My July resubmission was reviewed last week. I was so fried from submitting two grants in October that when I got (no kidding) 5 emails saying that the outcome was up at Commons (the electronic tracking system for NIH grant status for those of you that don’t know)- I just kind of stared at them and didn’t open them- thinking ….why are you telling me ?this? I know you received my latest submission. I was kind of still stuck with that last grant. Then I focused on the word review- and duh…
So, there is good news and bad news. Good news because it got scored (<160, so <30 percentile) … and no one looks forward to triage (i.e. no score, no panel discussion). Bad news because its not a fundable score (right now at this very minute- the 10th percentile is the top fundable score in the study section relevant to me). I’m waiting for the pink sheets- if I remember from last time they turned them around pretty quickly. I’m going to talk to program- although I think that there is almost no chance that this will make a difference in this round… but since I’m a new investigator, who knows. And, I can still resubmit it as an A2- so that’s a good thing, right?
Anyway- I haven’t yet told my collaborator…. No need to destroy a perfectly good vacation with this news- it can wait for a few days.
Blue Lab Coats 
Oh, too bad. Better luck with the next ones.
Oh, sorry to hear it. It must at least make you feel glad that you pushed out the most recent grants….Hope things improve.
Good call on waiting until post-vacation. Sorry to hear that this grant fell out of the funding range.
you are in a place that is agonizing but since it is still perfectly possible to get a pickup, great job!
160 is an excellent score and as BikeFucker said, you could very easily get picked up by program, since you are a New Investigator (at least, I think you are).
ecogeofemme and Dr.J- Don’t be disheartened- I’m not. Although at first glance it is what it is (not fundable)… there may be ways around, and it is at least a good sign with one submission still left to go. And yes, Dr. J- I’m really REALLY glad that I spent the last couple of months with my nose to the grindstone getting two more out there.
Academic- Shit happens, right? I just don’t want that shit to interfere with a perfectly good trip. Let’s hope said collaborator doesn’t read this blog!
bikemonkey and C PP- I will talk to program (yes, I am a new investigator)… you are giving me hope that there might be a chance there. I’m planning my approach. very carefully. Where the hell is whimple when you need him (or her?)????
First off, you have to wait for the summary statement so you have something to talk about. Second, in the meantime you can snoop around on the website of the Institute in question to see if they are one of the ones that has an official NI policy. Third, I’m finally starting to see the point of your investigations into just how dismal your subfield is in hiring and funding the next generation. Work on the self-deprecating way of slipping the key points into a conversation- “Well, PO, actually I’m quite pleased with the score since the field contains zero funded PIs that are within a decade of my age and job tenure….” 🙂
Agreed that this is a very nice score that certainly has the potential for being picked up by Program. Scarpa requires of SROs that NI summary statements must be finished first, absolutely within 30 days of the study section mtg. So listen to BM and CPP and most certainly have a few more cosmos/mojitos/margaritas/caipirinhas.
Good luck! And I hope the reviews are encouraging / constructive.
Good attitude! It’s too easy to go into this stuff assuming that there will be nothing but good news, and the people who survive through tough times are the ones who can pick themselves up and make the best of things. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you. Remember when they gave you the extra money for the post-doc, ’cause you asked? Hopefully something will come through this time, but in any case, you have the right outlook for success, and it gives me great hope that there are women out there who know how to keep going when things get tough.
BM, CPP, AP have said it far better than I could.
Continued good luck drdrA!
Bikemonkey- Very good advice, thanks! I’m waiting for the summary statement. And, as for this ‘Third, I’m finally starting to see the point of your investigations into just how dismal your subfield is in hiring and funding the next generation.’ Yes- now you are seeing exactly why I bother with these ##s, you just never know- and sometimes you do know- where and when they might come in handy.
Abel- If there is one thing you can be sure I do- its listen to BM, and CPP, … and various others who have given me the same advice. And, I’m going to take your advice as well- I’m going to have a hard time choosing between the cosmo and the mojito though- so I’m going to have one of each!
Neurolover- I’ve had a front row seat to various aspects of bad news only for about the last 3 or so years. I’ve seen reality, its ugly, its demoralizing, and its exhausting (I’m too lazy to use actual punctuation). But what can I do? I really love this job, and I am beyond fortunate compared to many, many people in this world. I just have to do everything I can to go forward, do the absolute best I can with the resources I have, and see what happens next.
Anonymoustache and Cath… You are really too kind. I’m going to do everything that I can do with this and we will see what happens!
I also get 5 emails every time from Era-Commons. Typical that the NIH can’t even figure out how to email investigators, yet the NIH expects to be able to figure out what is and is not “meritorious” of funding and how to allocate funds effectively. Unfortunately, I don’t have much good advice. Hang in there and keep on trying. I believe the great New Investigator die-off to be well underway and the longer you can hang on by your fingernails, the more chance you’ll have of getting rescued. R01 applications *decreased* by 5000 applications in 2007. The money supply isn’t getting any better, but I think the demand is going down, which will eventually bring paylines back to sustainable levels for whoever is still around.
shorter whimple: “Stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive, ah, ah, ah ah……”
Whimple- I think your advice is the best- I’ll be OK for a while longer, and I can just keep pounding them with proposals! Perhaps they will relent just to be free of me for a while…
bikemonkey- That’s cute.
Be sure to read the next part in this line to
master how to manipulate these shortcomings.