ProposalsSourcesOutlineProposal ContentsKnow Your GoalsProposal StrategyTopics to CoverLong-Term GoalsSignificanceSpecific GoalsMethods and ExperimentsFeasibilityRisksCurrent State of KnowledgeTimetableBudget / JustificationBiographiesReferencesGeneral AdviceGeneral Proposal AdviceSources of FundingGovernment AgenciesIndustryProposal EvaluationNSF Review CriteriaNSF RatingsNSF: How it Really WorksDARPA Proposal RoadmapDARPA: How it Really WorksNSF vs. DARPAProposalsMarie desJardins ([email protected])CMSC 691BApril 19, 20064/19/06 2SourcesRobert L. Peters, Getting What You Came For: The Smart Student’s Guide to Earning a Master’s or Ph.D. (Revised Edition). NY: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1997.Peter J. Feibelman, A Ph.D. Is Not Enough! A Guide to Survival in Science. Basic Books, 1993.Tom Dietterich, CS 519 course slides, Oregon State University.Caroline Wardle, Obtaining Federal Funding, CRA-W Workshop Slides, 1993/1994/1999.4/19/06 3OutlineProposal ContentsGeneral AdviceSources of FundingProposal EvaluationProposal Contents4/19/06 5Know Your GoalsDissertation proposalConvince committee you’re on the right trackFunding proposalConvince reviewers and program manager to give you money4/19/06 6Proposal StrategyJust having a good idea is not enough!Need to convince reviewers that:The problem is importantYou have a good approach to solve the problemYour approach is likely to succeedYou have a well developed research planChicken-and-egg problem If you don’t have preliminary results and a well developed approach, you’re not likely to make a convincing case for success If you already have preliminary results and a well developed approach, you’re already doing the research!→ By the time you get the funding, you’ll be done! ...so with the funding you get, you’ll write the journal papers, and start developing preliminary results for the next proposal...4/19/06 7Topics to CoverLong-term goalsSignificanceSpecific goalsMethods and experimentsFeasibilityRisksCurrent state of knowledgeTimetableBudget/budget justificationBiographiesTypically 15 pages or less!4/19/06 8Long-Term GoalsVisionBig pictureBroad focusMotivation behind your work4/19/06 9SignificanceWhy do you want to work on this problem?Why will other people care about it?...in the field...in other fields...in society...in the program...on your committee4/19/06 10Specific GoalsWhat part of the big picture will you focus on?What specific tasks will you accomplish?4/19/06 11Methods and ExperimentsHow will you demonstrate success?How will you test your claims?Data sets, domains, experimental methodologies, evaluation criteria4/19/06 12FeasibilityWhy should we believe you will be able to carry out this research plan?4/19/06 13RisksWhat might go wrong?How will you recover?What’s your backup/contingency plan?4/19/06 14Current State of KnowledgeWho else has worked on this problem?Why have previous approaches been unsuccessful?...or if this is a new problem, why are new approaches needed?How does your method build on, or depart from, previous approaches?4/19/06 15TimetableTypical research grant: 2-3 years, sometimes up to 5Typical dissertation timeline (from proposal): 1-3 yearsWhat are your milestones?Approximately when do you expect to complete each milestone?Relevant deadlines (conference deadlines, program meetings, integrated demonstrations)4/19/06 16Budget / JustificationHow much money do you need?Why is each line item important to the project?4/19/06 17BiographiesTypically one- or two-page abbreviated CV4/19/06 18ReferencesFor thesis proposal only:Annotated bibliography is very helpfulCan include important/relevant papers that you plan to read, but haven’t read yet. (should discuss these separately in Related Work section)General Advice4/19/06 20General Proposal AdviceStart writing early!First impressions count: A good introduction/summary is absolutely essential!!Be neat!Be as specific as possibleDon’t make your reviewers work too hardKeep revisingGet feedback from peers and mentorsResubmit if necessaryRead other people’s proposalsSources of Funding4/19/06 22Government AgenciesNSFNIHDoDDARPAAFOSRARLDepartments of Education, Energy, ...Other agencies4/19/06 23IndustrySponsored researchPartnershipsEquipment grantsProposal Evaluation4/19/06 25NSF Review CriteriaIntellectual MeritIncreasing knowledge and understanding within a fieldQualifications of proposersCreativity and originalityScope and organization of proposed researchAccess to resourcesBroader ImpactTeaching, training, and learningParticipation of underrepresented groupsEnhancement of research infrastructureDissemination of resultsBenefits to society4/19/06 26NSF RatingsExcellentPerhaps 10% of proposals; should definitely be funded Very GoodTop 1/3 of proposals; should be considered for funding if sufficient funds are availableGoodMiddle 1/3 of proposals; worthy of support (but likely will not be enough funding for this category)FairBottom 1/3 of proposals; not likely to be considered for fundingPoorProposal has serious deficiencies and should not be fundedTypical funded proposal has at least one Excellent and two Very GoodsMany NSF programs have a 10% funding rate4/19/06 27NSF: How it Really WorksSpecific areas are usually not targeted......but some program managers have areas they like or dislike...and sometimes your research won’t fit in any of the NSF programs, especially if you’re doing interdisciplinary workIt never hurts to visit and chat with the program manager(s)Peer review panel provides primary inputIf you don’t get a good peer rating, you’re doomedPanelist who knows your area inside and out can shoot your proposal down (or champion it!)Panelists who don’t know your area can shoot you proposal down (or be intrigued by it!)4/19/06 28DARPA Proposal RoadmapGoalTangible benefits to end usersCritical technical barriersMain elements of proposed approachRationaleWhy will the proposed approach overcome the technical barriers?Nature of expected resultsRisk if the work is not doneCriteria for evaluating progressCost of the proposed
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