Saturday: Post ESA, NSF Intersections post-doc?

  • run system backup

  • reading TOCs

  • Catch up from ESA

  • Working on review for THEE

  • New phylogenetic methods in Evolution (Paradis, 2012), (Revell et. al. 2012)

  • Next steps for fellowship applications.

Post ESA

  • Theoretical Ecology Review

  • Revisions on Evolution manuscript

  • TreeBASE paper. See Kemp et. al. 2012

  • outline next steps on warning signals

  • wrightscape manuscript, finalize examples

  • NIMBioS working group

NSF Intersections Post-doc?

Looking over theNSF Biology post-doc position.  Looks rather different than the earlier bioinformatics position.  Whereas I believe the informatics position was submitted before  the applicant identified a lab or institution, the Intersections post-doc requires I identify two sponsors at my intended institution.  Seems like this will be much easier for someone already going to a chosen institution.  Should probably address my questions to the program officer.  Summarizing the application requirements from the more lengthy official call below:

Intersections of Biology and Mathematical and Physical Sciences.

To further advances in biology, these fellowships will support the most innovative research and training where biology meets the mathematical or physical sciences.  To achieve this goal, the fellowships require dual mentors for the Fellow, one from biology and one from mathematical or physical sciences.  Sponsors may be at the same or different institutions but must provide mentoring and research guidance from the different fields presented in the proposed research and training plan.

Application requirements

  1. the application form (FastLane);

  2. applicant’s Curriculum Vitae (CV) limited to 2 pages (list publications and abstracts separately);

  3. an abstract or project summary (limited to one page) of the proposed research and training including a specific and separate statement of broader impacts.  Must also include a clear and concise statement of the intersection, the mentor from biology, and the mentor identified by field of mathematical or physical science;

  4. research and training plan (limited to 5 pages, including all figures, tables, etc.) with its own bibliography (no page limit);

  5. abstract of your dissertation research (limited to one page);

  6. if the teaching option is being requested, the project plan (limited to 3 pages) may be uploaded as a “supplemental document” in the FastLane application;

  7. the sponsoring scientist(s) statement and 2-page CV(s) that you, the applicant, uploads into the application; and

  8. two reference reports, submitted directly in FastLane by the reference writers.

Research and training plan

Include in the research and training plan: 1) a brief and informative introduction or background section; 2) a statement of research objectives, methods, and significance; 3) training objectives and plan for achieving them (these may include scientific as well as other career preparation activities); 4) an explanation of how the fellowship activities will enhance your career development; and 5) a justification of the choice of sponsoring scientist(s) and host institution(s).  As with all NSF proposals, broader impacts must also be addressed.

The sponsoring scientists statement

A complete sponsoring scientist statement consists of two parts; a CV of no more than two pages for each sponsor and a single discussion of the following items:

  1. A brief description of the research projects in the host research group(s), including a statement of current and pending research support, both private and public, for each sponsor. If any sponsor has submitted similar research for funding, what is the degree of overlap?
  1. An explanation of how the research and training plan of the applicant would fit into and complement ongoing research of the sponsor(s) and indicate the personnel with whom the Fellow would work.
  1. How the sponsor(s) will determine what mentoring the applicant needs in research, teaching, and career development skills and translate these into a specific plan to foster the development of the applicant’s future independent research career.
  1. What role the sponsor(s) will play in the proposed research and training and what other resources will be available to the Fellow to complete his or her training plan during the fellowship.
  1. What limitations, if any, will be placed on the Fellow regarding the research following the fellowship.

References