BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop
BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop
Fellowship & Grant Writing
2014
Profs Neil Gow & Alistair Brown
BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop
Purpose:
To provide help and guidance for early career researchers
considering applying for a personal fellowship or new
investigator grant, either now or in the future.
maximise efficiency and success in these schemes.
Relevant to:
Most PDRAs and a few final year PhDs
Those wishing to remain at their host institution
Those wishing to move inistution
BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop
Prof Neil Gow Prof Alistair Brown Wellcome trust Strategic Award in Medical Mycology and Fungal Immunology
Good communication and effective planning are important!
BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop
Happily doing experiments / research
Then one day ... a letter arrives from university HR... “Dr
Brilliant’s (i.e. your) contract will terminate in 6 months on
(date). What are you doing about it?”
...or write a
fellowship
(quickly)!
BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop
Career track – the olden days
PhD PDRA PDRA(2) Advertised job
Career track – 2012
Creates
your own
niche
PhD PDRA Fellowship
PDRA(2)
BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop
Fellowships can open the door to your future career
BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop
But what about the needs of your University?
Need to know the credentials of the
fellowship applicant
Want the fellowship to be a good fit with
the strategic research vision
Want the research fellow to be properly
supported and mentored
Wants the process of application to be
on time and well managed
BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop
Some realities about fellowship applications
Fellowship season is September – February
Fellowships schemes are highly competitive
Many fellowship applications are presently
delivered to the university administration (R&I /
RFS) at the very last minute
Many fellowship applications are submitted
without adequate time for peer review, polishing
and refinement
BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop
We need a plan
BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop
10 point plan
[1] Do your homework - get information
[2] Inform your university of your intentions
[3] Get a career mentor
[4] Plan your strategy – what / when?
[5] Interview with head of department?
[6] Application mentor / buddy / peer reviewers assigned
[7] Institutional endorsement
[8] Personal timetable – timelines for submission
Also
[9] Rehearsal interviews
[10] Responding to reviewers
BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop
Fellowship
writing
CV
building
BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop
Fellowship A
Fellowship B
Fellowship C
Fellowship A
Fellowship B
Fellowship C
c.v. building
c.v. building
c.v. building
BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop
Some sobering
statistics
Fellowship Scheme Success Rate
Wellcome Trust
Henry Welcome 10% (20% of full p’s)
MRC
Career Development Award 10%
Clinical Research Training Fellowship 24%
All schemes (502/97) 19%
BBSRC
David Phillips* 10%
NERC
All schemes 15%
EPSRC
Career Acceleration Fellowships 42% (full invited p’s)
Leadership Fellowships 40% (full invited p’s)
Royal Society
University Research Fellowship 7.6%
Dorothy Hodgkin 4%
*BBSRC: successful
applicants have approx. 10
publications
Averages 3.25 papers per
postdoc year.
BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop
Best fit fellowships– horses for courses
• Fellowships schemes vary enormously (level of
experience, scope, years funded, maximum
value etc). Do your homework.
• Specialised fellowships have specific missions –
make sure that you fit bill.
• Don’t waste your time on fellowships
that just don’t fit your profile or
level of experience.
BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop
Fellowship
success
rates
5-20%
fund
grey
area -
discuss
reject
BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop
Employed on grant
Named on grant
Applicant on grant
Fellowship
First responsibility is to deliver
research findings
Some input into application
Application for salary; joint with PI
You write the application
ECR
Project grant
Programme grant
Equipment grant
Fellowship
PI
Usually 1-2 posts, consumables
and minor equip, 2-3 y
3-5 posts, cons’ & equip, 2-5-7 y
Very variable, 1-7 y
3-5 posts, cons’ & equip, 2-5-7 y
BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop
Most important advice
Prepare carefully
Start early
Get lots of help
Polish, polish, polish
BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop
What is the question?
Why is it critically important?
Why you are competent to do it
How the field will be advanced when it is done
The first thing to say in every grant
BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop
Make the question clear, up front and big!
Brand new or me too – is this novel & important?
Don’t lose track of the question in a mass of
methodological detail
Sustain the logic & return to the question at intervals
Good story telling is essential
BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop
Establishing credibility (risk reduction)
Track record Publications – very important
Pilot studies existing research project
summer students
honor's students projects
Compete or collaborate? letters of support
offers of materials
offers of expertise
BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop
Title: snappy, but meaningful and
attention grabbing
The first sentences are critical
Get the reader’s attention - not
everyone is as interested in your
subject as you are!
Use clear section titles/ sub-
headings to provide signposts;
Be excited, enthusiastic but
realistic;
Follow the guidance
Finish with a bang not a whimper
– pull it all together!
BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop
All sections of the grant are important
Lay and technical summaries
Pathways to impact
Data sharing
Resources etc
Get them all peer reviewed
BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop
Designed to provide best advice on structure and content;
Essential aid to improve applications and increase chances of
success;
At least two reviewers in addition to mentor; try to get one expert
and one non-expert. Specialist, non-specialist, pedant
If it’s not covered in red ink, it probably has not been adequately
reviewed – all applications have flaws, some major - others minor.
Don’t ask a reviewer to read a preliminary draft – give them the first
complete, polished draft.
Don’t expect them to give you an answer within 24 h – they have a
life too!
Peer review – your greatest friend
BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop
CRITICAL review required
no more Mr Nice Guy
Seek reviews from ...
specialists (facts)
non-specialists (logic/ clarity)
locals
national & international colleagues
someone who can spell
Someone who has applied recently “buddy”
Remember that 90% of the grant review panel
will NOT be experts in your field
BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop
Peer review – Neil’s last grant
Gordon Brown (2)
Al Brown (2)
Frank Odds
Megan Lenardon
Carol Munro
Donna MacCallum
Lars Erwig
Ian Stansfield
Danny Aaltman (Wellcome Trust)
David Barry (Glasgow)
Neighbours (financial advisor & geneticist)
Kirsteen Watt (DCR
Gillian Auld (R&I and wife!)
BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop
How long will it take?
A good grant will
Require multiple (5-10) drafts;
Require at least 4-8 weeks preparation/writing time
With respect to the submission deadline we require
Advanced (>2 weeks) notice to university administration
(brief details and approx costs & advice)
Equipment may require institutional contribution – takes
time to arrange
3 weeks in which the application can be reviewed
internally and for changes to be made;
1 week to finalise finance and get signatures.
BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop
Start early and plan in advance
Accept mentoring and internal peer review
Be positive but be realistic
Read and follow the rules
Present case logically and simply
Justify the importance of your research
Ensure essential collaborations are in place
Make sure the outcomes are clearly stated
BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop
Target the right funding body
Follow the guidelines
Feasible yet exciting research project
Address well-defined questions that test a clear hypothesis
Make science accessible to the non-expert
Polished presentation
Credible applicant(s) – collaborators?
CONCLUSIONS
BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop
Make it interesting
Establish your credibility & collaborate effectively
Define the question up front
Sustain the logic
Be realistic
Don’t be greedy
Give yourself time
Get critical peer review
Polish and refine
CONCLUSIONS
BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop
Think big, plan well and expect success
BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop
BSMM /WTSA MMFI Grants and
fellowships workshop