NSF CAREER Proposal Writing Workshop

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NSF CAREER Proposal Writing Workshop

• Mark E. Lewis
• November 13, 2004

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Know your audience

• Mostly senior faculty
• Various backgrounds (not necessarily in your
  particular field)
• Some will read closelysome may not
• Knowing your work a priori helps

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Take advantage of your resources

• Use senior faculty in your department (do you
  have a mentor?)
• Talk to people at conferencesmaybe even use them
• Know your program officer
• Talk to your advisor if possible

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Technical Component

• If you are not in the top 3 or 4, it is waste of
  time
• Explain your objectives, maybe even list the
  tasks you want to complete
• Be ambitious (it is a 5 year plan!)
• Show that you have already had some success
• This is not to come from your thesis

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Education Component

• Assume you are already in the top 3-4
• You can set yourself apart with the education
  component
• Everybody includes introduce a new class
• Find where your passion is

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Add-ons

• Can you get cost sharing from your university?
• Use the writing centers at your university
• The feedback you get may be harshbuck-up
• It is not the end of the world if you do not get
  it

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My Story

• Original proposal considered different problems
  same methodology
• Discussed joint work with senior faculty
• Had all the standard bells and whistles class
  development, collabos with industry, some
  minority service stuff

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The Result

• Disappointment!
• No clearly defined objective
• Dependent on others to pull me along
• Education plan was really nothing to write home
  about
• Completely reasonable reviews

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Second Career

• Took one problem area from Career 1 and expanded
• Nixed problems with senior faculty (although I
  did pursue one of them)
• Took my work and expanded it considerably
• Shortened course development and increased
  Minority service component

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Whats the difference?

• It is my CAREER, so senior faculty may be
  involved, but not significantly
• Focusing on one problem area allowed for a more
  cohesive proposal
• Used solo-authored paper to show (independent)
  potential
• Minority service component set apart my education
  plan

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Pre-preparation

• Asked Senior faculty to read my proposal
  including a former program director
• Got help on the intro from writing center
• Had a layperson read the intro
• All had harsh feedback all were very helpful

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Results

• I won, but more importantly
• A more precise plan was implemented research
  plan for the next 5 years
• Minority service resulted in increase in number
  of doctoral students in IOE
• PECASE positions my tenure case well

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If you do not get the award

• You have a nice start toward a solo grant
• You might be able to peal away parts for
  interesting collabos
• Most importantly, you have a cohesive career plan
  that can lead you toward PT

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Conclusions

• Use all of the resources at your disposal
  period.
• Shameless plug Were hiring send us your best!
• Thanks!
• Contact info melewis_at_engin.umich.edu