“after years of extensive research, i have conclusively concluded that i need more grants.”
TRANSCRIPT
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
Parag R ChitnisDirector
Division of Molecular and Cellular BiosciencesNational Science Foundation, USA
NSF Support for Nurturing Academic Innovation Ecosystem
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
Why?
“After years of extensive research, I have conclusively concluded that I need more grants.”
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
Outline Innovation Ecosystem NSF Selected Programs Preparing NSF proposals
Cal State FullertonMarch 22, 2013
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
US is #10 in global innovation index!
http://www.globalinnovationindex.org/gii/index.html
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
Innovation Ecosystem
The people, institutions, knowledge, policies, and resources that promote the translation of new ideas into products, processes and services• Disruptive innovations
• E.g. cellular phone• Sustaining innovations
• iPhone to iPhone 5
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
Innovation Ecosystem: Ideas to Products
People
Resources
Knowledge
Policies
Ideas Products/MarketsInstitutions
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
Innovation Pipeline at Universities
NSF has programs to support all these stages Need for integration across the scale
e.g. Molecules to Marketplace
Foundational Research
• Interdisciplinary• Transformative
Applied Research
• Use-inspired• Customer focused
Enterpreunership
• Training• Practice
Economic Development
• Small Business Incubator
• Technology Transfer
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
Outline Innovation Ecosystem NSF Selected Programs Preparing NSF proposals
Cal State FullertonMarch 22, 2013
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
National Science Foundation
White HouseOSTP
NSF NASA Defense
DARPA, ONR, etc.
Health and Human Services
NIH, CDC, etc.
Energy
Office of Science, ARPA-E
Commerce
NIST, NOAA, etc
Agriculture
NIFA, ARS
An Independent Agency established in 1950 To promote scientific progress in the US by sponsoring scientific
research and education in basic sciences and engineering Current budget $7B Does not conduct research itself.
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
Outline Innovation Ecosystem NSF Selected Programs for
supporting innovation pipeline
Preparing NSF proposals
Cal State FullertonMarch 22, 2013
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
Innovation Pipeline at Universities
Foundational Research Applied Research Entrepreneurship Economic
Development
• Core Programs• Special Solicitations
• RUI• CAREER
• Innovation Corps
• SBIR• STTR• GOALI• IUCRC
• Educational Grants• REU and RET sites• Instrumentation
• Graduate training grants
• ROA
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
Foundational Research
Applied Research
Enterpreunership Economic Development
Foundational & Use-inspired Research
Core Programs• Program announcements and solicitations
CAREER awards• CAREER solicitation with deadlines in late July
EAGERs and RAPIDs• Contact a program director before submitting
RUI proposals• Primarily undergraduate institutions
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
Foundational Research
Applied Research
Enterpreunership Economic Development
Entrepreneurship I-Corps Teams
• Teams of academic researchers, student entrepreneurs and business mentors--participate in the I Corps curriculum administered via online instruction and on-site activities
I-Corps Nodes• Administer I-Corps curriculum
I-Corps Sites• catalyze additional groups to explore potential I-Corps Team
projects and other entrepreneurial opportunities that build on basic research.
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
Foundational Research
Applied Research
Enterpreunership Economic Development
Opportunities for industry partnerships
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)• Proposals from the small business sector
Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR)• University researchers join forces with small
businesses to spin-off their promising ideas. Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with
Industry (GOALI)• For University-industry linkages
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
Outline Innovation Ecosystem NSF Selected Programs Preparing NSF proposals
Cal State FullertonMarch 22, 2013
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
How to change odds in your favor?
By knowing the game well
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
Foundational Research
Applied Research
Enterpreunership Economic Development
The Game Plan Proposal Review
• Administrative review• Scientific review• Funding Decisions
Preparing winning NSF proposals• Strengths of highly
competitive proposals• Weaknesses observed in
declined proposals Concluding thoughts
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
Scientific Review
Research & Education Communities
Proposal Preparation and Submission
Organization submits
via:
FastLane
Or Grants.gov
NSFProgramDirector
ProgramDirectorAnalysis
& Recom.
DivisionDirectorConcur
ViaDGA
Organization
Minimum of 3
ReviewsRequired
DGA Review & Processing of Award
Proposal Review and Decisions
NSF Proposal
GeneratingDocument
Returned As Inappropriate/Withdrawn
Panel
Both
Award
NSF Proposal & Award Process & Timeline
Decline
90 Days 6 Months 30Days
Proposal Receiptat NSF DD Concur Award
Proposal Processing
Unit
NSF Administrative
Review
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
Two Merit Review Criteria What is the intellectual merit of the proposed
activity? • encompasses the potential to advance knowledge
What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity?• encompasses the potential to benefit society and
contribute to the achievement of specific, desired societal outcomes.
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
Five Review Elements What is the potential for the proposed activity to:
a. Advance knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields (Intellectual Merit); and b. Benefit society or advance desired societal outcomes (Broader Impacts)?
To what extent do the proposed activities suggest and explore creative, original, or potentially transformative concepts?
Is the plan for carrying out the proposed activities well-reasoned, well-organized, and based on a sound rationale? Does the plan incorporate a mechanism to assess success?
How well qualified is the individual, team, or organization to conduct the proposed activities?
Are there adequate resources available to the PI (either at the home organization or through collaborations) to carry out the proposed activities?
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
Intellectual Merit vs. Broader Impacts
• Evaluated using the same criteria (review elements) but not equally weighted
• Science comes first!• Relative weighting is very program-dependent
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
Scientific Review Mail Reviews
• Identifying reviewers:• Reviewer suggestions by the PI• References listed in proposal
Panel Reviews• At least two panelists provide written reviews• All are expected to contribute to the discussion of the
proposal and its panel rating
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
Basis for decisions Peer Review
• Content of the review is more important than the rating.• Program Director analyzes reviews.
• Fairness• Substance in the reviews• Technical problems raised in the reviews
– major vs. minor• Reasons for the reviewer concerns or enthusiasm• Impact of information not available to the reviewer (e.g. updates)
• Program Director sometimes obtains additional reviews or comments from the PI
Portfolio Balance
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
Ensuring a Balanced Portfolio Innovation and Creativity
• Potentially transformative projects Breadth of research areas Priority areas and systems Demographics and Diversity Broadening participation Institutional impact- PUI, EPSCOR, etc. CAREER
• Integration of research & education International collaborations
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
Strengths of Competitive Proposals
1. Idea: There is no substitute! • Have a cutting edge idea
2. Written for the right audience3. Written well
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
1. Based on a brilliant idea: research and education
Basic Questions1. What do you intend to do?2. Why is the work important?3. What has already been done?4. How are you going to do the work?
Make sure it is innovative and exciting• Survey the literature• Talk with others in the field
Can you convince people that you can do the project?• Obtain preliminary data• Develop arguments to support feasibility• Determine available facilities and resources
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
2. Submitted to the right program What to look for:
• Goal of program or solicitation• Eligibility• Special requirements• Deadlines
Where:• www.nsf.gov• Program Directors (phone, email)
NSF does not normally support research on human health and diseases
Read the program
description or solicitation carefully.
MyNSF http://www.nsf.gov/mynsf/
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
3. Written well
Where to find information?• Grant Proposal Guide and CAREER Solicitation
• GPG is revised each October• Get it (www.nsf.gov)• Read it• Follow it
What is the aim? Parts of a Proposal Tips for writing an effective proposal
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
What is the aim? Getting funded Convince reviewers that your proposal is THE
one to support.
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
What is the aim? Comment you want to hear….
“The proposed activity is going to be transformational.”
“The broader impacts are exceptional.” “I wish I could be as productive and as creative as this PI”
“If you can fund only one proposal in this area, this is it!”
“Wow!”
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
What is your aim? Comments you do not want to see….
“Reading this proposal was a sheer torture.”
“This was a ludicrous proposal from a clueless PI.”
“This one put me to sleep every night!”
“My freshman students know better.” “This PI wants to mow an old lawn, without a problem, originality, or track record of winning races.”
”No way!”
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
Grantsmanship makes a difference Know your audience.
• The reviewer may not be an expert in your specific field.
Think about the reviewers. • Make the reviewer’s job easy.• Write accurately, concisely, logically, and clearly.
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
1. Get help with proposal writing
Read:• NSF publications• Successful proposals
Look before you leap:• Serve as a reviewer (ad hoc or on a panel)• Read successful proposals
Talk with people:• Program Directors- general advice• Former “rotators”
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
2. Start early and don’t be shy
Write• Rewrite
• rewrite again
Get critiques from:• Mentors• Previous members of
review panels
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
3. Be reasonable
Be aware of the scope: • “Too ambitious” vs. “Too narrow”
Be honest and up-front: • Address issues instead of trying to hide them• Acknowledge possible experimental problems and
have alternatives
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
4. Make it easy for the reviewers Make the best first impression.
• You never get a second chance to make a first impression. • Project Summary and the first page of Project Description are
critical. Simplify and streamline:
• Make sure you get your overall idea across!• Prepare clear photos, graphs, etc.
Pay attention to details:• Spill check and proof-read• Make the font size as big as you can
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
5. Broader Impacts should be as rigorous as the research plans
Innovative and creative Integration with research Thoughtful plans
• ‘Will teach a course’ is not enough.• Be careful about “will make it available on the web”• K-12 educational plans- who will use them?
Evaluation /Assessment• Critical component• Find a collaborator
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
6. If a proposal is declined
Stay calm!• Take ten… breaths, hours, days• Examine the criticisms carefully
Keep in touch: • E-mail, call, or visit your program director
Rapid resubmission does not help!• Take time to self-evaluate the proposal and the
project
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
How to get your proposal declined?
Problems with the Research Plan Weak Broader Impacts General Grantsmanship Problems
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
Ways to get your proposals declined
Poor Presentation • Less than rigorous• Unrealistic, sloppy or incomplete• Unclear • Incomplete expression of aims
Chair’s letter generic for CAREER proposals RUI plans not strategically written Unrealistic budget
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
What we covered so far
Review and funding decisions
Preparing proposals• Proposal writing tips
Concluding thoughts
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
Some insights What determines funding chances?
• Reviews• Panel discussion• NSF and Program Priorities• Program Portfolio
Contact your program director• Cultures, practices, and funding
priorities vary across NSF Solid science alone is not enough.
• Exciting, cutting edge science• Innovative Broader Impacts• Program priorities
Some luck and some planning.
NSF Support for nurturingACADEMIC INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
Commandments for Writing Competitive NSF Proposals
“Thou shalt propose a brilliant idea.” “Thou shalt read Grant Proposal Guide and CAREER
Solicitation.” “Thou shalt strategize, network, and work from thy
strengths.” “Thou shalt address both review criteria!” “Thou shalt seek help with proposal writing.” “Thou shalt integrate education and research
activities.” “Thou shalt write for the right audience.” “Thou shalt not irritate the reviewers.” "Thou shalt not kill (with some exceptions).“ "Thou shalt not steal."