Nicole Tanenbaum

“A common piece of advice I have heard about the NSF GRFP is that the NSF is not only funding your science, but is also funding you as a person. Therefore, it is helpful to include how you became interested in science or the unique perspective you can bring to the scientific community. When drafting your proposal, take it in chunks. First start with outlines. Keep good documentation of your sources. Once the ideas are there, flesh it out into a more eloquent narrative and format citations. Once you have a draft, seek as much feedback from as many different sources as possible. It’s good to seek advice from people in your lab, people outside of your lab, and people at all different stages of their scientific careers. And of course, be respectful of everyone’s time and sincerely thank them for their feedback!”