Report on the NSF CAREER Report on the NSF CAREER Proposal Writing WorkshopProposal Writing Workshop

Held on November 13-14, 2004, Anaheim, CAHeld on November 13-14, 2004, Anaheim, CA

Z.J. PeiZ.J. Pei

Dept of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering

Kansas State UniversityKansas State University

Manhattan, KS 66506Manhattan, KS 66506

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Quick Facts about the WorkshopQuick Facts about the Workshop

Four NSF programs sponsoredFour NSF programs sponsored Three NSF program directors attendedThree NSF program directors attended Five recent CAREER awardees presentedFive recent CAREER awardees presented 19 assistant professors participated19 assistant professors participated Mock panel meetings reviewed 9 proposalsMock panel meetings reviewed 9 proposals

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Sponsoring NSF programsSponsoring NSF programs Manufacturing Machines and Equipment (MME), Program Director: Manufacturing Machines and Equipment (MME), Program Director:

Dr. George Hazelrigg Dr. George Hazelrigg

Materials Processing and Manufacturing (MPM), Program Director: Materials Processing and Manufacturing (MPM), Program Director: Dr. Jian Cao Dr. Jian Cao

NanoManufacturing (NM), Program Director: Kevin Lyons NanoManufacturing (NM), Program Director: Kevin Lyons

Engineering Design (ED), Program Director: Dr. Delcie DurhamEngineering Design (ED), Program Director: Dr. Delcie Durham

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Attending NSF Programs DirectorsAttending NSF Programs Directors

Dr. George Hazelrigg, Manufacturing Machines and Equipment Dr. George Hazelrigg, Manufacturing Machines and Equipment (MME), DMII (MME), DMII

Dr. Jian Cao, Materials Processing and Manufacturing (MPM), Dr. Jian Cao, Materials Processing and Manufacturing (MPM), DMII DMII

Dr. Linda Blevins, Combustion and Plasma Systems (a sub-element Dr. Linda Blevins, Combustion and Plasma Systems (a sub-element of the Thermal Systems Program), Chemical and Transport Systems of the Thermal Systems Program), Chemical and Transport Systems (CTS) Division (CTS) Division

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Workshop OrganizersWorkshop Organizers Dr. Jian Cao, Program director, National Science Foundation Dr. Jian Cao, Program director, National Science Foundation

Dr. Mark Lewis, University of Michigan, 2002 CAREER and PECASE Awardee Dr. Mark Lewis, University of Michigan, 2002 CAREER and PECASE Awardee

Dr. Z.J. Pei, Kansas State University, 2004 CAREER Awardee Dr. Z.J. Pei, Kansas State University, 2004 CAREER Awardee

Dr. Afsaneh Rabiei, North Carolina State University, 2003 CAREER Awardee Dr. Afsaneh Rabiei, North Carolina State University, 2003 CAREER Awardee

Dr. Tony Schmitz, University of Florida, 2003 CAREER Awardee Dr. Tony Schmitz, University of Florida, 2003 CAREER Awardee

Dr. Teresa Wu, Arizona State University, 2003 CAREER Awardee Dr. Teresa Wu, Arizona State University, 2003 CAREER Awardee

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Main Activities at the WorkshopMain Activities at the Workshop NSF Program directors present NSF CAREER proposal guidelines NSF Program directors present NSF CAREER proposal guidelines

CAREER awardees present their storiesCAREER awardees present their stories

NSF Program directors describe procedures for a typical CAREER proposal NSF Program directors describe procedures for a typical CAREER proposal panel meetingpanel meeting

Mock panel reviewMock panel review

Brainstorm a list of DOs and DON’Ts for writing successful CAREER proposalsBrainstorm a list of DOs and DON’Ts for writing successful CAREER proposals

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http://www.ksu.edu/career/http://www.ksu.edu/career/More Information AvailableMore Information Available

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Examples of DOsExamples of DOs Attend NSF grantee’s conferenceAttend NSF grantee’s conference

Know people in your field, and more importantly, make sure they know you Know people in your field, and more importantly, make sure they know you

Talk to people at conferences…maybe even use themTalk to people at conferences…maybe even use them

Have your proposal read by others Have your proposal read by others

Have a layperson read the introHave a layperson read the intro

Know your audience (Various backgrounds; Some will read closely…some may not)Know your audience (Various backgrounds; Some will read closely…some may not)

Make sure that your idea FITS well in that programMake sure that your idea FITS well in that program

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Examples of DOsExamples of DOs Be brave, propose significant jumps in the state-of-the-art Be brave, propose significant jumps in the state-of-the-art

Be ambitious (it is a 5 year plan!)Be ambitious (it is a 5 year plan!)

Focus on one problem area allowing for a more cohesive proposalFocus on one problem area allowing for a more cohesive proposal

Show that you have already had some successShow that you have already had some success

Present your previous experiences, and the quality of itPresent your previous experiences, and the quality of it

Use all of the resources at your disposalUse all of the resources at your disposal

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Examples of DOsExamples of DOs Present your knowledge of what has been done on the field and what Present your knowledge of what has been done on the field and what

has nothas not

Show that you have sufficient access to the necessary resourcesShow that you have sufficient access to the necessary resources

Tell a compelling story, lead the reviewers down your pathTell a compelling story, lead the reviewers down your path

Ensure that those not familiar with your research area can follow your Ensure that those not familiar with your research area can follow your storystory

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Examples of DOsExamples of DOs Find where your passion is (for educational component)Find where your passion is (for educational component)

You need to talk about course development but also You need to talk about course development but also need to add somethingneed to add something

Use assessment metrics for both research and education Use assessment metrics for both research and education goalsgoals

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Examples of DON’TsExamples of DON’Ts Don’t write a technical paper Don’t write a technical paper

Don’t make the reviewers search for answers to these questionsDon’t make the reviewers search for answers to these questions

Don’t force reviewers to read between the linesDon’t force reviewers to read between the lines

Don’t use “we” Don’t use “we”

Don’t abuse acronymsDon’t abuse acronyms

Don’t repeat an entire paragraphDon’t repeat an entire paragraph

Don’t use too many out-of-date referencesDon’t use too many out-of-date references

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Examples of DON’TsExamples of DON’Ts

Don’t depend on others (in collaboration, your work Don’t depend on others (in collaboration, your work should be the drivershould be the driver))

Don’t be too broadDon’t be too broad

Don’t propose a center/instituteDon’t propose a center/institute

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What you have learned from this workshop is _______ than you expected.

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Much less <-----------------------------------------------> Much more

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Workshop Evaluations 1Workshop Evaluations 1

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Will you recommend this workshop to other future CAREER proposal submitters?

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Definitely no <------------------------------------------> Definitely yes

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Workshop Evaluations 2Workshop Evaluations 2

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What is your overall rating for this workshop?

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Poor <-------------------------------------------------------> Excellent

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Workshop Evaluations 3Workshop Evaluations 3

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Most HelpfulMost Helpful Activities Activities The The panel reviewspanel reviews were very helpful. I learned a lot. were very helpful. I learned a lot. The mock panel review.The mock panel review. Mock study is quite helpful.Mock study is quite helpful. Mock panel review. Mock panel review. Mock panel.Mock panel. Review/panel process. Review/panel process. Panel review.Panel review. Mock panel review.Mock panel review. Review panels.Review panels. Panel discussions and presentations.Panel discussions and presentations. Access to example proposals are very (extremely) helpful.Access to example proposals are very (extremely) helpful. Reading the proposals, grading proposals. Panel discussions.Reading the proposals, grading proposals. Panel discussions.

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Most HelpfulMost Helpful Activities Activities Presentations by program directors in attendance. Presentations by previous career awardees.Presentations by program directors in attendance. Presentations by previous career awardees. Overall presentation by especially CAREER awardees experiences.Overall presentation by especially CAREER awardees experiences. Presentations were excellent.Presentations were excellent. Awardee history.Awardee history. The awardee’s story, and experience in the whole process of career proposal writing.The awardee’s story, and experience in the whole process of career proposal writing. Successful stories.Successful stories. Listening to CAREER awardees stories (initial failure or success).Listening to CAREER awardees stories (initial failure or success). Personal experiences of past winners.Personal experiences of past winners.

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Most HelpfulMost Helpful Activities Activities Meeting with program directors. Meeting with program directors. Interactions between program directors and participants were very helpful.Interactions between program directors and participants were very helpful. NSF directors.NSF directors. Interactions with program director. Advise on how to construct proposal.Interactions with program director. Advise on how to construct proposal. Chatting with program managers.Chatting with program managers. Program directors expertise.Program directors expertise. George Hazelrigg was great.George Hazelrigg was great.

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Most HelpfulMost Helpful Activities Activities The limited number of workshop attendees. The limited number of workshop attendees. Facilitated better interactions.Facilitated better interactions. The size of the workshop (20 people) was a strength. Allowed personal The size of the workshop (20 people) was a strength. Allowed personal

interaction.interaction. the size (# of participants, # of presenters) of the workshop is effective, the size (# of participants, # of presenters) of the workshop is effective,

allows active participation, interaction with NSF directors and answers to allows active participation, interaction with NSF directors and answers to individual questions. individual questions.

Networking dinner.Networking dinner.

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Most HelpfulMost Helpful Activities Activities Summarize DOs and DON’Ts list. Summarize DOs and DON’Ts list.

Presentation on “DOs and DON’Ts.”Presentation on “DOs and DON’Ts.”

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Possible Future WorkshopPossible Future Workshop

May 24, 2005May 24, 2005Columbia University, New YorkColumbia University, New York

(in conjunction with NAMRC)(in conjunction with NAMRC)

Pending the approval from NSF Pending the approval from NSF

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For Your Attention