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# Grant Writing with Morgan Giddings, PhD

Stop wasting time on failed grant proposals and get back to doing great research

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## Posts

- [Home Page](http://morganonscience.com/mp-new-blog-reading-page/) - Post category Use this section to filter posts from a different category of your blog View category NIH GrantwritingGabriel SanchezNovember 29, 2023Comments New NIH Review Framework: A Step Forward or a Misstep? If you’re part of the academic research community, you may be aware of the NIH’s latest shake-up in its review… Read PostcommunicationGabriel SanchezJune
- [New NIH Review Framework: A Step Forward or a Misstep?](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/nih-grantwriting/understanding-the-new-nih-review-framework-impact-on-grant-applicants/) - Dr. Giddings explains the revised grant review framework, focusing on trust and desire, essential for successful proposals. Gain insights for a competitive edge
- [Find the Hat That Fits… And Wear It: A New Approach to Leadership in the Lab (Part 1)](http://morganonscience.com/newpost/find-the-hat-that-fits-and-wear-it-a-new-approach-to-leadership-in-the-lab-part-1/) - What’s your reaction when you hear mention of a “Leadership Seminar?” Do your eyes glaze over as you wonder what you could possibly glean there that’s a better use of your time than buckling down to do the next experiment, working on that proposal that’s due soon, or corralling some students into getting real work Discover how redefining leadership in research labs can unlock your team's full potential and drive greater scientific breakthroughs.
- [Specific aims example](http://morganonscience.com/technology/specific-aims-example/) - Your goal is to show strength, confidence, and logical thinking about your research, with each aim well thought out and accomplishing a critical mission within the context of your proposal.
- [Proud or Paid?](http://morganonscience.com/ping-fm/proud-or-paid/) - Science is a creative product - just like books and CDs. While one can't go about writing "late night infomercial" style headlines for manuscripts or grant proposals (I'm sure that would backfire), it is essential to pay attention to how the work is being "marketed". (aside: most science work is not marketed at all - that's why most articles get buried in the trashbin of history so rapidly).
- [Boring Talk Titles](http://morganonscience.com/ping-fm/boring-talk-titles/) - should science really be so boring all the time? Most talk titles I see convey that sense. But given that we need to get more people interested in science, not less, how about we make it a little bit interesting from time to time?
- [Boring talk titles - Meta Morgan TV](http://morganonscience.com/technology/boring-talk-titles-meta-morgan-tv/) - Today Morgan discusses really really boring scientific talk titles. Morgan shares her favorite title for a talk...
- [The ENcyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCoDE)](http://morganonscience.com/technology/the-encyclopedia-of-dna-elements-encode/) - These need to be separate from the pressures of academic science, which is a constant publish-or-perish affair, making it hard to focus on
- [The "law" of gravity isn't a law](http://morganonscience.com/technology/the-law-of-gravity-isnt-a-law/) - The "law of gravity" is referred to as a description of the phenomena of apples falling from trees and airplanes falling from skies (unless they are overriding the "law of gravity" with the "law of jet propulsion"). Laws are human made contrivances, often overturned or broken. The phenomenon of gravity existed long before Newton named
- [The Easter Egg Hunt As A Metaphor For A Science Career - MetaMorgan TV](http://morganonscience.com/ping-fm/the-easter-egg-hunt-as-a-metaphor-for-a-science-career-metamorgan-tv/) - Last weekend I went on an Easter Egg Hunt with my daughter. I discovered something important about human psychology on that hunt, that applies to adult scientists and child easter egg hunters as well. It is important to avoid unrealistic expectations in life and in science careers. The great recognition always comes from hard work,
- [Gene patents into the dust bin of history?](http://morganonscience.com/technology/gene-patents-into-the-dust-bin-of-history/) - "Discovering" a gene isn't adding much value to the world. It is what you do with that gene that may add value, e.g. if you turn that discovery into a useful drug (which is patentable).
- [Gravity is not a field, it is an information exchange (Part I)-MetaMorgan TV](http://morganonscience.com/technology/gravity-is-not-a-field-it-is-an-information-exchange-part-i-metamorgan-tv-2/) - (Part I) In today's episode Morgan discusses the simple origins of gravity in quantum information exchange, using some interesting props to illustrate. The theory throws out the door notions that gravity is a "field". Instead, it gives a simple, underlying explanation for "space-time curvature" that requires no complex grand unified field theory. Just a simple
- [Dear Morgan: What To Do When My Faculty Contract Runs Out Due To Lack Of Grants? - MetaMorgan TV](http://morganonscience.com/technology/dear-morgan-what-to-do-when-my-faculty-contract-runs-out-due-to-lack-of-grants-metamorgan-tv/) - Thursdays are "Dear Morgan" days, when you get to ask questions about science and faculty careers - and Morgan answers them. Today's question was: "What if my four year fixed term appointment is ending and won't be renewed because of my failure to get grants, but I want to stay in science?" Morgan does some
- [Dead serious grant proposals = not how to write a grant - Meta Morgan TV](http://morganonscience.com/technology/dead-serious-grant-proposals-not-how-to-write-a-grant-meta-morgan-tv/) - You sit down with palms sweaty against the keyboard, ready to write your next grant proposal to get your Big Idea (™) funded. You are dead serious and you let your reviewers know it, as you spew forth a stream of endless facts and figures about the wonderful work you do and will do. This is how to write a grant, right? You know that your proposal is very impressive, and therefore agencies like the NIH, NSF, and DOE will clamor to fund it, right? Morgan shatters your illusions in this episode of Meta Morgan TV.
- [Review of the Apple iPad from a scientist's perspective (Part I) - MetaMorgan TV](http://morganonscience.com/technology/review-of-the-apple-ipad-from-a-scientists-perspective-part-i-metamorgan-tv/) - Morgan reviews the Apple iPad, which holds a lot of promise as a great device for reading, editing, and sharing scientific manuscripts and books (and playing games, too!). Morgan discusses her first impressions of the iPad, including its lack of Flash, the ability to transfer applications from the iPhone/iPod, and its utility as a PDF book reader.
- [Review of the Apple iPad from a scientist's perspective (Part II) - MetaMorgan TV](http://morganonscience.com/technology/review-of-the-apple-ipad-from-a-scientists-perspective-part-ii-metamorgan-tv/) - Morgan reviews the Apple iPad, which holds promise as a great device for reading, editing, and sharing scientific manuscripts and books (and playing games, too!). Morgan continues her discussion of first impressions of the iPad, including its lack of Flash, the ability to transfer applications from the iPhone/iPod, and its utility as a PDF book reader. The big question she answers is: will it replace a laptop? Find out in today's episode.
- [A key factor in a successful science career (or any career), and how to do it - MetaMorgan TV](http://morganonscience.com/technology/a-key-factor-in-a-successful-science-career-or-any-career-and-how-to-do-it-metamorgan-tv/) - It's called the "shiny object syndrome." Distractions bombard us all day long, from many sources. They take us off track (my new iPad is as an example). And sadly, very few adults define their goals and targets clearly (scientists included), which means that it is easier than ever to get off track. The best tool Morgan has found for this is Simpleology (https://tinyurl.com/yejda3j), but it doesn't matter what tool you use, as long as you do it!
- [Don't throw away the baby...](http://morganonscience.com/technology/dont-throw-away-the-baby/) - Yesterday I recommended Simpleology as the tool I use for setting goals and sticking to them. It is stellar at helping a scatterbrained person like me stay focused and on task.
- [Why you must be proactive if you want to live your life successfully - MetaMorgan TV](http://morganonscience.com/technology/why-you-must-be-proactive-if-you-want-to-live-your-life-successfully-metamorgan-tv/) - In this six part series, Morgan explores what it takes to achieve great success in a career as a scientist. In this episode, she focuses on the vital task of defining who you are and where you're going in life.
- [Why science mentoring is important and at the same time problematic - MetaMorgan TV](http://morganonscience.com/ping-fm/why-science-mentoring-is-important-and-at-the-same-time-problematic-metamorgan-tv/) - Having good mentoring is vital to move forward in a science career. Today's careers are fraught with complexities that didn't previously exist, and navigating through those can be daunting without good advice. However, if you seek out mentors who are too close to the "outcome of the experiment" (that would be you and your career), you are risking problems.
- [Science ain't a bisiness! (Science isn't a business!) - MetaMorgan TV](http://morganonscience.com/ping-fm/science-aint-a-bisiness-science-isnt-a-business-metamorgan-tv/) - Universities seem to have come to the notion that scientists are all just little producers of revenue, and that the whole endeavor is just one big business. In fact, I advocate that if you run your lab and career like a business, you'll be more successful. However, that doesn't mean that I agree that all of academia should turn into a big business, and today I have an ridiculous real-world example to illustrate that with.
- [Fear and your science career - banish it or suffer - MetaMorgan TV](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/writing/fear-and-your-science-career-banish-it-or-suffer-metamorgan-tv/) - Morgan explores her own experience with fear and the impact it had on her life, then talks about the importance of banishing it to do truly great work.
- [Is starting a science career a risk? Morgan responds to Zella Zanolli - MetaMorgan TV](http://morganonscience.com/ping-fm/is-starting-a-science-career-a-risk-morgan-responds-to-zella-zanolli-metamorgan-tv/) - In her video, "The Risk of Starting a Career in Science," Zella Zanolli talks about the frustrations of sacrificing everything for her science career, then struggling to find a good science position. This is sadly a common story. Does it mean you should give up on having a science career? As usual, Morgan provides a unique perspective on the question… watch the video to find out, and post your comments on the blog.
- [Being a perfectionist kills your chances of _______](http://morganonscience.com/ping-fm/being-a-perfectionist-kills-your-chances-of-_______/) - But the world of science, from Graduate School onward, isn't like that. There is no pre-set criteria for "perfection" (or even for an A grade).
- [What is the real purpose of a graduate education?](http://morganonscience.com/technology/what-is-the-real-purpose-of-a-graduate-education/) - A colleague recently said to me, "Graduate education is fundamentally a fact-based activity." I respond to that somewhat misguided view in the latest video. In my view, a graduate education (particularly PhD) is a skills based endeavor, not a fact based one.
- [Dealing with grant rejection: the hard way or the easy way](http://morganonscience.com/ping-fm/689/) - When we get our grant rejected, it is easy to point the blame at the reviewers. "Those stupid reviewers, they didn't get it." While that approach may be emotionally satisfying and ego-stroking, it doesn't solve the problem. Your reviewer didn't understand your proposal, and there is only one person to blame for that.
- [How to be innovative in your NIH Grant Proposal](http://morganonscience.com/technology/how-to-be-innovative-in-your-nih-grant-proposal/) - The US NIH recently changed the grant format, among other things adding a new section titled "Innovation." Many of us have wondered: how can we convey innovation if we're using standard techniques and methods? Morgan has some ideas on this, illustrated with an iPad and a razor.
- [The fine line between want and need (iPad stolen in Paris) - MetaMorgan TV](http://morganonscience.com/ping-fm/the-fine-line-between-want-and-need-ipad-stolen-in-paris-metamorgan-tv/) - Events often conspire to force us to wake up and think about things in a new way. I'd had many discussions about whether the Apple iPad is a "necessity" or just superfluous fluff. Having my iPad grabbed from my hands on a train in Paris forced me to really think about this.
- [Detach yourself or fail!](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/detach-yourself-or-fail/) - If you are too attached to the outcome of a specific thing like the decision on a grant or paper submission, you are more likely to fail at that thing. Does this sound crazy to you? It is not. Eastern philosophies like Zen have taught this for centuries. I never "got it" until recently. A
- [Giving thanks ... and no thanks ... on thanksgiving](http://morganonscience.com/social-commentary/giving-thanks-and-no-thanks-on-thanksgiving/) - Originally I was going to post just about being thankful. See, despite shrinking budgets and challenging times, we scientists are a lucky group - especially those of us who have benefitted from the budget largesse of the USA towards our endeavor. When else in history has any society spent so much money on people simply
- [Racism, deception, aliveness, and how to connect with your audience](http://morganonscience.com/social-commentary/racism-deception-aliveness-and-how-to-connect-with-your-audience/) - Bruce is an admitted (and reformed) racist, who cheated on his wife. In this Ted talk, he discusses how the amount of deception you practice in life is inversely proportional to your feeling of aliveness. He also shows how being honest helps you connect more deeply with your audience in a talk. It's a great
- [Quasicrystals story shows just how conservative science can be](http://morganonscience.com/bioinformatics/quasicrystals-story-shows-just-how-conservative-science-can-be/) - Ever feel like you’re fighting an uphill battle to convince your conservative colleagues that your new theory or hypothesis has merit? Feel like talking to them is much like talking to your teenage daughter who just slammed the door in your face? Check out this video by Dan Schechtman, especially the part mid-way through, where
- [You gotta have momentum in your grants](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/you-gotta-have-momentum-in-your-grants/) - A client asked me whether she should spend the time writing for a very small grant. My answer is all about how to generate momentum in your grant efforts. Watch the video to find out more.
- [The Grim Reaper of Grant Writing?](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/writing/the-grim-reaper-of-grant-writing/) - Most grant writers are familiar with that infamous character — the Grant Writing Grim Reaper. He lurks around every corner, ready to deliver yet another rejection. The worst part is when a looming, non-negotiable career deadline forces a feeling of panic. Will you loose your job or research career if the funding is not obtained
- [Why “Soft Skills” like Communication are actually Hard Skills (and critical for your career)](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/communication/communication-is-a-soft-skill-my-ass/) - Remember the scientist who was perpetually doing “really great work” on that thing? He had the so obviously great research he was doing. It was going to change the world… only, it never did. It failed to gain traction with funders and manuscript reviewers, because he thought it was so great that he didn’t need
- [Kayaking and Grant Writing: Mastering the Art of Anticipation](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/writing/from-kayaking-to-grant-writing-why-research-excellence-isnt-enough/) - Refine your grant writing skills with Dr. Morgan Giddings. Learn to navigate the complexities of proposals like a pro kayaker tackles rapids.
- [NIH Grant Writing Tips: The Significance of "Significance"](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/nih-grant-writing-tips-the-significance-of-significance/) - Once upon a time, the NIH had you lead the body of your grant proposal with a section titled "Background and Significance." Then they messed everything up by taking out the "Background" part, quite confusing many a grant writer as to the meaning of a "significance" without a "background." Let's get that sorted out here.
- [You’ve got your NIH grant score results, now what?](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/youve-got-your-nih-grant-score-results-now-what/) - Once you have your NIH score (or non-score), it’s only the beginning of the process that will determine whether, when, and how much of your grant will be funded! The next steps that you take are very important, so let's explore how to navigate them.
- [The NIH Significance and Innovation Sections: demystified](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/significanceinnovationdemystified/) - One of the great things about working with some top scientists to hone their grant-getting skills is that I get to hear really good questions that they struggle with. One question from a client was this: “I am a bit confused about what goes in the Significance and the Innovation sections of my proposal, and
- [Get someone ELSE to pay for MY success!](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/get-someone-else-to-pay-for-my-success/) - In this work, I see all kinds of crazy things. I label them as crazy not because I want to make judgement. I call them crazy because they lead to consequences that are at odds with the pronounced goals that people have for themselves. So, let's say, for example, that someone pronounces: "I want to
- [Does Getting Funding Depend on How Well Known You Are ?](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/communication/how-well-known-are-you/) - A client of mine recently asked how much your reputation, or how well known you are, affects your chances of getting your proposal funded. If you have published widely, are well known in your field, or are good at "shmoozing" at conferences, does that give you a leg up on the review committee? In this
- [How to become "stupider"](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/how-to-become-stupider/) - Say you're in a science career (or thinking about one). Say that you actually want to be as successful as possible at that endeavor. Given those two prerequisites, then we can make a logical deduction that you want your brain functioning as optimally as possible. Because science is, first and foremost, a thinking endeavor. Without
- [Are You Ready for the New NIH Biographical Sketch Format?](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/are-you-ready-for-the-new-nih-biographical-sketch-format/) - This is a guest post by Robert Finney, PhD. The new NIH Biographical Sketch format is required for research grants submitted on or after May 25, 2015. Foremost, the new format represents great potential to enhance investigator credibility – but only for those that understand how to use it to their advantage. In contrast, it can
- [How to get your NIH grant funded in 2015 (it's not what you think!)](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/how-to-get-your-nih-grant-funded-in-2015-its-not-what-you-think/) - If you are trying to get your NIH (or NSF) proposal funded in 2015 and beyond by doing the same old thing that used to work a decade ago... you're likely in for a world of hurt! I've been running this blog since late 2009, and in that time, the changes that I started talking about
- [Bogus grant writing notions and myths: busted](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/writing/bogus-grant-writing-notions-and-myths-busted/) - I just had an interaction that typifies my five years of experience working with people on getting grants funded. It was with someone who has the belief that if he just gets “one more piece of essential information about how to write a great proposal” that his grant success will suddenly turn around. While I’ve
- [How to Avoid The Frame Clash with Your Reviewer](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/writing/destination-rejection/) - You and your reviewer have very different perspectives. If you don't understand the difference and take great care to ameliorate it, you will have far less chance of success. You'll likely go down like a bird in a hailstorm.... Your perspective For our purposes, a perspective can be defined as a "set of beliefs or
- [Of Donuts and Grants](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/communication/of-donuts-and-grants/) - https://player.vimeo.com/video/287558320 What's a Donut Shop in Chicago got to do with writing great grant proposals? It's about giving the "customer" what she wants... Watch this short video to learn more.
- [Connecting With Your Reviewer](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/communication/connecting-with-your-reviewer/) - https://player.vimeo.com/video/287559540 Is your reviewer perfectly objective? We are taught that in science, everything is objective. When it comes to your reviewer however, they often respond to grants with with positive or negative enthusiasm. In other words, subjectively. To learn more about how you can connect with your reviewers desires, watch this short video.
- [How To Write Your NIH Significance Section for Better Results](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/writing/how-to-write-nih-significance/) - How To Write your NIH Significance Section for Better ResultsDo you have too many facts and too little desire created by your Significance Section? SCREECH…. DESIRE? WHAT? In this video, Morgan discusses why the Significance section of your NIH proposal is so important and why you have to create desire if you want your writing
- [NIH Grant Writing Tips: The new format - significance, innovation, approach](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/nih-grant-writing-tips-the-new-format-significance-innovation-approach/) - Recently the NIH completely redefined the format requirements for research grants. There were many changes, but one that seems to create a big mess of confusion is the redefinition of the sections of the proposal. The old NIH proposal format had these sections: Specific Aims Background & Significance Preliminary Studies & Progress Report Research Design
- [How to create your ideal grant writing workspace](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/writing/how-to-create-your-ideal-grant-writing-workspace/) - This is a guest post by Allie Smith-Hobbs. It’s grant writing season. That often mean a very high ratio of Stressing about Grant Writing to Actually Writing That Grant. Many of you may find yourselves in drab and dreary windowless offices staring at a blank page in Microsoft Word thinking “I’ve gotta get this done.
- [Your Significance Story - Building Trust into Your Proposal](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/your-significance-story-building-trust-into-your-proposal/) - Have you ever received a proposal rejection where the approach section was picked apart by your reviewers? It’s pretty common - but is it the real reason for your rejection? More often than not, it’s the story (or lack thereof) that leaves your reviewers with questions or concerns. You might be wondering what “story” has to do with a
- [How to write your NIH Approach Section, without overloading yourself or your reviewer](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/how-to-write-your-nih-approach-section-without-overloading-yourself-or-your-reviewer/) - In today's blog post, I made a short video (< 8 min) for you on the topic of writing the Approach Section of your NIH grant proposal. A lot of us tend to overload our Approach Section with too many facts and details. This causes several issues. In the video, I go over the problems
- [What counts as "innovation" in the new NIH grant format?](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/what-counts-as-innovation-in-the-new-nih-grant-format/) - But on the flip side, just because you come up with something "new" or "novel", you can't necessarily call it innovative, either.
- [How To Write a Specific Aim - 3 Parts to a simple and clear aim that your reviewers will "get"](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/communication/how-to-write-a-specific-aim/) - The Specific Aims (for NIH) or Objectives (NSF) are the key to what you are proposing. You want them to be not only clearly understandable to your reviewer (right?), but also captivating and interesting. It seems like a straight-forward writing goal, but unfortunately, I've seen many people wander off into confusing, overly-detailed, or just plain
- [How to Ensure Your Proposal Stands Out from the Crowd](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/writing/how-to-ensure-your-proposal-stands-out-from-the-crowd/) - Do you ever wonder if the reviewers properly read your proposal? Or do you wonder if your proposal is lost in a sea of applications with no hope of standing out? In a “stack” of proposals, you must make your own research stand out if you want to get funded because it is easy for
- [How to make better decisions as you build your research lab and career?](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/communication/how-to-make-better-decisions-as-you-build-your-research-lab-and-career/) - Are you tired of making bad decisions as a research leader? Are you sick of feeling like you're stuck in a reactive loop of doom? Well, you are not alone. Dr. Giddings has felt the same way in the past as lead researcher herself with successful research in her field. In this video, she shares
- [How to Manage Your Research Lab](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/how-to-manage-your-research-lab/) - Are you struggling to manage your research lab effectively? Do you find yourself constantly putting out fires and reacting to problems instead of being proactive? If so, welcome to the Club of Accidental Managers! We didn't train to be managers; it just sort of happened, like a surprise party that we never wanted. Many researchers
- [NIH Grant Writing Tips - #1](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/nih-grant-writing-tips-1/) - That grant was submitted, and on its first round of submission, it got a score around 5th percentile. My colleague helped me turn my grant proposal from junk into a more than fundable proposal - simply by looking at my specific aims, and nothing else.
- [Be the light: How your attitude will affect funding efforts](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/be-the-light-how-your-attitude-will-affect-funding-efforts/) - Which Monster do you want to feed in your funding efforts? Do you want to feed the monster of doubt, worry, and overwhelm? Or do you want to feed the cute and cuddly monster of productivity, clarity, and vision? The answer to that question will determine a lot about your attempts at grant funding, and
- [Snoozeville: Is Your Proposal Lulling Your Reviewer to Sleep?](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/snoozeville-is-your-proposal-lulling-your-reviewer-to-sleep/) - Trying to get your proposal “right” on the first round of writing? That’s a recipe for failure… Many of the scientists I work with try to approach grant writing as if it were an exacting science, like doing lab work. It’s like there’s a defined, exact series of steps to follow, like a recipe. Imagine
- [How Too Much Objectivity Kills Your Grant Chances](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/how-too-much-objectivity-kills-your-grant/) - Just observe a debate between any two human beings. You'll notice that it doesn't matter how many facts one side marshalls against the other. Just slamming the opponent with facts and data leads to deeper entrenchment. This often happens with grants, too. Here's a post on how to avoid that...
- [The Hidden Bias of Grant Spam](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/the-hidden-bias-of-grant-spam/) - It is with a sense of relief (but with strings attached) that I write to you this chilly February morning. I’m relieved that our government—you know, the one that funds much of the research that goes on here in the US—is on a somewhat saner track after the crazy recent events at the Capitol. We’re
- [Get Your Reviewer "hooked" on your Specific Aims page](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/get-your-reviewer-hooked-on-your-specific-aims-page/) - Your reviewer makes a snap judgement within a few seconds of opening up your proposal to read. That snap judgement will heavily bias the remainder of your reviewer's interaction with the proposal - i.e. whether they are looking for reasons to support or reject. I introduce the concept of the "funnel" and how you can
- [2020 - The Year of Challenge](http://morganonscience.com/social-commentary/the-year-of-challenge/) - Are you thinking "good riddance" to the challenges of 2020? What if we take a deeper look at what "good" and "bad" has come from the past year.
- [A Grant Submission Strategy: Do you have one?](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/a-grant-submission-strategy-do-you-have-one/) - How often do you submit? When do you submit versus getting papers or preliminary data out the door? Where do you submit to? Those are some very important questions to answer, that many do not think about often enough.
- [How to Interpret Reviewer Feedback](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/how-to-interpret-reviewer-feedback/) - How to Interpret Reviewer Feedback You received your score and feedback from your last proposal submission. Was your score "close"? What did the reviewers say? Should you fix and resubmit? These are all good questions. But BEWARE! Often, the written feedback does not reveal the true issues your reviewers had with your proposal. How do
- [The Grant Trifecta and Cycle of Doom](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/the-grant-trifecta-and-cycle-of-doom/) - This video was shot at a seminar I gave for my high-end grant writing students last spring. It walks you through the 3 things you MUST HAVE to get your grant funded. Your "Trifecta". And if you don't get these 3 things in order, then you might just end up in the Cycle of Doom.
- [Discovering Love in a great talk](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/communication/discovering-love-in-a-great-talk/) - A few years ago I gave a talk in the biochem department at UNC. Afterwards I went out for lunch with my mentor, and he berated me. (Did I mention that he can be an intimidating guy? But I listen to him, since he's the one who helped me go from no grants to lots
- [The Lost Cat: How memory impedes your progress - in grants and everything else](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/the-lost-cat/) - Have you ever wondered how you can be more innovative in your research, and especially, in your proposals? It’s a common struggle. You scour the literature to diligently prepare for your proposal writing, only to find out that perhaps there are “no new ideas” - or just small incremental improvements you can make on what’s
- [How Procrastination Is Linked To Imperfection](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/communication/how-procrastination-is-linked-to-imperfection/) - Imperfect action in your research career, and especially in your grants, is vital. I used to completely screw this up, trying to take “perfect action” and getting very little of the important stuff done... until the last minute. If you’re someone who finds yourself procrastinating, or having challenges getting started on big projects like grant proposals, read on.
- [Downright stupidity: papers and grants](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/downright-stupidity-papers-and-grants/) - Wow. Not in a while have I been so infuriated as I am after reading the recent bit tiltled "Could the NIH payline be too high?"(no longer available) from Nathan S. Blow of Biotechniques ("From the Editor" piece for Vol 55, No 1, July 2013). His argument goes like this. Big lab with lots of funding equals
- [Women and science careers](http://morganonscience.com/politics-of-science/women-and-science-careers/) - I have very mixed feelings about wading into this, because it is fraught with issues. But I'm not the timid sort, so I'm going to - in order to help you. I get a bit tired of the rehashing of "its harder for women," because, frankly, that conversation is not going to help you in
- [Success, being proactive, and the impact of Hollywood movies on your career - MetaMorgan TV](http://morganonscience.com/newpost/success-being-proactive-and-the-impact-of-hollywood-movies-on-your-career-metamorgan-tv/) - In Part II of the series on science career success, Morgan discusses the success advice from two important books, and discusses how Hollywood movies (and TV) often work to undermine one of the key pillars of this success
- [The Grant Guru will see you now - The Not So Boring Scientist](http://morganonscience.com/technology/the-grant-guru-will-see-you-now-the-not-so-boring-scientist/) - Recently Morgan was told that her approach to sharing her grant writing wisdom and knowledge was "guru centric." "What?" asks Morgan? That's crazy talk. Time to get out the tie dye t-shirts and incense sticks, and start chanting "Om" to get the big grants coming in. Maybe if we think hard enough about it, grants
- [Global warming as a science marketing blunder](http://morganonscience.com/ping-fm/global-warming-as-a-science-marketing-blunder/) - The global warming debate stirs up passions from both supporters and deniers. One thing that is clearly lost in most of the "popular" debate is the underlying science. There was an article that studied this: "Balance as bias: global warming and the US Presige Press". They make an interesting case about why the popular press
- [Book writing at ScienceOnline 2010..it's about the value](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/communication/book-writing-at-scienceonline-2010-its-about-the-value/) - Science Online 2010 is a confluence of writers, scientists, bloggers, and folks figuring out how the internet, science and writing are coming together. This session is an exploration of how to be a scientific author in today's online world. One of the main messages of the session is what I've been doing with this blog.
- [Science Marketing blunder #1](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/science-marketing/science-marketing-blunder-1/) - Paying attention to the concept of Marketing would have made all the difference in taking the technology that I poured my blood, sweat, and tears into (and the Government poured a lot of money into), and getting it used.
- [The number one secret of grant writing is...](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/free-grant-writing-teleseminar-with-the-guy-who-advises-a-nobel-prize-winner-worth-hundreds/) - His advice boils down to a few simple but transformational ways of approaching grant writing. Almost anyone can do these things. But if you don't do them, you're likely to struggle with grants for your entire career.
- [Rejection part III: conservatism in science](http://morganonscience.com/politics-of-science/rejection-part-iii-conservatism-in-science/) - Science should not be about censorship or rigorous adherence to a given ideology. Instead, science is at its best when it consists of open exploration and testing of new ideas.
- [The new NIH grant format](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/writing/the-new-nih-grant-format/) - Starting in January, NIH is implementing a shortened grant format for all of the main grant types, including R01's and K awards. This came from very long and involved deliberation with many members of the research community, spanning years.
- [Thanks, Blue Cross!](http://morganonscience.com/morgantv/personal/thanks-blue-cross/) - Well, anyway, I figured that since I had no choice about whether to pay for this flyer, I should modify it a bit to send a message I agree with.
- [Conveying the value of your science](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/communication/conveying-the-value-of-your-science/) - nobody is going to tout your work for you, you have to do it yourself, and it is a critical part of any type of communication you produce as a scientist.
- [the loneliness epidemic](http://morganonscience.com/social-commentary/the-loneliness-epidemic/) - I like blogs - both writing my own and reading others. But is it really a substitute for face-to-face interaction? I think our communities and world are becoming increasingly fractured by the lack of real interaction.
- [Santa Claus for scientists? Not quite, but good news.](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/santa-claus-for-scientists-not-quite-but-good-news/) - A few people are taking notice: with the sequester, science funding is faltering... badly. Well, Jim Lantry decided to do something about it. He started a SuperPAC to lobby for science and science funding. Not being a political insider, the difference between PAC and SuperPAC is lost on me (or, maybe it's just laziness). In
- [Reactions to "Anti-Science" Blog Post and first NEW Podcast](http://morganonscience.com/politics-of-science/reactions-to-anti-science-blog-post-and-first-new-podcast/) - I got a lot of great comments on my last post about the growing anti-science sentiment. Instead of writing another post, I decided to record my reactions in the First Ever, Science and Grant Podcast! [powerpress] It's going to take a few days to get this set up as an actual podcast you can find
- [Is Science a Hobby?](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/is-science-a-hobby/) - One of the most difficult jobs I have in teaching people how to write better grants boils down to convincing them of one simple thing: A grant is not about promoting or pursuing your own interests, it is about promoting and pursuing your funders and reviewers' interests. If you are so lucky as to be
- [Science for the sake of it, or science for dollars (euros)?](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/science-for-the-sake-of-it-or-science-for-dollars-euros/) - After a recent web seminar I hosted to help people write grants that are more likely to get funded, I got a note from a writer overseas that raised an interesting point about "fundability" and the progress of science (we'll call him A to preserve anonymity). He wrote: THe major point I am raising though
- [The Grant Writing Habit (or how to take the stress out of grant writing): part 1](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/writing/the-writing-habit-part-1/) - This stressed out dude will not bring clarity or focus to writing his grant. Don't be like him, it does not lead to success. To take the stress out of writing, develop a good writing habit Through my work with academics in grant writing, one of the most common concerns I hear is how
- [What you can learn from a survey of scientist types](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/what-you-can-learn-from-a-survey-of-scientist-types/) - I wanted to find out: what is the most pressing challenge you're currently facing in your science career, and how can I help? I used good ol' Survey Monkey, and got > 200 responses so far. Yay! The results were interesting and a bit surprising to me. They also caused me to go off on
- [Bad business at the Big U](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/bad-business-at-the-big-u/) - I've long thought that university administrations had difficulty with the concept of running their "business" efficiently. Now I have proof. Someone that I know very well (snicker) has had some funding for a few years to develop software infrastructure for next-gen sequencing data. This is important work, since next-gen data poses quite a challenge. The
- [The keys to time management: How systems have failed and what I've done](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/the-keys-to-time-management-how-systems-have-failed-and-what-ive-done/) - As we climb up the science career ladder, time pressures become ever more acute, leading to a sense of frustration at all that remains undone, at ever growing stacks of papers, and at ever piling up emails. I'm acutely familiar with this from the juggling act that is my life - having built a large
- [How many bananas can fit on a 2 wheel bike?](http://morganonscience.com/morgantv/crazy-ideas/how-many-bananas-can-fit-on-a-2-wheel-bike/) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7z7lUaIkeM Normally we're perhaps a bit too serious on this blog, but since it's Saturday, it's time for something a bit more lighthearted - our recent attempt at carrying 400 lbs of bananas on a 2-wheel cargo bike (> 1,000 bananas). Check it out and have a great weekend!
- [Why Universities are "stupid" about your time as a scientist, and what to do about it - MetaMorgan TV](http://morganonscience.com/newpost/why-universities-are-stupid-about-your-time-as-a-scientist-and-what-to-do-about-it-metamorgan-tv/) - Morgan makes the controversial claim that Universities are "stupid". She makes that claim because they expect scientists to run their labs like a business, yet they get in the way when it comes to a lab's optimal functioning as a business. This video talks about the problem and what to do about it.
- [Grant reviewers almost never tell you how they really feel](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/grant-reviewers-almost-never-tell-you-how-they-really-feel/) - Sometimes getting an NIH grant is like pulling teeth, because you'll submit a proposal that you think is great, and get reviews back that just pick it apart. But grant reviewers almost never tell you what they're really thinking. In this episode, Morgan reveals why that is, and how you can avoid it.
- [Stunting bureaucracy (Meeting with the Chancellor part II)](http://morganonscience.com/newpost/yes-bureaucracy-is-bad-meeting-with-the-chancellor-part-ii/) - The way to starve the beast is to bypass it. The F&A money should go directly to the researcher's most immediate unit (e.g. department).
- [Meeting with the chancellor](http://morganonscience.com/politics-of-science/meeting-with-the-chancellor/) - It is very different being an entrepreneur in the business world. If you're successful - you get paid a lot more money, and get access to a lot more resources.
- [When facilities and administration means neither](http://morganonscience.com/politics-of-science/when-facilities-and-administration-means-neither/) - I don't understand why the NIH doesn't crack down on this kind of "redirection" (to put it kindly) of F&A money. I don't understand why more faculty don't question this, when they get emails like the one I just got telling them they will have to pay for this out of their own pockets.
- [#1 Grant writing misconception killer](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/grant-writing-misconception-killer/) - There is a huge misconception that most grant writers have. You may think you're talking to another rational adult in your grant, but you're not. You're actually talking to the "lizard brain." Misunderstanding this leads to rejections, miscommunications, and frustrations. Check out the video to see why that is and what to do. If you
- [Of jewelers and grants](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/of-jewelers-and-grants/) - A few weeks ago I posted at The Scientist blog about a new jewelery store that had opened up near my office ... and I was concerned that this jewelry store was headed for a sad fate if they didn't soon figure out their "Unique Selling Proposition (USP)." The USP is that unique value that
- [And the fan drones on... Grant Writing Secret #3](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/grant-writing-secret-3/) - Don’t once think that because you can name a large array of facts about your field that people will be impressed.
- [How could she get THAT proposal funded?!?](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/the-ultimate-combo-marketing-and-grant-writing/) - I get great questions from webinars and emails that give me a chance to illustrate important points about grant writing. I just got an email question that brought up an important issue: Recently, I read a proposal written by a tenured faculty member who recently got her R01 funded. She has a record of getting
- [The new NIH R01 grant format](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/the-new-nih-r01-grant-format/) - The NIH has thrown a lot of us into disarray over the new, shorter R01 grant format. I'm hearing reports of scores that are wildly variable and all over the map. I've also had quite a few questions from people about how to deal with the new format. The theory behind the new format is
- [Crisis mode in higher ed](http://morganonscience.com/politics-of-science/crisis-mode-in-higher-ed/) - A friend just posted a message to me on Facebook: "How is it going with your new position? BTW, when I read this article, I thought of you." The "this article" is in The Nation magazine, and is titled "The Crisis in Higher Education." Yes, it's bad out there in many ways, and not getting
- [Why are you successful (or not)?](http://morganonscience.com/minderset-triangle/why-are-you-successful-or-not/) - If you've ever wondered why "success" is so hard to come by, this blog post is for you. If you're already as successful as you want to be, then you probably don't need to keep reading (and congratulate yourself that you're in the minority of about 1% of all people!). What is success? That totally
- [More research money without more grants, part II](http://morganonscience.com/technology/more-research-money-without-more-grants-part-ii/) - In this video, I introduce the concept of software-as-a-service, and discuss one system that uses this approach to maximize lab efficiency. The videos and the text cover mostly the same material, so you can choose whichever format you prefer - but make sure to check the end of the text here for something special I
- [What's a cow got to do with grants?](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/whats-a-cow-got-to-do-with-grants/) - The answer will come in a moment. I just spent a "fun" weekend working on a multi-PI, multi-institution NIH grant proposal. It was a very interesting experience to see the different styles of operation for the various PI's as it came down to the wire. Some were just disengaged. Those were the ones that threw
- [The Conversation, Successful Grant Writing Part II](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/the-conversation-successful-grant-writing-part-ii/) - (Continued from Part I) 2. "The science/project/idea should stand on its own." Many a novelist and painter has died poor and bitter having clung to this belief their whole lives. When I tell people that my mother was a successful artist (successful meaning it provided her a living income), most people are amazed. I'm not.
- [The Conversation: Successful Grant Writing, part I](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/the-conversation-successful-grant-writing-part-i/) - Yesterday I was talking to someone I met on a bike ride about the grant proposal writing tips that I teach here and in my online grant writing courses. I mentioned that I help people get more grants and less rejections by applying the principles of "Marketing" to grantwriting. Her response? "Grant writing isn't like
- [The power of a team for getting your grant funded](http://morganonscience.com/minderset-triangle/the-power-of-a-team-for-getting-your-grant-funded/) - A burned out, resentful employee is not a recipe for productivity, even if they are physically present all the time (because you require it).
- [2010: the year of the big science bake sale?](http://morganonscience.com/newpost/2010-the-year-of-the-big-science-bake-sale/) - The National Institutes of Health will realize that after-the-fact cures for disease are too expensive. Why cure cancer when we could just prevent it by eating our fruits and vegetables?
- [A simple lesson about titles](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/communication/a-simple-lesson-about-titles/) - If you're a scientist who wants to get your work recognized, then the titles you put on your talks, papers, and grants matter. Today I had a conversation related to my bike shop that illustrates this point (and how to do it) clearly. My business partner is doing a tele seminar series on bike touring.
- [Get more money for your research - without more grants!](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/get-more-money-for-your-research-without-more-grants/) - "Running a lab is like running a business, but most labs are poorly run businesses - they throw money out the window." - paraphrasing an article I saw in my campus periodical, the University Gazette.
- [What it takes to get a grant funded NOW](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/what-it-takes-to-get-a-grant-funded-now/) - A few days ago, I got this email: The very same day, I got an email from someone else, which I've excerpted parts of here "I been a virtual attendee for a number of your past webinars, and have appreciated the insights you’ve shared. I have been looking for success in a new research area,
- [Working hard does NOT mean success (at grants or anything else)](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/hard-work-not-success/) - There's this persistent myth that I need to tear down once and for all. Maybe it won't all happen in this one blog post, but by God I'm gonna give it a good start. The myth? It's that all it takes to succeed is hard work. I have seen lives destroyed by that myth, more
- [Crafting your NIH biosketch "personal narrative"](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/crafting-your-nih-biosketch-personal-narrative/) - On a recent webinar about State of Grants in 2012, I mentioned that the personal statement part of the NIH biosketch is a great opportunity to additionally "market" your project. In my experience, most people waste this opportunity by listing a very bland and generic statement. The most common (ineffective) approach I've seen seems to
- [Dealing with the rejection letter, Part I](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/the-grant-rejection-letter/) - That’s the one “nice” thing about grant rejections from NIH or NSF: they almost always contain at least two reviews. From those, you may get at least some idea of where the reviewers were coming from, in order to figure out how to fix the problems (or whether to start over).
- [NIH Grant Writing Tips #2](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/nih-grant-writing-tips-2/) - While the “big leaps” (nobel prize winning type stuff) are what we usually hear about in the media, it is the “overcoming little hurdles” that comprises the vast majority of what working scientists actually do.
- [Pansy-ass conservatism has infected science, and we must stop it...](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/pansy-ass-conservatism-has-infected-science-and-we-must-stop-it/) - Pansy ass conservatism has infected science... how to survive this mind virus.
- [How You're Destroying Your Grants with "Scarcity" Thinking](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/grants-and-scarcity/) - I recently tried to buy a kayak, and experienced full-bore what it's like to deal with people who are operating from scarcity. It's a good story for illustrating what often happens to my research clients who are trying to get grant funding, and struggling....
- [Relying on Your Reviewers to be “Experts" is Dangerous](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/expert-reviewers/) - I was having a conversation with a client, giving feedback on a proposal. As I often find myself doing, I was encouraging her to simplify the story to reduce the cognitive load on the reader. At one point she responded with this: "I think my audience have more expertise in this area than you, so
- [Has academia brainwashed you into living your life later?](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/has-academia-brainwashed-you-into-living-your-life-later/) - This is a guest post by Stefanie Robel, PhD. Most of my academic career I have been working toward big longterm goals: my masters degree, my first paper, my PhD, the next position, a Nature paper, a transition into independence grant, the next paper. The list continues… The job as a research scientist is characterized
- [Peer review, self-publishing, and blowhards](http://morganonscience.com/authorship/peer-review-self-publishing-and-blowhards/) - Should I self-publish my work? This is a question many academics and authors ask themselves these days. I had a discussion the other day on Facebook that started with this question, related to my upcoming book, Create or Die. Let me first explain my own rationale, then get back to the topic of blowhards and
- [Grants suck - ditching the fear](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/grants-suck-ditching-the-fear/) - Grants suck. That’s funny, coming from someone who has been helping people with them for the past four years. However, working with so many people on them, I’ve seen the dark sides. There are several. The grant game breeds fear. Lots of it. Fear breeds conservatism and unhealthy competitiveness. Fear is the enemy of creative
- [Your pysche and the locus of control](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/your-pysche-and-the-locus-of-control/) - If you are familiar with my mission of helping you maximize your ability to promote your work and increase your funding, you’ll know that I spend the majority of my efforts focusing on the positive, all the ways you can improve and be better. But I need a break. In this post, I would like
- [Are you a liar and fraud? I am...](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/are-you-a-liar-and-fraud-i-am/) - We're going to do something really different today. I'm going to tell you exactly why I feel like a Liar and Fraud. But first... I'll give you some context that explains why this is going to help you, a lot. According to research at Georgia State and other places, more than 70% of us have experienced
- [The effects of sequestration... a report from the field](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/the-effects-of-sequestration-a-report-from-the-field/) - So I have it on reasonable authority that the pay line at the NSF/MCB is hovering at around the 10% mark (May, 2013). This is in contrast to their usual pay line, closer to high teens. In a few areas at NIH, the paylines have dipped to around 6%. Is it time for NIH and
- [It’s become lunacy](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/its-become-lunacy/) - For many of us, the getting of grants is the one thing expected of us in order to get tenured, promoted, and recognized. Yet this function that is at the very heart of expectations for us, is one for which: The odds of success are remote. Not quite as remote as being struck by lightning,
- [The quarter-eating shower machine (and the apparent futility of grant writing)](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/the-quarter-shower-machine-and-the-apparent-futility-of-grant-writing/) - If you’ve ever been camping at one of those RV park places, you’ve probably experienced the pay shower. In order to get hot water to flow (or any water), you have to periodically feed in quarters. Now here’s the thing. Say you only have two quarters. And, say that each quarter only buys you 2
- [Speed writing your grant proposal](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/speed-writing-your-grant-proposal/) - Grants are now officially "hyper-competitive(TM)." I've seen more than one great grant not quite make the cut, because there were even better grants in the pool for that round. Dealing with this requires a shift in thinking. In the past I've focused exclusively on "quality" of proposal, but the reality is changing. You now need
- [Eating crow about the NIH grant lottery](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/eating-crow-about-the-nih-grant-lottery/) - For years I've been teaching that grants aren't a lottery. I've been teaching that if you write a sufficiently good grant, you can skew the odds enough in your favor to have a good chance of success. I've taught that because I've seen some people use the "grants as a lottery" attitude as a motivator
- [Science and Grants Podcast, Episode 2](http://morganonscience.com/science-and-grants-podcast/vol1episode2/) - Medical research funding has been flat for the last several years. But in reality (that is, when inflation is taken into account), it has actually fallen substantially, up to 30% over 10 years! In this episode, I discuss this issue and it's effects on science faculty, universities, and health and medical research as a whole.
- [Innovation and The Human Scientist](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/innovation-and-the-human-scientist/) - Recently, I posted a link to a story by the Atlantic over on my Facebook page called "How Your Cat is Making You Crazy." The article discusses Jaroslav Flegr, a Czech evolutionary biologist who has been studying Toxoplasma gondii, or the brain parasite which can be passed from cats to humans. But this article isn't
- [Facts don't win, passion does!](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/communication/facts-dont-win-passion-does/) - At the risk of giving you the impression that Idaho is full of backwoods uneducated types, I'm going to mention a recent article about the "vaccination debate" here in Idaho. The article tells the story of a group of anti-immunization crusaders in Northern Idaho through the lens of two contrasting women. One of these is
- [The Writing Habit (or how to take the stress out of writing): Part 2](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/the-writing-habit-part-2/) - To take the stress out of writing, develop a good writing habit: part 2 Developing a real writing habit is essential for success. Otherwise, you either: 1) Leave everything until the last minute, and then in a desperate, panicked effort throw together something subpar; or 2) You just don't do the writing at all, instead
- [Speed Dating for your Proposal ](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/communication/speed-dating-for-your-proposal/) - Many of you have probably heard of speed dating, a relatively new (well, 10 years old now) phenomenon where a large group of singles go to meet potential mates. You get 3-5 minutes with each potential person to decide if you like them and want to give them your phone number for a future date.
- [The escape from academia](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/the-escape-from-academia/) - How to make the great escape from academia, and still have a career that feeds your family. Please ignore that link I gave you in the video, the system failure rendered it nonworking. Instead, you can use this link. And if you found this useful, please leave a comment or hit that Facebook Like button.
- [Street cred](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/street-cred-3/) - A lot of what you do in science is judged through the lens of who you are. Actually, that's true of nearly any human endeavor, not just science. But since this blog is ostensibly about science careers, I'll focus on those. Honestly, it amazes me that I managed to build up some kind of reputation
- [You've wronged me!](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/youve-wronged-me/) - Mostly I get very positive emails thanking me for the free and paid advice I give on dealing with the challenges of a modern science career in these days of shrinking budgets and overworked people. But from time to time I get an email that is just downright negative. A few days ago, it was
- [The death march...](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/the-death-march/) - Last night I met a guy who's on a death march... (pay attention if you're in a science career) No, not physical death of his body, but close - He runs an Italian market in my locale (I don't want to identify it specifically - he's a nice guy and I wish him all the
- [Your favorite science-related charity?](http://morganonscience.com/minderset-triangle/your-favorite-science-related-charity/) - We all know that science education has been slipping ... along with our society's general interest in things related to science. This is really bad, methinks. We need more scientific innovation, not less, to face the challenges of today - energy, hunger, poverty, disease, and all those other nasties. The question is, how do we
- [R U a Science Billboard](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/communication/r-u-a-science-billboard/) - Sometimes I get to wondering about people, especially when they write in to the blog with really silly comments, like "Presentation is a trivial part" (referring to grant writing). This person clearly reacted to the notion that you have to "market" your work if you want to maximize success. Go on, keep thinking like this
- [Idiotic hackers broke my site (now fixed)](http://morganonscience.com/morgantv/crazy-ideas/idiotic-hackers/) - Ok, so it turns out Google was saying my site was "infected by malware," and traffic was dropping off. But you didn't bother to tell me (nobody did). Please - if you ever see a message like this on my site, let me know! The problem appears to be fixed now. I've submitted the site
- [Success by not failing is not success](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/are-you-ready-to-give-up-your-science-career/) - Last night I had a conversation with someone who is working at the PhD level in a very well known lab, who is ready to give up her science career to do something completely different. She is not the first. Far from it. Running a blog and doing consulting related to science careers I get
- [OMG, Your Model Is Speculative!  How Dare You!?](http://morganonscience.com/social-commentary/omg-your-model-is-speculative-how-dare-you/) - How dare you to "speculate" about what your results might mean? That's the attitude I've received twice now, from two different reviewers, on two different papers. In the latest case, we did some work related to antibiotic resistance, and we found interesting new pathways activated in one resistant strain. At the end of the paper,
- [Watering down your title to become milktoast](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/watering-down-your-title-to-become-milktoast/) - Do you need to water down your talk/paper titles so that you don't offend any reviewer? Will this increase the likelihood of getting your paper accepted? I was just at a conference, and after talking to a group of younger scientists over dinner, I heard that one of them later made a comment that goes
- [The match is on: "papers in famous journals" faces off with "innovation"](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/famous-papers-versus-innovation/) - Today I had a conversation with someone who is in the middle of a science career, and is having trouble with getting grants funded. It seems like there are a lot of us mid-career people who are having struggles of various kinds. My goal is to help with those, in any way I can. In
- [There is an endless supply of people, but only one of you](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/there-is-an-endless-supply-of-people-but-only-one-of-you/) - Should we all go out and just shoot ourselves now, to avoid the misery of being unemployed in such a grim future?
- [Creating life, building blueprints, and playing God](http://morganonscience.com/politics-of-science/creating-life-building-blueprints-and-playing-god/) - The headlines are in: "Craig Venter creates synthetic life form" (from the Guardian) One would look at the comments and think that humans are playing "God". Sorry folks, we're not there yet. The genome is just a blueprint. The genome itself isn't "life". If you happen to think that a genome = life, try this
- ["Lost" in a science career](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/lost-in-a-science-career/) - Way disappointing! That's my reaction to the final episode of Lost. Before you go... I'm going to explain the relationship to your career in a moment. But first... I'll admit it, I was a fan over the past 3 years (one time I rented all the previous year's episodes and caught up in a matter
- [The "law" of attraction, you, and your science - are they compatible?](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/writing/the-law-of-attraction-you-and-your-science-are-they-compatible-metamorgan-tv/) - Much ballyhoo has been made about the "law of attraction," especially through movies like "The Secret." The proponents of the "law" claim that it will help you manifest your desires. Sometimes it seems like a bit much on the vodoo side for the thinking scientist. But is there a gem in the rough to pay attention to here, that can help you achieve greater success? Morgan explores this, and relates it to the previous episode on fear.
- [Unemployable](http://morganonscience.com/technology/unemployable/) - It's not so great if you find yourself embedded in a stiff bureaucracy that is reticent to any kind of change.
- [Economics, scientists, realism, and Greece](http://morganonscience.com/politics-of-science/economics-scientists-realism-and-greece/) - What is the cost of Open Source publishing? Recently the International Society for Computational Biology put out a request for feedback on their draft Literature Open Public Access Policy Statement. The goal is laudable: encourage all computational biology researchers to publish their work where it can be openly accessed by all. This goal makes sense
- [How to be truly productive in your career? Consider the P to PC ratio  (Episode VI of Success Series) - MetaMorgan TV](http://morganonscience.com/newpost/how-to-be-truly-productive-in-your-career-consider-the-p-to-pc-ratio-episode-vi-of-success-series-metamorgan-tv/) - In Part VI of the program on science careers, efficacy, and bringing in big bux to get recognized for the science that you do, Morgan talks about how to optimize your productivity. In order to truly optimize it - over the long haul - you have to consider your P to PC ratio. You probably haven't considered this before, but it is a vital concept, especially when you find yourself feeling like you need to work harder and longer hours - or in getting your personnel to work harder and longer hours.
- [Learning to love your science - being proactive  (Episode V of Success Series) - MetaMorgan TV](http://morganonscience.com/newpost/learning-to-love-your-science-being-proactive-episode-v-of-success-series-metamorgan-tv/) - In Part V of this series on science career efficacy, Morgan discusses one aspect of running a science lab - being proactive, contrasted to being reactive. She focuses on a comment she heard about some PI's that "require" their students/postdocs to be present 70 hours/wk, and whether or not that reflects proactivity.
- [Why is Graduate School Such a Struggle For So Many People?   (Episode IV of Success Series) - MetaMorgan TV](http://morganonscience.com/newpost/why-is-graduate-school-such-a-struggle-for-so-many-people-episode-iv-of-success-series-metamorgan-tv/) - In Part IV of the series on science career success, Morgan discusses graduate school, and the unique difficulty it presents to students who have just come from an undergraduate degree. This is closely related to the concepts of proactivity and independence that Morgan has been discussing throughout the series.
- [Does Grade School Train Students For Success?  (Episode III of Success Series) - MetaMorgan TV](http://morganonscience.com/newpost/does-grade-school-train-students-for-success-episode-iii-of-success-series-metamorgan-tv/) - Having kids in school now, I think a lot about how the school system functions and what it teaches my kids.... (read more)
- [Is higher ed really on the way to a melt down?](http://morganonscience.com/technology/is-higher-ed-really-on-the-way-to-a-melt-down/) - Universities are slow to move. Every time an issue comes up, a committee is convened to study it. While I'm sure such committees are being convened to discuss topics like this around the globe - internet time is ticking.
- [How do you become a truly effective scientist? Episode 1 -MetaMorgan TV](http://morganonscience.com/newpost/how-do-you-become-a-truly-effective-scientist-episode-1-metamorgan-tv/) - Are scientists the most effective people that they could be? I've realized something by studying those who are really successful versus those who struggle with success. The really successful ones usually spend time "meta analyzing" their own lives and careers.
- [Quality versus Quantity when it comes to grant writing, which wins? - MetaMorgan TV](http://morganonscience.com/newpost/quality-versus-quantity-when-it-comes-to-grant-writing-which-wins-metamorgan-tv/) - There are two distinct mindsets among many scientists about grant writing. One approach is to write many grants, to "play the odds". Necessarily, when quantity goes up, quality goes down. Another approach is to write less grants but of higher quality. These take more time, but may have better odds of getting funded. Which way do you think Morgan advocates for? Find out in today's episode of The Not So Boring Scientist. Leave a note in the comments if you disagree!
- [It's not about the computers, it's about the people - the NHGRI Planning meeting (MetaMorgan TV)](http://morganonscience.com/newpost/596/) - https://morganonscience.com Morgan was invited to participate in a meeting designed to give feedback to the NIH for the future of informatics for handling the flood of data from the "post genome" era of biology. It is a huge challenge. But in the meeting, the primary focus was all about the machines - hardware and software that it will take to get it done. I was a bit frustrated that there wasn't more about the "people" in the meeting, for reasons I discuss on the video.
- [The cost of information being "free"](http://morganonscience.com/technology/the-cost-of-information-being-free/) - I think that there's plenty of room in this world for good, free information. But for deep information that requires a real investment of time and energy to develop and keep up to date, the "free" model doesn't work well.
- [Un throttling your science career with a few simple tricks - MetaMorgan TV](http://morganonscience.com/newpost/un-throttling-your-science-career-with-a-few-simple-tricks-metamorgan-tv/) - Ever wonder how to juggle it all? Do you ever feel desperate and frustrated that you cannot get it all done? Morgan can relate. Earlier in the day before taping this episode, she was feeling exactly that way, asking herself: how can I get it all done? What am I going to do? Then she (re)discovered one simple fix that puts it all in perspective and made everything seem ok again…. watch today's episode to find out what that is.
- [Being called "guru centric" and getting personal in my business  - MetaMorgan TV](http://morganonscience.com/newpost/586/) - I've noticed that whenever I show my "personal" side, some people seem to like it and others get annoyed. But what I'm doing here is all about personality. In today's episode, I explore what it means to "get personal" and why I think that is important.
- [Living with the iPad: great, good, bad, and ugly - MetaMorgan TV](http://morganonscience.com/newpost/living-with-the-ipad-great-good-bad-and-ugly-metamorgan-tv/) - I've been using the Apple iPad for almost two weeks now, and in this video I discuss the ins and outs of the device. I've discovered that it shines in some unexpected ways, and also presents some unexpected challenges. It is not going to replace my Macbook laptop for some uses, but it does a great job for other uses - such as book reading.
- [Writing grants isn't about having a hypothesis, it's about psychology - MetaMorgan TV ](http://morganonscience.com/newpost/writing-grants-isnt-about-having-a-hypothesis-its-about-psychology-metamorgan-tv/) - Morgan recently heard from someone that a good grant proposal must start with "In this proposal we " and it must be followed by a hypothesis that will be tested. Morgan delves into this issue, and mentions an upcoming series on grant writing that you won't want to miss.
- [Aiming for "perfection" in a science career, and the iPod as a metaphor - MetaMorgan TV](http://morganonscience.com/technology/aiming-for-perfection-in-a-science-career-and-the-ipod-as-a-metaphor-metamorgan-tv/) - Scientists can be perfectionistic lot (or at least they start out that way before it is beaten out of them). This tendency results in career angst because it gets people into a mode where the perfect is the enemy of the very good. Papers will sit incomplete and unfinished, grant proposals will remain unwritten, and careers will remain stagnant. Morgan proposes an antidote by thinking about the evolution of the iPod.
- [Dear Morgan, How do I avoid "politics" in a science career? - MetaMorgan TV](http://morganonscience.com/technology/dear-morgan-how-do-i-avoid-politics-in-a-science-career-metamorgan-tv/) - A reader writes in with the question: "I've been putting my head down and working hard on my science for the past few years, trying to avoid "politics". Now a situation has come up that has forced me to realize that I'm not being recognized for the work that I did, and the politics are getting ugly. Will I always have to pay attention to politics in the future to avoid this?". Morgan takes this on using the example of one of her own "political" struggles.
- [Gravity as Quantum Information Exchange (QIE) Part II](http://morganonscience.com/technology/gravity-as-quantum-information-exchange-qie-part-ii/) - (Part II) - Today Morgan picks up with the gravity-as-information exchange theory (QIE, for quantum information exchange) with an examination of what implications of the theory about black holes and gravitational effects. In fact, using QIE theory, black holes are not so weird after all - they're just like a noisy, crowded stadium where chaos
- [Pushing graduate students out the door: is it right? - The Not So Boring Scientist ](http://morganonscience.com/ping-fm/pushing-graduate-students-out-the-door-is-it-right-the-not-so-boring-scientist/) - In today's episode, Morgan discusses the issue of graduate students and timelines. Presently, the term of graduate studies is often limited by most universities, to prevent people from becoming "permastudents". While the reasoning is laudable, it causes problems for people that may follow them throughout their science careers. Morgan discusses the issue in this episode.
- [Balancing grant vs paper writing early in a science career - The "Dear Morgan" Q&A ](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/balancing-grant-vs-paper-writing-early-in-a-science-career-the-dear-morgan-qa/) - In today's "Dear Morgan" episode, Morgan brainstorms on the following question: "How to balance grant-writing and paper-writing in the very beginning of the faculty appointment. Is it wiser (even under the pressure from the department) to publish first as a senior author, and then send a RO1? Advice needed for a smart balancing of these
- [Snag the big grants by inspiring your reviewers with a potent future vision](http://morganonscience.com/technology/snag-the-big-grants-by-inspiring-your-reviewers-with-a-potent-future-vision/) - Today, the "Not so boring scientist" (Morgan) discusses a vital element you must include in any grant proposal if you want your reviewers to get excited and to give you the dough. This works for any and every type of grant proposal - NIH, NSF, business loan, etc. Morgan also mentions the upcoming contest for
- [If you don't know the value of your science, nobody does](http://morganonscience.com/technology/if-you-dont-know-the-value-of-your-science-nobody-does/) - Many young scientists that I've come to know have a common misconception: that they will do great work and the world will beat a path to their door. Not true says Morgan. You have to know the value of the work, and convey it to your peers and colleagues. Otherwise, your career is just a
- [Are science administrators trembling in their boots over the recession? ](http://morganonscience.com/ping-fm/are-science-administrators-trembling-in-their-boots-over-the-recession/) - The dreaded R word. Here, I'll say it: recession! Administrators in academia seem to be freaking out about it. I understand why… the big budget cuts that they deal with are tough. The question is, are they dealing with those cuts in the right way? Does penny pinching really work? Get the inside scoop from
- [Grant reviewers have an emotional reaction to your work - The Not So Boring Scientist](http://morganonscience.com/technology/grant-reviewers-have-an-emotional-reaction-to-your-work-the-not-so-boring-scientist/) - https://morganonscience.com A reader wrote in saying, "How would you distinguish between the emotional reaction to your grant, versus things that could actually be wrong?" Morgan responds to the question on this episode of The Not So Boring Scientist (formerly Meta Morgan TV, a title abandoned because it was too boring!)
- [The world is not a static dead place, it is a living process - Meta Morgan TV](http://morganonscience.com/morgantv/crazy-ideas/the-world-is-not-a-static-dead-place-it-is-a-living-process-meta-morgan-tv/) - There is a common viewpoint among scientists that our fascinating universe arises from a bunch of billiard-ball like atoms bouncing off one another. Not true, says Morgan, it's all a process...
- [Rigid thinking mars the Obama health reform debate - Meta Morgan TV ](http://morganonscience.com/social-commentary/rigid-thinking-mars-the-obama-health-reform-debate-meta-morgan-tv/) - The health care reform foes label all attempts to change things as "Obama socialism" and the pro reform people say "we all deserve health care, even if we drown in bloated bureaucracy."
- [The Oscars and a "Science Gameshow"](http://morganonscience.com/technology/the-oscars-and-a-science-gameshow/) - In today's episode Morgan Giddings discusses the Oscars, pop culture, and a new idea for a science gameshow. Science is fun, so why isn't it ever portrayed that way on TV? A science gameshow would help cure the boring science blues.
- [Scientist shortage?! or not...](http://morganonscience.com/science-careers/scientist-shortage-or-not/) - Over at Bio Careers there's a rather long winded article titled "Do we need more scientists?" Since it is late and it has been a long day, I must admit that I only skimmed it. But it seems to make the argument that a bunch of chicken littles have been crying about the sky falling,
- [Faculty jobs gone awry?](http://morganonscience.com/politics-of-science/faculty-jobs-gone-awry/) - I just met up with a friend of mine who teaches at a small(ish) western university. It was interesting how much our stories intersected about some of the job challenges we both face - even though our respective University environments are quite different. Both seem to stem from a fundamental lack of respect for what
- [Angst vs relief: the new NIH format](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/angst-vs-relief-the-new-nih-format/) - Last week I received two different emails in the same day - one from a person who is an established, successful investigator who has major angst over the new, shorter NIH grant format, and another from someone who is thankful for the shorter, more concise format. I take the side of the second person. I
- [Is a crisis in science coming?](http://morganonscience.com/newpost/is-a-crisis-in-science-coming/) - The Scientist just published an article in which it was argued that the lack of open scientific debate is stifling progress. The article got readers charged up, with some very strong comments condemning science and "corruption" of PI's at the end. The notion that biologists can't have open debate, and that there is such a
- [Becoming a "master beggar"](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/becoming-a-master-beggar/) - But if you think that a "beggar" is going to get grants, choke on this: in the USA right now, only about 1 in 10 grant proposals to NIH get funded. In many other countries, it is even harder than that.
- [Feedback from reader: on dishonesty in grants](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/feedback-from-reader-on-dishonesty-in-grants/) - I think people use dishonesty because they feel they are cornered and think they have no other way "out." But there is always another way out, it is just a matter of figuring out what that is. Sometimes that takes a while to figure out. It isn't necessarily easy. But it is always the better way in the long run.
- [Dealing with the rejection letter, part II](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/dealing-with-the-rejection-letter-part-ii/) - In part I I discussed the importance of using rejection as a learning platform. Here in Part II, I expand on those thoughts. Realize that it is all a matter of odds Last spring the NIH announced its ARRA (American Reinvestment and Recovery Act) funding. For whatever crazy reason, I became involved in writing five
- [technology will change health..?](http://morganonscience.com/technology/technology-will-change-health/) - Is it right to spend a lot of money on a new drug for obesity? Or are we looking in the wrong place for a solution?
- [Grants lacking emotion](http://morganonscience.com/grantwriting/grants-lacking-emotion/) - I had a fun evening reviewing some grant proposals for graduate students taking a grant writing class. None of the proposals got me excited. I'm sure this was because the assignment specified that the students had to come up with a proposal unrelated to their research. They had to use one specific paper to come

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- [MorganOnScience - SCIFoundry](http://morganonscience.com/) - MorganOnScienceTo learn more about the current courses and offers, please visit scifoundry.comLatest postsDiscover our most recent insights on writing better grant proposals to get funding for your researchView all postsNIH GrantwritingGabriel SanchezNovember 29, 20232 mins readNew NIH Review Framework: A Step Forward or a Misstep?If you're part of the academic research community, you may be
- [A Tale of Two Colleagues… and what their proposal strategies reveal about funded grants](http://morganonscience.com/the-grant-foundry/) - Colleague A was diligent. He subscribed to the conventional wisdom that you just keep submitting until you hit the jackpot. When you play the lottery, more tickets mean better chances, so like a good Boy Scout he kept trying, again and again. After a year he had amassed an impressive track record: he could claim 40 submissions. He could show how hard he'd worked by pointing to the pile of
- [Do You Know What Your Reviewers Want?](http://morganonscience.com/community-trap/) - Increase your chances for NIH, NSF or other funding: connecting your proposal with the community’s problem At this point in your research career, chances are you know what it feels like to spend a lot of time, energy, and effort writing a grant proposal. And when that proposal comes back with a poor score—or worse,
- [What Others Are Saying](http://morganonscience.com/about/what-others-are-saying/) - " I have been awarded NIH grants many times in the past, but I have found that things change so quickly that one must always be learning, pushing the envelope..Morgan's presentations are very clear and interesting" -- Steve W. "The Grant Foundry is a very interesting and stimulating training. You will learn concepts that will
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- [Courses and Trainings](http://morganonscience.com/courses-trainings/) - When it's time to go deeper, here are some options for how YOU can get help with your proposals and career. Scifoundry Leadership Program Looking for help in becoming a better research leader (even if you're just starting out)? Or maybe just figuring out how to create more enjoyment and balance in your career? Scifoundry
- [Specific Aims Template](http://morganonscience.com/specific-aims-template/) - I created this report to help out my colleagues and friends, people like you who are struggling in this current grant funding environment. The precipitous decline in funding that started several years ago has not abated, but many faculty jobs are still tied to grant funding brought in. It’s brutal out there. This report shows
- [Blog](http://morganonscience.com/blog-archives/) - LATEST BLOGSgrant writingSub TextgrantsSub TextgrantwritingSub Textscience careersSub TextscientistSub TextGabriel SanchezJune 14, 2023CommentsHow to Ensure Your Proposal Stands Out from the CrowdDo you ever wonder if the reviewers properly read your proposal? Or do you wonder if your proposal is lost…Read PostgrantsSub TextscienceSub Textscience careersSub TextscientistSub TextGabriel SanchezJune 6, 2023CommentsHow to make better decisions as you
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- [Free Resources](http://morganonscience.com/free-resources/) - What's Wrong With My Proposal? Learn how to present your ideas clearly and persuasively with this free, instant access training. We’ll bust through 3 Grant Writing Myths, and cover what reviewers are looking for in a proposal. We'll also go over a case study of a perfect scoring R01 (Yes – They Do Exist!) and what you
- [Six Essentials - new](http://morganonscience.com/six-essentials/) - The Six Essentials To Crushing It With Your Research Grants Why "old school" techniques and relying only on "great science" are not enough to get your grant funded today If you've been around for awhile, you know it's no cakewalk: a look at the funding rates for biomedical research have been hovering near their all-time-record-lows
- [What's Wrong With My Proposal?](http://morganonscience.com/whats-wrong-with-my-grant-and-how-to-fix-it/) - And How Can I Fix It? Learn What Your Reviewer Wants and How to Give it to them in Your Next Proposal Are you frustrated with reviewer comments? Do you wonder just what it is that will get your reviewer's attention and avoid another rejection? The answer is simpler than you think (drumroll please ....)
- [Redirect](http://morganonscience.com/how-procrastination-is-linked-to-imperfection/)
- [Get your reviewer "hooked" on your Specific Aims](http://morganonscience.com/get-your-reviewer-hooked-on-your-specific-aims/) - Your reviewer makes a snap judgement within a few seconds of opening up your proposal to read. That snap judgement will heavily bias the remainder of your reviewer's interaction with the proposal - i.e. whether they are looking for reasons to support or reject. I introduce the concept of the "funnel" and how you can
- [Download Your "8 Concepts" Report Here](http://morganonscience.com/8-concepts-download-page/) - Thanks for Inviting Me On Your Path To Success Download your report: "8 Concepts Every Grant Writer Must Master For a Successful Proposal". By Dr. Morgan Giddings PhD I created this report to help out my colleagues and friends, people like you who are struggling in this current grant funding environment. The precipitous decline in
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- [Learn From The Worst Grant Writer Ever](http://morganonscience.com/rutgers-worst-grant-writer/) - Add New Row Edit ElementClone ElementAdvanced Element OptionsMoveRemove Element Learn what NOT to do - and how to fix a bad proposal - from the worst grant writer ever [headline style="1" font_size="36" font_spacing="-1" align="center" headline_tag="h2"]Learn what NOT to do - and how to fix a bad proposal - from the worst grant writer, ever[/headline]Edit ElementClone ElementAdvanced Element
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- [Media](http://morganonscience.com/grant-writing-2013-what-is-wrong-who-am-i-and-why-get-help/media/) - 236% drop in research grant funding at NIH leaves researchers closing labs and laying off staff According to NIH data, success rates for first-submission research grants dropped from 28.2% in 2001 to 11.9% in 2007, a whopping 236% decrease. For the 2010 year, there were 28,596 research grants submitted (R01's, R21's etc) that were not
- [Grant Writing: What is wrong, who am I, and why get help?](http://morganonscience.com/grant-writing-2013-what-is-wrong-who-am-i-and-why-get-help/) - The massive problem Grants used to be a "friendly competition" amongst peers. If you had a good idea and a good track record, then wrote a decent proposal, you'd often get funding. Perhaps it would take a few rounds of resubmission for that to happen, but lots of people had plenty of success with it.
- [About Morgan On Science](http://morganonscience.com/about/) - I believe that the current system of research funding is totally screwed up. Researchers spend way too much time writing grants, few of which succeed in getting the money needed to keep a research program going. This results in an endless treadmill of grant writing, and an ever-shrinking amount of time for doing the research
- [FAQ](http://morganonscience.com/faq/) - Here are some commonly asked questions about Grants, about Morgan, and about her teachings Why is the grant game so brutal right now?/strong> It's basic math: the number of grants being funded has stayed nearly flat for 10 years, while the number of applications has nearly doubled in that same time period. Universities are hiring
- [Morgan Giddings Podcast](http://morganonscience.com/morgan-giddings-podcast/)
- [Terms and Conditions](http://morganonscience.com/terms-and-conditions/) - Terms and Conditions Agreement between user and https://www.morganonscience.com Welcome to https://www.morganonscience.com. The https://www.morganonscience.com website (the "Site") is comprised of various web pages operated by Marketing Your Science, LLC. The Site is offered to you conditioned on your acceptance without modification of the terms, conditions, and notices contained herein (the "Terms"). Your use of the
- [Privacy Policy](http://morganonscience.com/privacy-policy/) - Updated March 13, 2012. Privacy Policy Protecting your private information is our priority. The statment below is our complete privacy policy. In brief, we don't give your information away to others, except in instances where it is necessary to fulfill a service to you (e.g. mail a package to you). All email correspondence you
- [Grant Help](http://morganonscience.com/consulting/) - Right here I used to have a page about hourly consulting to help you with your grant writing/funding challenges. But I didn't like the hourly consulting model because I found myself too busy, and not having the maximal impact that I could for my clients. Why? Let's say you hire me for an hour, and
- [Subscribers only page](http://morganonscience.com/grantboost/) - Here are your bonuses for signing up on my email list Preview of Chapter 2 from my book, "Marketing Your Science" This is one of the core chapters of the book, and you're getting it for free, as a thanks for being on my email list. The response has been great, I thank my readers
- [Subscribe Success - Graduate student list](http://morganonscience.com/success/graduate-student-list/) - You've been successfully subscribed to the Graduate Students in Science Careers list by Morgan. I'll be sending you newsletter emails that are relevant to getting your PhD more quickly and effortlessly - and finding your ideal job afterwards. I'll also send information to help you get grants and fellowships. So, stay tuned, and make sure
- [Thank you for completing the survey!](http://morganonscience.com/thank-you-for-completing-the-survey/) - I really appreciate your feedback, it will help me help you!
- [Using the PGM to study the evolution of antibiotic resistance](http://morganonscience.com/pgm/) - Here's a short movie clip discussing how we'd like to apply the PGM to our antibiotic resistance project, and also benefit Ion Torrent in the process.
- [You're in the contest!](http://morganonscience.com/youre-in-the-contest/) - Now you're entered in the contest. Good luck, and thanks for referring your friends to the site. Here is a real-time list of the people with the most entries (emails are scrambled to preserve anonimity - your code was sent with your first welcome email): List of people with the most entries (addresses scrambled for
- [Success](http://morganonscience.com/success/) - Thank you for joining my science careers newsletter! I believe you’ll find the resources I will be sharing very helpful to you. Please make sure to add morgan@morganonscience.com to your white list so that the confirmation email doesn't get sent to your spam folder. In your confirmation email, you should have received information about how
- [Already subscribed](http://morganonscience.com/already-subscribed/) - It looks like you were trying to subscribe to my science careers newsletter - but you're already subscribed. Thanks for trying again! If you are trying again because you never got the first confirmation email, please take the following steps: 1. Add me to your "white list" or "safe list" (morgan@morganonscience.com) so that you can
- [Get Grants](http://morganonscience.com/get-grants/)
- [Why Morgan on Science?](http://morganonscience.com/why-tell-the-world-my-grant-writing-secrets/) - I have seen my own graduate students - and many others - struggle with issues that include writing, promoting their work, and establishing a career in science. I have seen many promising young scientists enter graduate school with great enthusiasm about a life doing science, only to leave disgruntled and discouraged. Sometimes they leave with
- [Dealing with stress..](http://morganonscience.com/dealing-with-stress/) - [flow href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/MOSVideos/emWaveMac.mp4" width="480" height="360"]
- [Example specific aims](http://morganonscience.com/grantboost/example-specific-aims/) - Here is an example of a specific aims page from a funded grant of mine from 2004. This was funded as-is on the first round of submission. It received a score of 145, which at the time was 6th percentile. Note that this is not a very long specific aims page. It is not long,

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- [science marketing](http://morganonscience.com/tag/science-marketing-2/)
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- [free grant writing tips](http://morganonscience.com/tag/free-grant-writing-tips/)
- [immunization](http://morganonscience.com/tag/immunization/)
- [nih biosketch](http://morganonscience.com/tag/nih-biosketch/)
- [grantwriting tips](http://morganonscience.com/tag/grantwriting-tips/)
- [nih grantwriting](http://morganonscience.com/tag/nih-grantwriting/)
- [science funding](http://morganonscience.com/tag/science-funding/)
- [grantsmanship](http://morganonscience.com/tag/grantsmanship/)
- [free grantwriting advice](http://morganonscience.com/tag/free-grantwriting-advice/)
- [nsf grants](http://morganonscience.com/tag/nsf-grants/)
- [grant writing tips](http://morganonscience.com/tag/grant-writing-tips/)
- [nih grant writing tips](http://morganonscience.com/tag/nih-grant-writing-tips/)
- [fiscal cliff](http://morganonscience.com/tag/fiscal-cliff/)
- [sequestration](http://morganonscience.com/tag/sequestration/)
- [nih sequestration](http://morganonscience.com/tag/nih-sequestration/)
- [nih funding](http://morganonscience.com/tag/nih-funding/)
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- [confidence](http://morganonscience.com/tag/confidence/)
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- [proposal writing](http://morganonscience.com/tag/proposal-writing/)
- [nih proposal writing](http://morganonscience.com/tag/nih-proposal-writing/)
- [genomics](http://morganonscience.com/tag/genomics/)
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- [grantwriting](http://morganonscience.com/tag/grantwriting/)
- [science careers](http://morganonscience.com/tag/science-careers/)
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- [bioinformatics](http://morganonscience.com/tag/bioinformatics/)
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- [funding rates](http://morganonscience.com/tag/funding-rates/)
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- [Approach Section](http://morganonscience.com/tag/approach-section/)
- [writing tips](http://morganonscience.com/tag/writing-tips/)
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- [nih grant writing](http://morganonscience.com/tag/nih-grant-writing/)
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- [Management](http://morganonscience.com/tag/management/)
- [Laboratory](http://morganonscience.com/tag/laboratory/)
- [Leadership](http://morganonscience.com/tag/leadership/)
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