.org/• https://www2.ametsoc.org/ams/index.cfm/information-for/students/ams-scholarships-and-fellowships/ams-graduate-fellowships/

• https://science.nasa.gov/researchers/sara/grant-stats/nasa-earth-and-space-science-fellowship-nessf-selections

• http://science.energy.gov/wdts/scgsr/• https://spacegrant.carthage.edu/funding-programs/research/wsgc-fellowship/

Campusresources

• https://grad.wisc.edu/studentfunding/workshops/• GradSchoolProfessionalDevelopment• AOSstaff:SonjaJohnsonandChelseaDahmen• Graduatechair• Successfulstudents

Thingstowatchoutfor• Strictdeadlinesandfineprint(readtheRFP!)• Pagelimits,margins,fonts(readtheGPG!)• Submissionmethod(email,NSPIRES/Fastlane,paper,WISPER)• Eligibilityrules(citizenshipstatus,careerstage,minorityorgender

focus,researchtopics)• Specificexpectations(summerinternships,post-graduation

position,annualreports)• Whogetspaidandwhopaystaxes(directtoyouorpayrollthrough

University)• Tuitionremissionandhealthinsurancedetails

– UWallowsfellowstocountasin-state.Sometimesbettertowaitfordissertatorstatus

• Fundingrates(typically10-15%,sometimesalothigher,rarelyalotlower)

• Mostfellowshipsprovidelessthantypicallengthofdegree.Haveaplanforhowtofundbefore/during/after.Haveabackupplan.

B.PracticeinProposalWriting

• Acareerthatinvolvesscientificresearchwillinsomeformoranotherinvolveforming,writing,managing,and/orreportingonfunding

Proposalwritingisthesinglemostcreativeendeavorwedoasscientists

Typicalelementsofafellowshipproposal

• Researchplanorstatementofwork(2-5pages)– Workscitedmaybeincorporatedorseparate

• Personal/careerstatement(1-2pages)• Lettersofrecommendationorreference(1-3)– Letterfromadvisorordepartmentchairorhostinstitute.Focusonacademicswhoknowyouinresearchcapacity

• Transcript(earlycareeronesinparticular)orCV(post-docinparticular)

• Budget(rareorpro-forma)andjustification• Forms(always)• “BroaderImpacts”(ifagencyrequiresit)(1-2pages)

Gettingstarted

• Findoutwhat’sbeenfunded,askforcopiesofsuccessfulonesfromyourprogram

• Talktoprogrammanagersifunsureaboutfitofanidea

• Competitiveproposalsarenotwrittenovernight

• Thinkofthereviewer!Youmightevengettoreadthereviews

Agoodresearchplan• Anearly-hook(firstparagraph!):Strongmotivation– Whyisthisinteresting?Andwhat’sbeentriedbefore?Therefore,whatareyou

goingtodo?

• Anovelidea:Interestingquestion,hypothesisorobjective– ConnecttospecificgoalsoftheRFP,accessibletoanyscientist

• Adoableapproach– What’syourbestideasofar?Specific,excitingbutnotoverlyambitioussetof

tasks,clearconnectionofeachactivitytoobjectivesandhypotheses,recognitionofwhattodoifproposedapproachfails.Avoidjargonandacronyms.

• Cleardeliverables– Papers,conferences,websites,data,professionaldevelopment

• Logicalmanagementplan– Qualified,expertpersonnel,wellarticulatedtimeline,sustainabledata

managementandsafetyplansifneeded

• Integratedbroaderimpacts– Howdoestheproposalhelpyouasadevelopingscholar,advancethefieldat

large,theagencyanditsmission,includeparticipationbyfuturestudents,enhanceyourcommunity, andthegeneralpublic/society?Istherearoleformentoringorbroadeningaccessofscience?

Exercise

• Writea3sentenceintroductoryabstracttoafellowshipproposalin3minutes

• Sharewithpartner• Partnertaketurnsreadingoutloudtoeachother

• Provideyourgutfeeling/feedback• Rate:E/VG/G/F/P

C.Prestige• Allawardsandfellowshipscountas“funding”inyourCV• NSFGFRPfellowsinparticulararehighlysoughtafterby

everygraduateprograminthecountry• Independentawardsgiveyoumorecontroloverdirection

ofyourthesisorpost-docresearch (thoughpotentiallywithlessaccesstootherresources)

• Managingmoneyforresearchisnon-trivialandhardtolearnexceptbydoingit

• Learningtotalktoprogrammanagersisagoodskill.Gototownhallsatconferences.

• Ininterviewsyouwillbeasked,“Howwillyoufundyourresearch?Howwillyoumanagealab?”Easiertoanswerifyou’vealreadydoneit,oreventriedtodoit!

BigPoints

• Fellowshipsarecompetitive,buthavealottooffer.Everythingcounts.Applyearlyandoften

• ReadRFPandpayattentiontoallrulesanddeadlines!Startearly.Talktotheprogram.UsecampusandAOSresources.

• Justgoingthroughtheprocess,evenifunsuccessful,iscriticaltoyourprofessionaldevelopmentasascholar

Thanks!

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