I’m marking the milestone of 6+ months since I started as the Division Director of Integrative Organismal Systems with a blog post. While there is much to write about, I’ve decided to focus on something I had not fully appreciated about IOS before joining NSF. It’s the people. When fully staffed there are a total …
Category: Insights from Inside IOS
Are you getting ready to publish your work that was funded by NSF? Do you have a really successful outreach activity?
This is a reminder to inform your Program Director about significant discoveries in your research or accomplishments in broader impacts in your annual reports. This type of information is often used by BIO in reporting program outcomes to NSF’s senior administration, the White House, and Congress. We would also appreciate advanced notification of any high-profile publications or other high-profile …
I3: How much preliminary data do you need?
Preliminary data. There’s no doubt that it strengthens your proposal but how much is enough? Is there such a thing as too much preliminary data? Preliminary data can serve many purposes: as a basis for what you are proposing; to demonstrate that your hypothesis has merit; and, to show that the techniques work well in …
I3: Remember to go to Office Hours!
Hey, do you know that all four BIO divisions have Virtual Office Hours? And haven’t we all told students (or been told!) to make use of a professor’s office hours? So why aren’t you coming to office hours? We want to specifically highlight the Virtual Office Hours of DBI (Division of Biological Infrastructure) because of …
I3: Ask for what you need!
One of our frequently asked questions is about how much is too much (or too little!) when creating a proposal budget. You are an expert in this research area, and thus you are the most knowledgeable in determining how much the research you are proposing will cost to accomplish. Therefore, please ask for what you …
I3: An Unanswered Email
First an apology. If you have ever emailed someone at NSF and not gotten a reply, we apologize for that. We know how intimidating it can be to email someone you don’t know and then to not get a response is upsetting. Please know that it is always our goal to get timely responses back …
I3: Hints for a New PI Interested in Applying for NSF funding
Dear New PI, Congratulations! You’ve gotten yourself a faculty position. This is a fantastic accomplishment and one you should be extremely proud of! But now, you need to start thinking about ways to maintain support for your research laboratory. After a quick Google search for NSF funding opportunities, you might feel completely overwhelmed and not …
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I3: When is the best time to submit a proposal?
Ever since BIO moved to no deadlines for core solicitations, PIs continually ask the question “When is the best time for me to submit my proposal?” The short and simple answer is when the proposal is ready! How do you know when that proposal is ready? We recommend that you have colleagues both in and …
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Insights from Inside IOS (I3): What to do with a not-so-positive proposal review
We’ve all been there. Submitted what we thought was an amazing proposal, only to have a panel of reviewers find fault with it. So, what do you as the proposal Principal Investigator do now? Many Program Directors (PDs) have submitted proposals that were rejected before they joined NSF. We all feel that neither getting a …
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Insights from Inside IOS (I3): Suggesting Reviewers or non-Reviewers for your proposal
As we posted in the announcements section, we’re starting a series of blog posts designed to give you the inside scoop on the thoughts of Program Directors (PDs) within IOS. We’re calling this series “Insights from Inside IOS” or “I3.” The purpose of the series is to discuss a variety of subjects related to submitting …
IOS in Focus 