NSF Grant Writing Strategy

1. NSF Grant Writing Strategy John R. Regalbuto Dept. of Chemical Engineering University of Illinois at Chicago and Former Director (2006-09) Catalysis and Biocatalysis Program NSF

2. In Remembrance of James M. Lee Professor School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering Washington State University

3. A Tough Row to Hoe…

4. Outline • How to make yourself known • How to gauge the competition • How to pick a program • How to survive proposal review • The SECRET to writing a successful proposal

5. Program Directors • Initial contact (Option #1): • Volunteer for a review panel • Part of NSF’s YFF on Wednesday • Great teaching and learning mechanism for young faculty • A big help for CAREER submissions

6. NSF Sources of Reviewers or Panelists • Current or past NSF awardees • PIs who submit competitive proposals • Technical meeting programs • Computer Search • Young professors who volunteer

7. Most successful awardees are active reviewers. • How can you be an active reviewer when you are not an awardee? • Submit proposals • Volunteer • Be a good reviewer or panelist

8. Program Directors • Initial contact (Option #2): • Send in a project summary requesting an evaluation of the fit to the program • (Do the homework first to determine in fact that you’ve found the right program.)

9. Program Directors • Need your help post-award: • Research accomplishments/highlights/ nuggets/soundbites • Remember NSF when you become rich and famous

10. How to find about your competitors Visit NSF web site. Current grant search PIs: Who are they? Title: What are hot areas? Abstracts: How to focus your research? Budget: Guide for your budget. Visit current grantees’ web sites for more details of their research progress.

22. Competitive Proposals • New ideas in cutting-edge areas with sound scientific rationale • Focused project plan – sufficient details • Critical approach • Realistic amount of work • Adequate budget

23. Try to do a perfect jobwithout being a perfectionist • Follow guidelines • Good writing • Good looking • No typos • Start early

29. Try to do a perfect jobwithout being a perfectionist Follow guidelines Good writing Good looking No typos Start early

30. NSF Merit Review Criteria • What is the intellectual merit and quality of the proposed activity? • What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity?

31. If your proposal is declined, do not take it too personally. • It is the reviewer’s job to criticize. • Even top researchers get criticized, get low ratings, and get declined. • If the criticisms are wrong, ignore them. • Resubmit your proposal after thorough revision.

32. Competitive Proposals • Cover page • Summary • Project description • Budget and justification • 2 page resume • Letters of support real meat

33. Competitive Proposals • Demonstrate knowledge of field • ≥ 75 literature citations • Demonstrate competence • Prior work • Letters of support where appropriate • Postulate a clear, well defined hypothesis • Be as specific as possible • Propose a well thought out plan of work • Judicious calculations or experiments to test your hypothesis • Compelling preliminary data • Reasonable scope and budget Project description Intro and prior work Hypothesis & objective Proposed work

34. The SECRET to NSF Proposal success: • The Scientific Method plays well at the National Science Foundation • A tractable hypothesis is key • Demonstrates forethought and understanding • Helps reviewers understand the research

35. Competitive Proposals Demonstrate knowledge of field ≥ 75 literature citations Demonstrate competence Prior work Letters of support where appropriate Postulate a clear, well defined hypothesis Be as specific as possible Propose a well thought out plan of work Judicious calculations or experiments to test your hypothesis Compelling preliminary data Reasonable scope and budget Project description Intro and prior work Hypothesis & objective Proposed work

36. Competitive Proposals • Pay attention to broader impacts • Technical impact • Educational/outreach activities • Involvement of underrepresented groups • K-12 education programs • Broad dissemination of results • Work hard on the summary • Explicit statement of scientific merit • Explicit statement of broader impact • Don’t overcrowd or undercrowd Broader impacts Project summary

37. Pop Quiz: Reviewing Exercise! • Critique of Project Summaries • Is it all in there? • Background • PI competence • Hypothesis • Proposed work • Compelling data • High impact • Outreach/education

38. Pop Quiz: Reviewing Exercise! • “model” summary:

39. Project Summary Simple, Scientific Syntheses of Bimetallic and Mixed Oxide Catalysts Intellectual Merit Through the past dozen years of studying the fundamental phenomena that occur during noble metal catalyst impregnation, my research group has striven to “transform the art of catalyst preparation into a science.” With past support from NSF we have been able to describe the uptake of noble metal coordination complexes over many oxides and carbons during impregnation in terms of a simple electrostatic mechanism; our work has been the first to show that there is an optimal pH at which the precursor-surface interaction is strongest, and we have further demonstrated that in many cases the high dispersion of the monolayer-adsorbed complexes is retained during reduction and yields highly dispersed metals. We have termed the method of adsorbing a metal complex at the optimal pH, and reducing to retain high dispersion “strong electrostatic adsorption” (SEA). Our working hypothesis in the current proposal is that electrostatic control of metal adsorption can be achieved at the nanoscale over surfaces containing two oxide fractions. The SEA method can be extended to provide a simple, scientific, effective method to prepare a wide range of bimetallic catalysts and promoted catalysts using cheap, common precursors. Over promoter/support surfaces, pH will be controlled to achieve selective adsorption of the metal complex onto the promoter and not the support. Bimetallics will be synthesized by adsorbing a second metal complex selectively onto a precursor oxide phase of the first metal and then reducing the intimately contacted metals. Thorough preliminary results are presented and a comprehensive demonstration is planned for both cases. Broad Impact Our efforts have always been directed toward getting the most out of common precursors and methods by understanding them better. It is hoped that successful demonstrations of the proposed work will lead to great leaps forward in the understanding and practice of bimetallic and promoted catalyst preparation. The potential scientific impact is extremely broad, affecting all facets of the chemical industry which employ bimetallic and oxide promoted catalysts. On educational and diversity impact, I have firmly integrated the REU programs into the operation of our laboratory. The third research thrust of the proposed work has been formulated specifically for REU students; this work will be relatively easy to undertake, exciting to do, and will get noticed in peer reviewed publications and conference presentations. Of the 10 REU students who have worked with me so far, 100% are from underrepresented groups (8 are women of which one is African-American, and the other two are Hispanic). The diversity of Chicago is amply reflected in our student body, and this has become a feature of our research program. Through an REU supplement we will be able to continue this fine tradition. background competence hypothesis proposed work preliminary results scientific impact outreach

40. Project Summary Simple, Scientific Syntheses of Bimetallic and Mixed Oxide Catalysts Intellectual Merit Through the past dozen years of studying the fundamental phenomena that occur during noble metal catalyst impregnation, my research group has striven to “transform the art of catalyst preparation into a science.” With past support from NSF we have been able to describe the uptake of noble metal coordination complexes over many oxides and carbons during impregnation in terms of a simple electrostatic mechanism; our work has been the first to show that there is an optimal pH at which the precursor-surface interaction is strongest, and we have further demonstrated that in many cases the high dispersion of the monolayer-adsorbed complexes is retained during reduction and yields highly dispersed metals. We have termed the method of adsorbing a metal complex at the optimal pH, and reducing to retain high dispersion “strong electrostatic adsorption” (SEA). Our working hypothesis in the current proposal is that electrostatic control of metal adsorption can be achieved at the nanoscale over surfaces containing two oxide fractions. The SEA method can be extended to provide a simple, scientific, effective method to prepare a wide range of bimetallic catalysts and promoted catalysts using cheap, common precursors. Over promoter/support surfaces, pH will be controlled to achieve selective adsorption of the metal complex onto the promoter and not the support. Bimetallics will be synthesized by adsorbing a second metal complex selectively onto a precursor oxide phase of the first metal and then reducing the intimately contacted metals. Thorough preliminary results are presented and a comprehensive demonstration is planned for both cases. Broad Impact Our efforts have always been directed toward getting the most out of common precursors and methods by understanding them better. It is hoped that successful demonstrations of the proposed work will lead to great leaps forward in the understanding and practice of bimetallic and promoted catalyst preparation. The potential scientific impact is extremely broad, affecting all facets of the chemical industry which employ bimetallic and oxide promoted catalysts. On educational and diversity impact, I have firmly integrated the REU programs into the operation of our laboratory. The third research thrust of the proposed work has been formulated specifically for REU students; this work will be relatively easy to undertake, exciting to do, and will get noticed in peer reviewed publications and conference presentations. Of the 10 REU students who have worked with me so far, 100% are from underrepresented groups (8 are women of which one is African-American, and the other two are Hispanic). The diversity of Chicago is amply reflected in our student body, and this has become a feature of our research program. Through an REU supplement we will be able to continue this fine tradition.

41. Pop Quiz: Reviewing Exercise! • What’s wrong with this picture?

42. Project Summary: Simple, Scientific Syntheses of Bimetallic and Mixed Oxide Catalysts Intellectual Merit Through the past dozen years of studying the fundamental phenomena that occur during noble metal catalyst impregnation, my research group has striven to “transform the art of catalyst preparation into a science.” With past support from NSF we have been able to describe the uptake of noble metal coordination complexes over many oxides and carbons during impregnation in terms of a simple electrostatic mechanism; our work has been the first to show that there is an optimal pH at which the precursor-surface interaction is strongest, and we have further demonstrated that in many cases the high dispersion of the monolayer-adsorbed complexes is retained during reduction and yields highly dispersed metals. We have termed the method of adsorbing a metal complex at the optimal pH, and reducing to retain high dispersion “strong electrostatic adsorption” (SEA). Our working hypothesis in the current proposal is that electrostatic control of metal adsorption can be achieved at the nanoscale over surfaces containing two oxide fractions. The SEA method can be extended to provide a simple, scientific, effective method to prepare a wide range of bimetallic catalysts and promoted catalysts using cheap, common precursors. Over promoter/support surfaces, pH will be controlled to achieve selective adsorption of the metal complex onto the promoter and not the support. Bimetallics will be synthesized by adsorbing a second metal complex selectively onto a precursor oxide phase of the first metal and then reducing the intimately contacted metals. Thorough preliminary results are presented and a comprehensive demonstration is planned for both cases. Through the past dozen years of studying the fundamental phenomena that occur during noble metal catalyst impregnation, my research group has striven to “transform the art of catalyst preparation into a science.” With past support from NSF we have been able to describe the uptake of noble metal coordination complexes over many oxides and carbons during impregnation in terms of a simple electrostatic mechanism; our work has been the first to show that there is an optimal pH at which the precursor-surface interaction is strongest, and we have further demonstrated that in many cases the high dispersion of the monolayer-adsorbed complexes is retained during reduction and yields highly dispersed metals. We have termed the method of adsorbing a metal complex at the optimal pH, and reducing to retain high dispersion “strong electrostatic adsorption” (SEA). Our working hypothesis in the current proposal is that electrostatic control of metal adsorption can be achieved at the nanoscale over surfaces containing two oxide fractions. The SEA method can be extended to provide a simple, scientific, effective method to prepare a wide range of bimetallic catalysts and promoted catalysts using cheap, common precursors. Over promoter/support surfaces, pH will be controlled to achieve selective adsorption of the metal complex onto the promoter and not the support. Bimetallics will be synthesized by adsorbing a second metal complex selectively onto a precursor oxide phase of the first metal and then reducing the intimately contacted metals. Thorough preliminary results are presented and a comprehensive demonstration is planned for both cases. Broad Impact Our efforts have always been directed toward getting the most out of common precursors and methods by understanding them better. It is hoped that successful demonstrations of the proposed work will lead to great leaps forward in the understanding and practice of bimetallic and promoted catalyst preparation. The potential scientific impact is extremely broad, affecting all facets of the chemical industry which employ bimetallic and oxide promoted catalysts. On educational and diversity impact, I have firmly integrated the REU programs into the operation of our laboratory. The third research thrust of the proposed work has been formulated specifically for REU students; this work will be relatively easy to undertake, exciting to do, and will get noticed in peer reviewed publications and conference presentations. Of the 10 REU students who have worked with me so far, 100% are from underrepresented groups (8 are women of which one is African-American, and the other two are Hispanic). The diversity of Chicago is amply reflected in our student body, and this has become a feature of our research program. Through an REU supplement we will be able to continue this fine tradition. Our efforts have always been directed toward getting the most out of common precursors and methods by understanding them better. It is hoped that successful demonstrations of the proposed work will lead to great leaps forward in the understanding and practice of bimetallic and promoted catalyst preparation. The potential scientific impact is extremely broad, affecting all facets of the chemical industry which employ bimetallic and oxide promoted catalysts. On educational and diversity impact, I have firmly integrated the REU programs into the operation of our laboratory. The third research thrust of the proposed work has been formulated specifically for REU students; this work will be relatively easy to undertake, exciting to do, and will get noticed in peer reviewed publications and conference presentations. Of the 10 REU students who have worked with me so far, 100% are from underrepresented groups (8 are women of which one is African-American, and the other two are Hispanic). The diversity of Chicago is amply reflected in our student body, and this has become a feature of our research program. Through an REU supplement we will be able to continue this fine tradition. Our working hypothesis in the current proposal is that electrostatic control of metal adsorption can be achieved at the nanoscale over surfaces containing two oxide fractions. The SEA method can be extended to provide a simple, scientific, effective method to prepare a wide range of bimetallic catalysts and promoted catalysts using cheap, common precursors. Over promoter/support surfaces, pH will be controlled to achieve selective adsorption of the metal complex onto the promoter and not the support. Bimetallics will be synthesized by adsorbing a second metal complex selectively onto a precursor oxide phase of the first metal and then reducing the intimately contacted metals. Thorough preliminary results are presented and a comprehensive method to prepare a wide range of bimetallic catalysts and promoted catalysts using cheap, common precursors. Over promoter/support surfaces, pH will be controlled to achieve s method can be extended to provide a simple, scientific, effective method to prepare a wide range of bimetallic catalysts and promoted catalysts using cheap, common precursors. Over promoter/support surfaces, pH will be controlled to achieve selective adsorption of the metal complex onto the promoter and not the support. Bimetallics will be synthesized by adsorbing a second metal complex selectively onto a precursor oxide phase of the first metal and then reducing the intimately contacted metals. Thorough preliminary results are presented and a comprehensive method to prepare a wide range of bimetallic catalysts and promoted catalysts using cheap, common precursors. Over promoter/support surfaces, pH will be controlled to achieve selective elective adsorption of the metal complex onto the promoter and not the support. Bimetallics will be synth Thorough prelim Over promoter/support surfaces, pH will be controlled to achieve selective adsorption of the metal complex onto the promoter and not the support. Bimetallics will be synth Thorough preliminary inary results are presented and a comprehensive method to prepare a wide range of bimetallic catalysts and promoted catalysts using cheap, common precursors. Over promoter/support surfaces, pH will be controlled to achieve selective adsorption of the metal complex onto the promoter and not the support. Bimetallics will be synthesized by adsorbing a second metal complex selectively onto a precursor oxide phase of the first metal and then reducing the intimately contacted metals. Thorough preliminary results are presented and a comprehensive demonstration is planned for both cases.

43. Project Summary Simple, Scientific Syntheses of Bimetallic and Mixed Oxide Catalysts Intellectual Merit Through the past dozen years of studying the fundamental phenomena that occur during noble metal catalyst impregnation, my research group has striven to “transform the art of catalyst preparation into a science.” With past support from NSF we have been able to describe the uptake of noble metal coordination complexes over many oxides and carbons during impregnation in terms of a simple electrostatic mechanism; our work has been the first to show that there is an optimal pH at which the precursor-surface interaction is strongest, and we have further demonstrated that in many cases the high dispersion of the monolayer-adsorbed complexes is retained during reduction and yields highly dispersed metals. We have termed the method of adsorbing a metal complex at the optimal pH, and reducing to retain high dispersion “strong electrostatic adsorption” (SEA). Our working hypothesis in the current proposal is that electrostatic control of metal adsorption can be achieved at the nanoscale over surfaces containing two oxide fractions. The SEA method can be extended to provide a simple, scientific, effective method to prepare a wide range of bimetallic catalysts and promoted catalysts using cheap, common precursors. Over promoter/support surfaces, pH will be controlled to achieve selective adsorption of the metal complex onto the promoter and not the support. Bimetallics will be synthesized by adsorbing a second metal complex selectively onto a precursor oxide phase of the first metal and then reducing the intimately contacted metals. Thorough preliminary results are presented and a comprehensive demonstration is planned for both cases. Broad Impact Our efforts have always been directed toward getting the most out of common precursors and methods by understanding them better. It is hoped that successful demonstrations of the proposed work will lead to great leaps forward in the understanding and practice of bimetallic and promoted catalyst preparation. The potential scientific impact is extremely broad, affecting all facets of the chemical industry which employ bimetallic and oxide promoted catalysts. On educational and diversity impact, I have firmly integrated the REU programs into the operation of our laboratory. The third research thrust of the proposed work has been formulated specifically for REU students; this work will be relatively easy to undertake, exciting to do, and will get noticed in peer reviewed publications and conference presentations. Of the 10 REU students who have worked with me so far, 100% are from underrepresented groups (8 are women of which one is African-American, and the other two are Hispanic). The diversity of Chicago is amply reflected in our student body, and this has become a feature of our research program. Through an REU supplement we will be able to continue this fine tradition.

44. Pop Quiz: Reviewing Exercise! • What’s missing?

45. Project Summary Simple, Scientific Syntheses of Bimetallic and Mixed Oxide Catalysts Intellectual Merit Through the past dozen years of studying the fundamental phenomena that occur during noble metal catalyst impregnation, my research group has striven to “transform the art of catalyst preparation into a science.” With past support from NSF we have been able to describe the uptake of noble metal coordination complexes over many oxides and carbons during impregnation in terms of a simple electrostatic mechanism; our work has been the first to show that there is an optimal pH at which the precursor-surface interaction is strongest, and we have further demonstrated that in many cases the high dispersion of the monolayer-adsorbed complexes is retained during reduction and yields highly dispersed metals. We have termed the method of adsorbing a metal complex at the optimal pH, and reducing to retain high dispersion “strong electrostatic adsorption” (SEA). In the current work our approach will be extended to the preparation of bimetallic catalysts. In past studies we have learned that ionic strength, pH, and the oxide point of zero charge are the most important impregnation parameters. We will systematically vary these parameters to optimize the preparation of bimetallic catalysts. Thorough preliminary results are presented and a comprehensive demonstration is planned for both cases. Broad Impact Our efforts have always been directed toward getting the most out of common precursors and methods by understanding them better. It is hoped that successful demonstrations of the proposed work will lead to great leaps forward in the understanding and practice of bimetallic and promoted catalyst preparation. The potential scientific impact is extremely broad, affecting all facets of the chemical industry which employ bimetallic and oxide promoted catalysts. On educational and diversity impact, I have firmly integrated the REU programs into the operation of our laboratory. The third research thrust of the proposed work has been formulated specifically for REU students; this work will be relatively easy to undertake, exciting to do, and will get noticed in peer reviewed publications and conference presentations. Of the 10 REU students who have worked with me so far, 100% are from underrepresented groups (8 are women of which one is African-American, and the other two are Hispanic). The diversity of Chicago is amply reflected in our student body, and this has become a feature of our research program. Through an REU supplement we will be able to continue this fine tradition.

46. Project Summary Simple, Scientific Syntheses of Bimetallic and Mixed Oxide Catalysts Intellectual Merit With the advent of nanoscience, there have been many attempts in the field of catalysis to “transform the art of catalyst preparation into a science.” A number of researchers have proposed a simple electrostatic mechanism in which there is an optimal pH at which the precursor-surface interaction is strongest, and in many cases the high dispersion of the monolayer-adsorbed complexes is retained during reduction and yields highly dispersed metals. While this appears to be a promising avenue of preparing catalysts, the work published in the literature today has numerous and critical shortcomings and can be vastly improved with the proper and most modern nanoscientific approaches. Our working hypothesis in the current proposal is that electrostatic control of metal adsorption can be achieved at the nanoscale over surfaces containing two oxide fractions. The SEA method can be extended to provide a simple, scientific, effective method to prepare a wide range of bimetallic catalysts and promoted catalysts using cheap, common precursors. Over promoter/support surfaces, pH will be controlled to achieve selective adsorption of the metal complex onto the promoter and not the support. Bimetallics will be synthesized by adsorbing a second metal complex selectively onto a precursor oxide phase of the first metal and then reducing the intimately contacted metals. A comprehensive demonstration is planned for both cases. Broad Impact Our efforts will be directed toward getting the most out of common precursors and methods by understanding them better. It is hoped that successful demonstrations of the proposed work will lead to great leaps forward in the understanding and practice of bimetallic and promoted catalyst preparation. The potential scientific impact is extremely broad, affecting all facets of the chemical industry which employ bimetallic and oxide promoted catalysts. On educational and diversity impact, I will firmly integrated the REU programs into the operation of our laboratory. The third research thrust of the proposed work has been formulated specifically for REU students; this work will be relatively easy to undertake, exciting to do, and will get noticed in peer reviewed publications and conference presentations. I will seek from underrepresented. The diversity of Chicago is amply reflected in our student body, and this will become a feature of our research program.

47. Project Summary Simple, Scientific Syntheses of Bimetallic and Mixed Oxide Catalysts Intellectual Merit Through the past dozen years of studying the fundamental phenomena that occur during noble metal catalyst impregnation, my research group has striven to “transform the art of catalyst preparation into a science.” With past support from NSF we have been able to describe the uptake of noble metal coordination complexes over many oxides and carbons during impregnation in terms of a simple electrostatic mechanism; our work has been the first to show that there is an optimal pH at which the precursor-surface interaction is strongest, and we have further demonstrated that in many cases the high dispersion of the monolayer-adsorbed complexes is retained during reduction and yields highly dispersed metals. We have termed the method of adsorbing a metal complex at the optimal pH, and reducing to retain high dispersion “strong electrostatic adsorption” (SEA). Our working hypothesis in the current proposal is that electrostatic control of metal adsorption can be achieved at the nanoscale over surfaces containing two oxide fractions. The SEA method can be extended to provide a simple, scientific, effective method to prepare a wide range of bimetallic catalysts and promoted catalysts using cheap, common precursors. Over promoter/support surfaces, pH will be controlled to achieve selective adsorption of the metal complex onto the promoter and not the support. Bimetallics will be synthesized by adsorbing a second metal complex selectively onto a precursor oxide phase of the first metal and then reducing the intimately contacted metals. Thorough preliminary results are presented and a comprehensive demonstration is planned for both cases. Broad Impact Our efforts have always been directed toward getting the most out of common precursors and methods by understanding them better. It is hoped that successful demonstrations of the proposed work will lead to great leaps forward in the understanding and practice of bimetallic and promoted catalyst preparation. The potential scientific impact is extremely broad, affecting all facets of the chemical industry which employ bimetallic and oxide promoted catalysts. These studies will provide the means to mentor a graduate student through their Ph. D. research. Not only will the student learn in the lab, he or she will present talks at national and international meetings and publish in peer reviewed journals. The results of the research will be brought into the graduate and undergraduate courses I teach in catalysis and will be featured on our website.

48. Competitive Proposals • The next window for unsolicited proposals is February 1 - March 1, 2011 • Good Luck!