Experiences in Putting Together Successful (and Unsuccessful) Fellowship Proposals

1
Experiences in Putting Together Successful (and
Unsuccessful) Fellowship Proposals

• Dr Russell SA Brinkworth
• PhD BSc / BEng (biomed) Hons
• ARC Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Industry)

2
The Reality

• When applying for a Fellowship remember
• You may have been top of your class at school
• So was everyone else
• You may have got first class honours
• So did everyone else
• You may have been the best PhD student in your
  cohort
• So was everyone else
• You need to stand out because it is tough

3
The Facts

• Getting a Fellowship is hard

Source http//www.arc.gov.au
4
First Attempt - 2004

• A Novel Method To Estimate The Wiring Diagram Of
  The Human Central Nervous System
• Dr Kemal Tüker Mr Russell Brinkworth
• Not yet finished PhD
• Fellowship to stay with PhD supervisor
• 4 Science 1 Engineering Papers
• 6 published abstracts

FAILED
5
Second Attempt - 2005

• Modelling and Analysis of Adaptive Motion
  Detection in Insect Vision
• Dr Russell Brinkworth Dr David O'Carroll
• New to research area
• 1 year post PhD
• Fellowship to extend knowledge in a useful area
• 8 Science 2 Engineering Papers
• 7 published abstracts

FAILED
6
Third Attempt - 2005

• Analysis of EEG Signals
• Dr Russell Brinkworth, Prof John Willoughby Dr
  Kenneth Pope
• NHMRC Fellowship (Flinders University)
• Similar (not the same) to PhD area
• 1 year post PhD
• Fellowship to work on previously funded NHMRC
  project
• 8 Science 2 Engineering Papers
• 7 published abstracts

FAILED
7
Fourth Attempt - 2005

• Development Of An Artificial Vision System For
  Motion Detection
• Dr Russell Brinkworth, Dr David O'Carroll, Dr
  Patrick Shoemaker Mr Alex Stanco
• New to research area
• 1 year post PhD
• Fellowship to discover and apply knowledge
• 8 Science 2 Engineering Papers
• 7 published abstracts

ACCEPTED
8
Lessons

• Can you explain your project to a non-science
  person, and get them excited?
• If not you are not likely to be funded
• Must have both sides
• Having an excellent project is not enough
• Being an exceptional applicant is not enough
• Publications are important but are not the whole
  story

9
Lessons

• Fellowships (and projects) where research has an
  immediate application are more likely to be
  successful
• Institution does play a part
• Funding from industry gives a much better chance
  of success
• Factor of 2 - 3 increase
• Keep trying! It only takes one success