CHE 450G: Practical Inorganic Chemistry

U of KY Dept of Chemistry

CHE 450G Independent Experiment Proposals

[Top]   [Background]   [Proposal Forms]   [Time Frame]   [Expectations]

Background

Every research scientist, whether in academia or industry, must submit a research proposal to somebody in order to procure funding for their research. In academia the major funding agencies are the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Department of Energy (DOE) to name just a few. Research is a very expensive process, and the competition for these grants is quite keen - typically only 10 to 20% of grants are funded. If your grant is to succeed you don't just have to be the best and brightest, you have to be the best of the best and brightest.

It is for these reasons that many graduate programs require their students to submit original research proposals to their thesis committee as part of their "admission to candidacy" exam for the Ph.D. degree. These topics of these proposals must be unrelated to the student's own research and must be orally defended in front of the committee. Any student that has not carefully planned the research, anticipated possible pitfalls/solutions or made a strong case justifying the research fails the exam. Most schools offer at most only one additional opportunity to retake the Oral exam. If the student fails again, they are prohibited from pursuing the Ph.D. degree.

Very few undergraduate institutions prepare their students for this experience, but an early exposure to the expectations of the "real world" is healthy for chemistry majors, particularly those going on to graduate school or industry. As we prepare for our Independent Experiments we will use the opportunity to understand how to plan and execute an independent research topic and gain valuable experience in the process.

[Top]   [Background]   [Proposal Forms]   [Time Frame]   [Expectations]

Proposal Forms

Before you can perform your independent project you will submit an abbreviated NSF proposal. The objectives of this exercise are to:
• Familiarize you with NSF and other funding agencies.
• Give you experience in conceiving and writing proposals.
• Ensure that you've thought your project completely through before beginning it.
• Make sure that we have the equipment and chemicals you'll require before you start the project.
• Make sure that your project is the right size/scope/scale for the planned laboratory time.

For this exercise, we will use official NSF grant forms. You can download the Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) from NSF in MS Word 6.0 format for Mac and Windows. Fill these out in Word and then print them. Do not submit forms that have been filled in by hand.

Each lab team should submit one proposal. I expect BOTH lab partners to work on the proposal equally. If you do not, then BOTH lab partners will be penalized.

The following pages are required for your final proposal:

• Form 1207: Cover Sheet (both pages)
• Project Summary
• Project Description (should be approximately 2 pages long)
• References Cited (in addition, for CHE 450G, submit photocopies of any references that outline procedures/experimentals that you will perform in the lab)
• Form 1363: Facilities and Equipment (use this to specify those that you will need for your project rather than listing what we have in the CHE 450G laboratory)

Form 1030 (Summary Proposal Budget) is not required. However, in lieu the NSF budget form, make sure your Form 1363 has a list of every chemical and piece of equipment that you anticipate needing. Specify how much time (and dates) you will require on each instrument, and give amounts and current catalog prices for each chemical (consult an appropriate chemical company catalog for pricing information).

The following pages are optional. Fill them in only if you have nothing better to do or wish to experience the joys of bureaucracy.

• Form 1225: Information about the Principle Investigators
• Current and Pending Support page ("none" says it all, eh?)
• Form 1359: Table of Contents
• Form 1362: Biographical Sketch (one for each PI if you do it)

[Top]   [Background]   [Proposal Forms]   [Time Frame]   [Expectations]

Time Frame

Pre-Proposals (DUE: MONDAY OCTOBER 11th, 1999)

This should be a one page "white paper" that outlines the area of study you're looking at. Have available photocopies of the references you are planning to use and have a general sense of the scope of your project. Each lab team should submit one of these at the beginning of the lab period. I will come by and talk to each group for about 10 minutes that day to go over your pre-proposal. Your adequacy of preparation will count towards your final grade on the project!

Full Proposals (DUE: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1999)

Follow the guidelines above, using the proper NSF forms. Proposals are due at 1 PM. Your proposals will be evaluated by our anonymous review panel and recommendations will be made whether to "fund" your proposal. You will receive the anonymous reviews the following lab period. If your proposal is funded, you are cleared to proceed. If the reviewers have objections, you may be required to address these before you can begin work on your project.

[Top]   [Background]   [Proposal Forms]   [Time Frame]   [Expectations]

Expectations

Despite all that is written here, this should be a rather short exercise. The body of the final proposal should be approximately two pages. You should clearly define the problem that you are going to tackle (Hint: this will be a first draft of your Introduction for your final lab report). You should have an idea of the sequence of events that you will follow in the laboratory. Indicate additional areas of exploration you will follow if you finish your project early. Remember to indicate the specific reagents (quantity, purity etc.) as well as equipment that will be required to complete this experiment.

FYI, if you examine the NSF budget form and allow for 2 graduate students at $18,000 each, one postdoc at $25,000, 1 month of professor summer salary at $6,000, $5,000 for materials/equipment/user fees and a few thousand extra here and there...and sum it up you're still not done. Multiply that total by 0.47 for university indirect costs (support of the libraries, computers, heating, lighting, health benefits, etc.) and add it to your total. What you find is that one project can easily exceed $100,000 per year. Ouch.

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This page was last updated and is copyright 1996-2000 by Rob Toreki. All rights reserved.