1. NSF CAREER workshop March 12-13, 2009 I. Kretzschmar, CCNY slide 1 How to write a successful CAREER proposal? Ilona Kretzschmar Associate Professor Chemical Engineering City College of New York NSF CAREER Workshop 2009 03/12/09

2. NSF CAREER workshop March 12-13, 2009 I. Kretzschmar, CCNY slide 2 Well, I don’t have a good answer, but I can tell you my story. How to write a successful CAREER proposal?

3. NSF CAREER workshop March 12-13, 2009 I. Kretzschmar, CCNY slide 3 Academic Career 1996Technical University of Berlin – Diploma Chemistry 1999Technical University of Berlin – PhD Chemistry 2000Harvard University – Fedeor Lynen Postdoctoral Fellow (AvH) in Surface Science 2002Yale University – Research Associate in Molecular Electronics (EE) 2004CCNY – Assistant Professor in Chemical Engineering 2008CCNY – Promotion & Tenure

4. NSF CAREER workshop March 12-13, 2009 I. Kretzschmar, CCNY slide 4 CAREER Proposal Submission Summer 2004 Title: CAREER: Uniquely functionalized nanoparticles for hierarchical self-assembly of three-dimensional structures Process: 1)Read the solicitation carefully. 2)Asked departmental faculty about available outreach programs at CCNY. 3)Asked for successful proposals – none available. 4)Had departmental mentors (3) read my proposal. 5)Read abstracts from previously successful proposals. 6)Contacted NSF Division Director and Program Director. 7)Submitted the proposal. NSF Division: Interfacial Processes and Thermodynamics Submitted: 07/2004

5. NSF CAREER workshop March 12-13, 2009 I. Kretzschmar, CCNY slide 5 NSF Career Workshop – October 2004 - learned how exhausting proposal reading and reviewing is - got a feeling for how NSF review panel may work - learned more about educational outreach (video clips broadcasted during football games) - learned about broader impact and diversity programs (LSAMP) MOST IMPORTANTLY: made new friends  networked!!!

6. NSF CAREER workshop March 12-13, 2009 I. Kretzschmar, CCNY slide 6 News on the CAREER proposal December 15 th, 2004 Title: CAREER: Uniquely functionalized nanoparticles for hierarchical self-assembly of three-dimensional structures NSF Division: Interfacial Processes and Thermodynamics Ratings: Reviewer #1: good (G) Reviewer #2: very good (VG) Reviewer #3: excellent (E) Reviewer #4: very good (VG) Funding decision: NOT FUNDED

7. NSF CAREER workshop March 12-13, 2009 I. Kretzschmar, CCNY slide 7 Panel Summary – What went wrong? Intellectual Merit This proposal generated a significant level of enthusiasm. The idea of asymmetry is considered novel, as well as much needed for generating 3D structure, and the approach is unique. The panel regarded the proposed bottom up approach favorably. The work is potentially revolutionary. The PI has an excellent track record in terms of training and has built an impressive list of collaborators in a short period of time. The panel also had some concerns. Primary among these is the lack of any track record at the PIs current institution. This is understandable, as she has just begun her academic appointment, but the lack of preliminary data weakens the proposal significantly. Questions were raised. First, will sintering the particles not destroy them? Can the PI address this? Second, will a high energy beam not cause rotation, hence negating the asymmetry achieved by partial coatings? There was concern as to how to achieve arms of controlled length and rigidity. Can that be controlled? Will there not be aggregation and/or distributions of 4, 5, 6 particles? If so, then how will this impact the usage of the connected particle assembly? Broader Impact The Education plan did not generate a level of excitement nearly as strong as the research plan. One of the goals (writing a book) was actually viewed as a negative quality of the proposal, given the large commitment of time (generally considered not a good idea for young professors). There is mention of a program involving high school teachers, but no real plan has been assembled and the proposal lacks details.

8. NSF CAREER workshop March 12-13, 2009 I. Kretzschmar, CCNY slide 8 Lessons Learned from 1 st Attempt 1) Proposal idea not that bad 2) Preliminary Data VERY important 3) Both Research & Education are important Important Reviewer Comment: “Rather than belabor the point here, the PI is encouraged to read Richard Felder's article "So You Want to Win a CAREER Award," Chemical Engineering Education, 36(1), 32-33 (Winter 2002).” Skipped 2005 submission to have time to get some good preliminary data and publications.

9. NSF CAREER workshop March 12-13, 2009 I. Kretzschmar, CCNY slide 9 CAREER Submission #2 Preparation basically started after decline of 1 st proposal! 1) Networking: - talked to EVERY visitor coming to the department about my research - IDENTIFIED and CONNECTED with people with similar research interests at conferences and meetings - asked visitors with research related to my area for their SUCCESSFUL CAREER proposals - have an UP-TO-DATE website Advertised my group, my research, my department, and my college!

10. NSF CAREER workshop March 12-13, 2009 I. Kretzschmar, CCNY slide 10 CAREER Submission #2 (cont’d) 2) Research: - published 1 st paper on asymmetric particle modification - published 2 nd paper on density-functional modeling of particle assembly in collaboration with Marc Donohue at Johns Hopkins University - attracted three PhD students and several undergraduates to the laboratory to work on CAREER and other related, proposed research Established Track Record in My Research Area and Obtained Preliminary Data!

11. NSF CAREER workshop March 12-13, 2009 I. Kretzschmar, CCNY slide 11 CAREER Submission #2 (cont’d) 3) Education and Outreach - established connection with LSAMP during other proposal preparations - accepted one undergraduate student from LSAMP into my lab - accepted two summer high-school students from the Harlem Children’s society into my lab - accepted two summer (2005) students from the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm (Sweden) into my lab - collaborated with Media and Communication Arts Department on Grove School of Engineering video clip - accepted any invitation to lecture on my research (REU at Columbia, invitations to give seminars) Established Track Record in Education and Outreach!

12. NSF CAREER workshop March 12-13, 2009 I. Kretzschmar, CCNY slide 12 2 nd CAREER proposal submission Summer, 2006 Title: CAREER: Molecularly Directed Assembly of “Patchy” Particles NSF Division: PARTICULATE & MULTIPHASE PROCESSES Ratings: Reviewer #1: Excellent (E) Reviewer #2: Excellent (E) Reviewer #3: Very Good (VG) Reviewer #4: Very Good (VG) Funding decision: AWARDED

13. NSF CAREER workshop March 12-13, 2009 I. Kretzschmar, CCNY slide 13 Lessons Learned from 2 nd Round 1)NETWORKING! - people you meet may be on your CAREER panel 2) Track record in your research area - people who read/review your papers may be on your CAREER panel 3) Track record in education and outreach - a long-term record convinces the panel that you are serious about education and outreach  you can propose things that are not yet established 4) Draw from existing outreach programs 5) Come up with something unique and new that you want to do!

14. NSF CAREER workshop March 12-13, 2009 I. Kretzschmar, CCNY slide 14 As a side note: What happened in between the two submissions?

15. NSF CAREER workshop March 12-13, 2009 I. Kretzschmar, CCNY slide 15 NSF Funding Record: 2 out of 7 07/2004 – 1 st CAREER proposal attempt 11/2004 – NER proposal 01/2005 – MRI proposal 02/2005 – unsolicited CBET proposal 03/2005 – Sensors proposal 09/2005 – unsolicited CBET proposal 10/2005 – unsolicited CBET proposal 11/2005 – NER proposal 11/2005 – NIRT proposal (co-PI) 01/2006 – MRI proposal 03/2006 – unsolicited CBET proposal 05/2006 – NUE proposal 07/2006 – 2 nd CAREER proposal attempt 09/2006 – unsolicited CBET proposal (declined) (awarded)

16. NSF CAREER workshop March 12-13, 2009 I. Kretzschmar, CCNY slide 16 General CAREER Proposal Comments - every division/every panel is different - propose a doable set of projects for both short and long- term (remember, they know how much a 1 st or 2 nd year student can get done) - be concise – the project summary is the most important part, it sets the stage - a timeline is a MUST - use subheadings to make it easier for the reviewer to find things during the panel discussion

17. NSF CAREER workshop March 12-13, 2009 I. Kretzschmar, CCNY slide 17 General CAREER Proposal Comments (cont’d) - use italic or underlining strategically, but sparsely - show your track record - show that you have the infrastructure - collaborators (can be used to support proposal, but should not dominate proposal) Enjoy what you do! Good Luck!