Building Specific Aims for Your Grant Proposal: Starting with the End in Mind

Sheila Cherry, PhDcareer success, grant funding, productivity, research success, scientific writing, strategic vision

Developing a research grant proposal typically requires defining a set of objectives or aims to complete during the award period. One common challenge is that having multiple potential research directions available makes it hard to craft a set of objectives that “hang together” as a project while simultaneously aligning with the award type, duration, and budget.  This can result in … Read More

It may be “Spooky Season,” but one thing you don’t have to be afraid of is that upcoming progress report.

Sheila Cherry, PhDcareer success, grant funding, productivity, research success, scientific writing

Getting a research grant can be a fraught process that, when successful, brings both relief and excitement. But those feelings might be short-lived as you begin to encounter new worries about being able to accomplish what you proposed to do or having to write more proposals to maintain/expand your funding.  “I was so glad that I got a grant, but … Read More

AMA: What exactly is a NOSI and does it change the way you prepare a grant application?

Sheila Cherry, PhDcareer success, grant funding, research leadership, research success, scientific writing

When we help investigators seek research grants, we often need to translate the lingo that funders use. There are a lot of nuances that can be tough to know or remember when you’re not applying for grants every day, and the tendency toward acronyms doesn’t do a lot to aid understanding. In this vein, a key part of grantsmanship is … Read More

Gain Efficiency, Get Back Your Time: Leveraging Processes & SOPs to Streamline the “Knowledge Work” of Research

Sheila Cherry, PhDcareer success, productivity, research success, scientific writing, strategic vision, time managementLeave a Comment

Got an analysis or experiment to run? I bet you follow a protocol for that. Protocols represent a key part of processes or step-by-step plans of action. Standard operating procedures, protocols, and other forms of process provide critical infrastructure for research to ensure reproducibility, fidelity, consistency, and efficiency, with respect to experimental or analytic endpoints. These are tangible products of … Read More

Navigating the Administrative Burden of Academia: Tactics for PIs Who Are Drowning in Admin Tasks

Sheila Cherry, PhDcareer success, productivity, research success, strategic vision, time managementLeave a Comment

One of the surprising realities for PIs is the sheer amount of administrative work involved in the role. Many stay in academia for the potential to pursue their research interests, yet end up finding their days filled with emails, meetings, paperwork, and countless other administrative tasks. One of my clients recently referred to the job as “47 rats in a … Read More

“So What?”: The Simple Question That Instantly Elevates Your Grant Proposals (and More)

Sheila Cherry, PhDcareer success, productivity, research success, scientific writing, strategic visionLeave a Comment

Imagine this: You spent months meticulously crafting your grant application. The research problem is well-defined and the methodology is solid. However, when the reviewers sit down to assess your proposal, they find themselves asking, “So what?” Oof.  Over my last 15 years consulting on grant applications, I can tell you that “so what?” is the most common comment I leave … Read More

Getting into a Flow for the New Academic Year: Tips and Strategies for Research Faculty

Sheila Cherry, PhDcareer success, productivity, research success, strategic vision, time managementLeave a Comment

The summer break is a valuable time for research faculty to pursue scholarly interests, collaborate with peers, and engage in professional development. And the contrast with the start of the fall semester can feel like getting pushed straight into the deep end. You may face a pile of administrative tasks, teaching responsibilities, and service commitments. We know some even feel … Read More

Shifting from “Either/Or” to “Both/And” Thinking: A Powerful Approach for Research Career (and Life) Success

Sheila Cherry, PhDcareer success, collaboration, productivity, research leadership, research success, strategic visionLeave a Comment

Scientific and health research lends itself to viewing the world in either/or perspectives: data either refute or support a particular hypothesis, sometimes based on statistical tests that indicate “different or not different”. However, it can be distressing when data don’t fit into tidy boxes, and might even create uncertainty in how to move forward.  Like with research outcomes, many situations … Read More

Setting Boundaries for Effective Rest and Recovery

Sheila Cherry, PhDcareer success, productivity, research leadership, research success, time managementLeave a Comment

Ok, we need to talk about rest. In a recent conversation, an amazing, brilliant, hard-working academic researcher lamented to me that their time off over a long holiday weekend didn’t restore them as hoped. As we chatted through why that might be, several things came to light: 1) They still checked email and other notifications over this “time off”—just like … Read More

From Dread to Productivity: Transforming Your Writing Habits for Research Success

Sheila Cherry, PhDcareer success, research success, scientific writingLeave a Comment

In my many years of working with academic STEM PIs, I’ve yet to encounter one who said they got into their career because they just love writing. Even among those who enjoy writing (and they do exist), that part wasn’t the major driver of their decision. Yet, for PIs, writing is central to advancing curiosity-driven pursuits, for example, by preparing … Read More