MACHINE TOOL RESEARCH CENTER

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More advice on writing your NSF CAREER proposal
Tony L. Schmitz, Assistant Professor Department
of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering University
of Florida
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Caveat
Other than the strict submission requirements for
the CAREER proposal, feel free to ignore
everything you hear at this workshop. This is
your proposal which should reflect your view of
how your research will progress over the next
five years. With that said...
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My 1 suggestion

• You must have a vision.
• The most important aspect of your proposal is the
  reviewers are left with a clear idea of your
  grand vision.
• Why are you going to carry out this research?
• How will the research results be applied?
• What makes your research objectives unique?

The question to answer for yourself if why am I
going to carry out this research?. (This is not
a research proposal it is a career
jump-start.) A sufficient answer is not so I can
get funded and hopefully get tenured some day.
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One more time
You must have a vision.
Ive reviewed and read proposals for colleagues
that were good, but didnt leave me excited about
their plans. You must convince reviewers that
this work must be done or the future of the free
world will suffer. How do you do this? Tell a
compelling story
Lead the reviewers down your path.
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Be a story teller
Remember, this is not a research paper. Youll
(in general) need to do more than just report
the facts.

• Provide compelling justification for why your
  selected research area is important (e.g., can
  you provide a sound economic justification for
  your plans?).
• Do your homework.
• Talk to people in the industry (more on
  collaborators later).
• Ensure that those not familiar with your research
  area can follow your story.
• Dont immediately launch into tech-speak and
  equations. If I dont know why you are proposing
  this work, my eyes will glaze over when I begin
  trying to trudge through your equations.

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Be a story teller
Make sure your proposal is not a bed-time
story! Your story needs to have pop.

• You want the reviewers to say Gee, I wish Id
  have thought of that when they are finished
  reading.
• How do you do this?
• Be brave (I have a hard time describing research
  that Im not exactly sure that I can complete).
  Dont be incremental propose significant jumps
  in the state-of-the-art.
• Of course, dont try to trick the reviewers.
  Youll get caught

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Your research plan

• To avoid reviewers that feel tricked, here are
  some strategies
• Establish a logical, chronological plan of
  activities that will lead you to your research
  objectives. I separated my proposed research into
  stages that corresponded to particular years of
  the five-year plan.
• Identify clear success metrics. Let the reviewers
  know how you will decide if your research is on
  the right track, if you are successful.
• Identify major questions that must be answered.
  Dont be afraid to say what if x happens?, but
  make sure to provide a plan of action if x
  occurs.
• Some sanity can be contributed by collaboration

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Collaborators

• Warm and fuzzy letters from friends in industry
  will not help you much.
• Identify relevant collaborating organizations
• get the right person on the phone and
• make your pitch.

If you cant convince him/her that they should
get on board this research train, then maybe you
need to rethink your story. You probably wont
convince reviewers either.

• If you can get the collaborators to put in some
  skin, reviewers will be impressed. Youve
  established credibility. Examples of skin
• materials and supplies
• equipment (great to go after hard to get this
  money)
• engineering support

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Your education plan

• Dont leave this as an afterthought or you wont
  get funded.
• It is essential that your education plan also
  have pop. I also think it should be integrated
  within your research plan in the proposal (not
  completely separated).
• No one will be impressed by
• offering a new graduate course
• teaching undergraduate courses x, y, and z
• participation in undergraduate engineering
  societies
• i.e., the easy stuff.
• This must also be part of your vision. What
  interests you? What are your talents? How can you
  apply them to innovative education?

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Your education plan

• Prior to submission, a colleague critiqued my
  proposal and said
• There is nothing exciting in your education plan.
  You will not get funded.
• Not fun to hear, but it set me to thinking.
• What do I like?
• football and
• engineering (pretty much in that order!)
• This led to the Pigskin Professor video concept
  present engineering concepts in the language of
  football at the UF home games. Here is an example
  from the 2003 San Jose State game (1st video 6
  total).
• All videos are available at http//highspeedmachin
  ing.mae.ufl.edu.

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Other tips
Reviewers must evaluate your proposal based on
two main criteria 1) Intellectual merit and 2)
Broader impacts. Decide what these criteria
mean. In addition, there are particular questions
the reviewer is supposed to ask (see Guide for
Proposals). For example, reviewers are asked
to evaluate the scientific quality and
importance of the proposed research and education
activities, the objectives and significance of
these activities, and the capability of the
applicant to make an integrative contribution in
both education and research. Dont make the
reviewers search for answers to these
questions. Proofread! Eliminate grammatical,
style, and formatting errors. Give the proposal
to someone non-technical so they can edit for
these errors. Include relevant, quality graphics.
Use figures to support your story.
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Finally

• Your job is to sell the reviewers on you as a
  whole package. This includes your
• Research plan
• Education plan
• Prior experience and future potential.
• They are trying to predict your chances for
  future success and your ability to make an impact
  in your field. Give them the ammunition they need
  to support your proposal.
• Summary
• Have a vision
• tell your story and
• include pop in your combined research and
  education plan.

Good luck!
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