Thoughts from a First Time NSF Applicant

Philip Guo is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at the University of Rochester, and he applied for his first sole-PI NSF grant this past winter. He doesn't know the results of his submission yet, but has a lot of thoughts about the writing/submission process to share with other first-timers:
http://pgbovine.net/NSF-grant-proposal-first-time.htm

NIH to Roll out New Biosketch Format

Already in the pilot testing phase, the new biosketch format will take effect across NIH in FY2016. The goal of the new, longer format is to emphasize accomplishments instead of just publications. You can read more about it and the reasons for its implementation here at Dr. Sally Rockey's "Rock Talk" blog.

Symposium on Basic and Translational Training and Diversity of the Biomedical Workforce

This symposium, presented by Rockefeller University, Memorial Sloan Kettering, Weill Cornell Medical College and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, will occur on June 25th, 2014 at Rockefeller University and includes Sally Rockey of the NIH in its list of speakers.

Please see the schedule and registration information here.

NIH Seminar on Program Funding and Grants Administration, Baltimore, June 26-27

The NIH Regional Seminar in Baltimore is a good opportunity to learn about the NIH and personally meet some NIH personnel. From the NIH:

What does the 2-day seminar offer?
The NIH Regional Seminar offers a comprehensive program for the NIH extramural community about the NIH grants process and related policies, including such topics as peer review, grant writing for success, pre-award and post-award issues for administrators and investigators, compliance, animal and human subject research, how to interact electronically with NIH, and mapping your career with NIH. In addition, special interest sessions are provided on topics like research integrity, data sharing, foreign collaborations, the NIH Intramural Program, and more.

More information and registration link here: Notice NOT-OD-14-083

How Professors Spend their Time

In an article in The Blue Review, John Ziker explores how "Homo academicus" at Boise State University spends his or her time: https://thebluereview.org/faculty-time-allocation/

An excerpt:
"The most surprising finding of our analysis of practices was that faculty spent approximately 17 percent of their workweek days in meetings... Thirteen percent of the day was spent on email... Thus, 30 percent of faculty time was spent on activities that are not traditionally thought of as part of the life of an academic. Twelve percent of the day was spent on instruction... and an equal amount of time was spent on class preparation. Eleven percent of the day was spent on course administration... Thus, 35 percent of workweek days was spent on activities traditionally thought of as teaching. Only three percent of our workweek day was spent on primary research and two percent on manuscript writing."
(emphasis mine)

New fringe benefits rate posted

The fiscal year 2015 fringe benefits rate has been posted to our Institutional Information page (at the bottom). Please use these rates for any applicable grant proposal that will start after July 1, 2014.

A reminder: Fringe benefits are only directly budgeted into a grant if we are not receiving our full on-campus or off-campus indirect cost rates.

NIH relaxes their stance on resubmissions

The NIH and AHRQ released a notice (NOT-OD-14-074) on April 17th that reads in part:

Effective immediately, for application due dates after April 16, 2014, following an unsuccessful resubmission (A1) application, applicants may submit the same idea as a new (A0) application for the next appropriate due date. The NIH and AHRQ will not assess the similarity of the science in the new (A0) application to any previously reviewed submission when accepting an application for review.

A FAQ's page has also been released: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/resubmission_q&a.htm

UPDATE 4/28/14: The NIH has provided clarification of the policy, based on questions they received. You may find the answers helpful.
Notice NOT-OD-14-082