Grant proposal writing -Getting funded with good grant writing-

Course description: In order to get grant funding, applicants have to convince reviewers that their project is interesting and that they are able to plan and run the project. This involves i) identifying your message and storytelling in order to get the message across and ii) key elements of project management: setting SMART goals, identifying strengths, weaknesses, threats and outlining opportunities (SWOT), identifying stakeholders (RACI matrix), planning a timeline
(GANTT chart) with workpackages, tasks, interdependencies, milestones and deliverables und ultimately budgeting (forward and backward planning, accounting for staff, consumables, investments and overheads). After theoretical workup, participants will implement their knowledge into real-science interdisciplinary projects they develop.
At the end of the workshop, the participants will dispose of a personal toolbox that will allow them to communicate efficiently as scientists and write successful grants, skills that are
key to success!  Participants will experience interactive lectures, and perform activities followed by moderated group discussions in order to learn from first-hand experience. We will safely move them outside of their “comfort zone” to the “learning zone” (Gerald Hüther) to enhance acquisition of novel skills. Participants will learn by supervised “trial-and-error”. The shortcoming
experienced by participants is subsequently resolved in carefully moderated and focused review sessions, using peer-to-peer feedback as powerful tool.

Credits: 0.5 ECTS CPs in case of at least 80% participation and timely submission of a writing example prior to the workshop.

Target group: PhD students of IMPRS NeuroCom

Registration: via Email to imprs-neurocom{at}cbs.mpg.de

The Trainer: PD Dr. rer. nat. Daniel Mertens heads two research groups, one group at the German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ) in Heidelberg and a research group at the University Hospital Ulm. As a scientist, Daniel Mertens is the author of 96 publications that have been cited more than 4400 times by colleagues (https://publons.com/researcher/2780960/daniel-mertens/). He has received more than €5 million in grants from external third-party funders for his research and coordinated international research networks (cancerepisys.org and leukemia-resistance.de). Since 2011, he has been training scientists, physicians, administrators and staff in transferable skills (www.scientistsneedmore.de). So far, >7000 participants took part in international workshops in Europe, USA and Africa.