NSF CAREER Grant UPDATE Thread

[da457]

An update on SBE side if it helps: I am in SCISIP (just changed from SOS: DCI). I, too, have not yet heard but the difference is I know now of a few people that have been rejected for regular grants or EAGERs, but not CAREER (which I applied to). I did contact my PM to give me an extension on another grant as I was hoping to use some of my CAREER for travel money for her research that is part of my agenda, and she kindly gave us an extra month extension to apply for such a grant for her work (this one on small doctoral dissertation research grant - DDRIG - any bit helps!). I provide this merely as an update in case people on our thread are also waiting on the SBE front.

[JCu16]

Just received notice that my CAREER was recommended for funding! (Not a division I've seen anyone else mention, but happy to share privately until its official). To those out there, keep holding fast and the good news might come your way too.

[CoolSeal]

Congratulations. Really happy for you and the anxious waiting paid off!

[da457]

Just received notice that my CAREER was recommended for funding! (Not a division I've seen anyone else mention, but happy to share privately until its official). To those out there, keep holding fast and the good news might come your way too.

Woohoo! Congrats!

[deeply_uncertain]

Just received notice that my CAREER was recommended for funding! (Not a division I've seen anyone else mention, but happy to share privately until its official). To those out there, keep holding fast and the good news might come your way too.

Congrats!! This is great news.

[professing]

Just received notice that my CAREER was recommended for funding! (Not a division I've seen anyone else mention, but happy to share privately until its official). To those out there, keep holding fast and the good news might come your way too.

Wonderful news! Congratulations!

[professing]

So, alas, my CAREER journey comes to end in disappointment. This was my third try and it was a decline.

I have my concerns about the process but I will not engage significantly in those here. As I have said to others, we should take the time to process the rejection, try to make sense of it, and try again, which I will do, somewhere else.

However, I will give the short version, in case it is helpful for anyone applying or reapplying. I also hope that - at least the directorates I have been involved in - come up with a more transparent process.

The problem with the CAREER is it tries to do too many things. On the one hand, it is supposed to support new investigators to "build a firm foundation for a lifetime of leadership in integrating education and research." On the other hand, it is highly notable and selective. In the end, it comes across as a bit of a toss up for people who do not have certain kinds of networks and resources, such as colleagues in your field who have won these and will share their submissions**, or institutions that provide an abundance of resources (which many but not all do). **Note, I have reviewed successful submissions, but, sadly, they were in different fields, and, apparently, evaluated differently by those directorates (CISE and ENG).

So, I did all of the things they advise one should do to be more competitive each round: connect with a PO, attend webinars and workshops, use as many resources as possible available online, sit on grant panels if invited, revise in response to reviewer comments. I did all of these things multiple times over many years and, in my situation, over different POs due to some leaving (perhaps this was the problem?).

This time around, the reviews were overall positive except one fair review, and that review did not really point out anything glaringly negative (in fact, the match between the ratings and reviews for all appeared very disconnected). When sharing the reviews with colleagues, one of whom has reviewed many CAREER proposals, they suggested that it did not appear they may have understood the subtle differences between reviewing a standard grant vs CAREER grant, which is supposed to focus more on *promise* than nit-picky details (e.g., I wish this section were x length instead of y, this method would be preferable versus that method even though your justification was convincing, etc.).

I don't say this to feel sorry for myself or because I think I somehow should have been awarded the grant. Perhaps, for those applying/reapplying, make certain you take the time you need between submissions. I probably should have waited to apply this year (there's a new solicitation with a later date).

Anyway, I will take the time to process this, and get back out there. Best of luck to all and glad to hear the good news for many!

[aspiring.academic]

Just received notice that my CAREER was recommended for funding! (Not a division I've seen anyone else mention, but happy to share privately until its official). To those out there, keep holding fast and the good news might come your way too.

Excellent!!

[aspiring.academic]

For anyone who wasn't awarded, I do feel bad for you.
The CAREER process, as is the same with many programs not only at the NSF, but other agencies, is far from perfect.
It is unfair that some institutions have an unwritten "rule" that the CAREER is a prerequisite for tenure and promotion, when it should not be the case. More successful careers have come from people without a CAREER than those who had one.
Do not let not receiving the CAREER become a factor in the otherwise excellent pursuit of science and knowledge for which you are embarking.
Repackage your CAREER proposals and submit to standard grant programs in NSF, and outside.
Also keep in mind that when it comes to this grant writing game you will have far more declines than you will have acceptances. Don't take the declines personally as some sort of affront to your work. If you're conducting meaningful science...someone will fund it...maybe even the same program that turned you down previously. Do not give up on your great work.

[mamselle]

Also keep in mind that when it comes to this grant writing game you will have far more declines than you will have acceptances. Don't take the declines personally as some sort of affront to your work. If you're conducting meaningful science...someone will fund it...maybe even the same program that turned you down previously. Do not give up on your great work.

Good words for all of us.

M.

[professing]

I concur and acknowledge there will be many more declines than acceptances. I don't mind that, and enjoy improving my work with the hindsight that comes with each decline and reviewer feedback. Even if I don't always agree with the feedback, it pushes our work to be stronger. That is something that reinforces high quality scholarship.

I've gotten many grant declines (I've also applied for many standard grants over the years while applying for the CAREER). What makes this worse is the limit on how many times you can apply. I feel like I finally *got it* this round. Again, the reviews this time, like last time, were overall (except 1) very, very positive about the promise, scope and details. The frustration here is in the lack of ability to improve and try again.

Anyway, thank you for the words of encouragement. I am still hopeful about the work and its importance. I'm not sure how the project would pan out in a standard grant that, these days, requires so many additional things (the beauty of the CAREER was in the ability to have a bit more openness in pursuing promising research). Also, we junior faculty often have to compete for resources this day and age, so being able to fund graduate students would have gone a long way... Sigh.

[JCu16]

Status changed to recommended, so moving right along in the process (I've actually never been the main PI, so all these steps are new to me). Reviews were E/VG/VG/VG.

[fizzycist]

Received call from PO today that I was recommended for funding! CHE-CMI. Second submission. First time got 3 Good, 1 excellent/VG, one fair/good.

Timeline for this submission:
-received email mid-October with request for updated C&P. Sent it in same day.

-nothing. anxiously checking fastlane once a day beginning in December. (Total waste of time but oddly comforting)

-emailed PO Dec 17 asking for update. Nearly instant reply with standard wait 6 months response.

-phone call today Jan 10 saying it will be funded and send public abstract and re-updated C&P.

Update: received award recently. Reviews this time were 3E, 1 V/G. Panel summary was mostly negative and seemed to be dominated by the V/G reviewer. But luckily still funded!

Some notes that will hopefully be useful to others:
-My proposal was virtually unchanged from my first submission (1E/V, 3G, 1 G/F). Main difference was two years had passed and I published more on the topic since then.
-even with the much stronger reviews this time (3E, 1 V/G), the proposal was deemed borderline and it seems the less enthusiastic reviewer had dominated the panel discussion.
-factors outside those usually emphasized likely played a role (Epscor state, involvement of small business in BI, etc).

Best of luck to all on the next round!

[da457]

My update: the program manager just reached out personally to decline me (2 V/1 F) - she said the F got me dinged despite her fighting to try to get it funded. She said the size of the award was a factor - I wish I would have known as I would revised the budget to meet their needs; good lesson to learn. Good luck to all those seeking such an award, and I wish you all a better outcome.

Beyond that and more generally, I hope everyone is staying safe given COVID-19 concerns. The one blessing from this reminder is the perspective as to what is truly important in life beyond these surmountable travails. Wishing all of you the best!

[da457]

Got a bit more clarification that it is size due to the Division I am in which is hard to fund big awards. Essentially, the message was if I can get up the F to a G I have a fighting chance, so we will see on my last go of it next year.

Wishing you all better luck and safety in the midst of our current predicaments.