NSF CAREER Grant UPDATE Thread

[Electrochemist]

I had a similar experience 6 weeks ago. My PM went through the review comments and asked me to submit some clarification to one of the referee's comments. The PM was positive and said he is going to recommend for funding, depending on the budget. However, since then I haven't heard anything. I assume a phone call is a good sign. Good luck!

I think the PM is going to fund you. Congrats! May I know which program and the panel date?

Oops. Misread the quote thread.

[lightofhope]

means PO wants to fund you
congrats!

I just got an email from a program manager asking to talk to me via phone next week (for the MMN program in DMR). What does this mean?

[soccer]

I just got an email from a program manager asking to talk to me via phone next week (for the MMN program in DMR). What does this mean?

interesting to know government employees work during weekend!

[Electrochemist]

The PO is also a professor so that's probably why she was working on the weekend

[lee2002hu]

My POs always work over the weekends and send emails.
It is just a personal style.

I just got an email from a program manager asking to talk to me via phone next week (for the MMN program in DMR). What does this mean?

interesting to know government employees work during weekend!

[lee2002hu]

Congrats! It should be good news!

I just got an email from a program manager asking to talk to me via phone next week (for the MMN program in DMR). What does this mean?

[Vid]

Electrochemist: Congratulations. I wonder if this was your first CAREER submission?

Thank you,
Vi

[Electrochemist]

Electrochemist: Congratulations. I wonder if this was your first CAREER submission?

Thank you,
Vi

It was my third try overall. Second time submitting that specific proposal to the MMN program.

[angelama]

Electrochemist: Congratulations. I wonder if this was your first CAREER submission?

Thank you,
Vi

It was my third try overall. Second time submitting that specific proposal to the MMN program.

BIG Congrats!

[Vid]

Thank you, Electrochemist. Congratulations again.

All; I wonder is it possible to get the CAREER award at the second try? I mean if your proposal is well written and everything is greatly integrated. I know it depends on how strong your proposal is, but I was told that PDs have a great influences on CAREER award decision/selection (I was told in a CAREER conference that PDs can change the rating!) and some programs let the candidate try three times!

Thank you,
--Vi

[Electrochemist]

Thank you, Electrochemist. Congratulations again.

All; I wonder is it possible to get the CAREER award at the second try? I mean if your proposal is well written and everything is greatly integrated. I know it depends on how strong your proposal is, but I was told that PDs have a great influences on CAREER award decision/selection (I was told in a CAREER conference that PDs can change the rating!) and some programs let the candidate try three times!

Thank you,
--Vi

Its possible; I could have gotten it the second try as the research portion reviewed quite well. unfortunately my outreach section was similar to an existing proposal i had funded. The PO wrote it a comment that the outreach had to be different than my existing award. I think that was the main reason I didn't get it.

I almost got it on my first try when I submitted it to CBET Catalysis. It reviewed quite well and the PO said I was very close.

[Electrochemist]

Thank you, Electrochemist. Congratulations again.

All; I wonder is it possible to get the CAREER award at the second try? I mean if your proposal is well written and everything is greatly integrated. I know it depends on how strong your proposal is, but I was told that PDs have a great influences on CAREER award decision/selection (I was told in a CAREER conference that PDs can change the rating!) and some programs let the candidate try three times!

Thank you,
--Vi

Its possible; I could have gotten it the second try as the research portion reviewed quite well. unfortunately my outreach section was similar to an existing proposal i had funded. The PO wrote in a comment that the outreach had to be different than my existing award. I think that was the main reason I didn't get it.

I almost got it on my first try when I submitted a completely different proposal to CBET Catalysis. It reviewed quite well and the PO said I was very close.

[hazelshade]

Thank you, Electrochemist. Congratulations again.

All; I wonder is it possible to get the CAREER award at the second try? I mean if your proposal is well written and everything is greatly integrated. I know it depends on how strong your proposal is, but I was told that PDs have a great influences on CAREER award decision/selection (I was told in a CAREER conference that PDs can change the rating!) and some programs let the candidate try three times!

Thank you,
--Vi

It's certainly possible. The award we're in negotiations on was the PI's first try; our two most recent previous submissions were both funded on the second try.

[Vid]

Electrochemist; interesting. I did submit to CBET as well. Got declined--first try!

Thank you all.

[doc700]

I served on a panel for the NSF CAREER award.  We roughly sorted the candidates into the mostly highly competitive, medium and non-competitive (with some near the lines).  There was 1 superb proposal that was ranked in the first place.  That proposal did come from a candidate who was submitting for the first time (although he was not a first-year faculty and did have an established group).  No one discussed his number of attempts as uniformly everyone thought his proposal was excellent.

When we got to ranking who was 3rd/4th was where it got more difficult.  The PO had the final say and the 4th place person did end up getting funded.  But ranking 3, 4 and 5 was going to be influential in who got funded and who didn't.  There there was an acknowledgement that someone was on the third try whereas someone else wasn't so we would give the person on their third try the "tiebreaker."  It didn't matter if people were on the 1st or 2nd try -- what was relevant was that it was someone's last attempt and if we didn't give them the award this year, they would never be able to win.

In short, from my 1 experience on the panel, being on the 3rd try did help as a tiebreaker if you were really, really close to being above the line.  But an exceptional proposal could also be easily funded in year 1 or 2.