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. DARPASeptember1999October 1999October 1999ProposalsMarie desJardins ([email protected])CMSC 691BMarch 16, 2004September1999October 1999October 19994/6/04 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.September1999October 1999October 19994/6/04 3OutlineProposal ContentsGeneral AdviceSources of FundingProposal EvaluationSeptember1999October 1999October 1999Proposal ContentsSeptember1999October 1999October 19994/6/04 5Know Your GoalsDissertation proposalConvince committee you’re on the right trackFunding proposalConvince reviewers and program manager to give you moneySeptember1999October 1999October 19994/6/04 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...September1999October 1999October 19994/6/04 7Topics to CoverLong-term goalsSignificanceSpecific goalsMethods and experimentsFeasibilityRisksCurrent state of knowledgeTimetableBudget/budget justificationBiographiesTypically 15 pages or less!September1999October 1999October 19994/6/04 8Long-Term GoalsVisionBig pictureBroad focusMotivation behind your workSeptember1999October 1999October 19994/6/04 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 committeeSeptember1999October 1999October 19994/6/04 10Specific GoalsWhat part of the big picture will you focus on?What specific tasks will you accomplish?September1999October 1999October 19994/6/04 11Methods and ExperimentsHow will you demonstrate success?How will you test your claims?Data sets, domains, experimental methodologies, evaluation criteriaSeptember1999October 1999October 19994/6/04 12FeasibilityWhy should we believe you will be able to carry out this research plan?September1999October 1999October 19994/6/04 13RisksWhat might go wrong?How will you recover?What’s your backup/contingency plan?September1999October 1999October 19994/6/04 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?September1999October 1999October 19994/6/04 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)September1999October 1999October 19994/6/04 16Budget / JustificationHow much money do you need?Why is each line item important to the project?September1999October 1999October 19994/6/04 17BiographiesTypically one- or two-page abbreviated CVSeptember1999October 1999October 19994/6/04 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)September1999October 1999October 1999General AdviceSeptember1999October 1999October 19994/6/04 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 proposalsSeptember1999October 1999October 1999Sources of FundingSeptember1999October 1999October 19994/6/04 22Government AgenciesNSFNIHDoDDARPAAFOSRARLDepartments of Education, Energy, ...Other agenciesSeptember1999October 1999October 19994/6/04 23IndustrySponsored researchPartnershipsEquipment grantsSeptember1999October 1999October 1999Proposal EvaluationSeptember1999October 1999October 19994/6/04 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 societySeptember1999October 1999October 19994/6/04 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 rateSeptember1999October
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