Category Archives: grant

Paid overtime for post-docs? Implications!

Posted on 13 July 2016 by Steve Caplan

A new rule issued by the US Department of Labor, scheduled to go into effect on Dec. 1, 2016, is likely to have a major impact on the structure of the biomedical research enterprise in this country. This rule, which … Continue reading →

Posted in biomedical research, funding, grant, lab, labor, NIH, overtime, post-doc, post-doctoral fellow, postdoctoral fellow, principal investigator, Research, salary, science, stipend, wages | Comments Off on Paid overtime for post-docs? Implications!

How much is my sanity worth?

Posted on 11 May 2016 by Steve Caplan

I think that many scientists today would likely agree that writing grants (and worrying about funding) can drive a person to insanity. A question that I’ve never really pondered until recently is “Would I trade my sanity for a grant?” … Continue reading →

Posted in funding, grant, proposal, relief, Research, sanity, science | Comments Off on How much is my sanity worth?

Hey, I didn’t even get the grant!

Posted on 15 January 2016 by Steve Caplan

Scientists today spend a considerable chunk of their time writing: grants, protocols, manuscripts, reviews, grant reviews, etc. One of the bureaucratic requirements that most of us are familiar with is the “progress report.” Every year — or even after every … Continue reading →

Posted in awardee, bureaucracy, foundation, funding, grant, humor, No, progress report, Research, science, scientist, Writing | Comments Off on Hey, I didn’t even get the grant!

On the connection between (April) fools and trolls

Posted on 12 April 2014 by Steve Caplan

Trolls seldom have anything worthwhile to say. They twist, bully, rant and rave and insult, putting forth their worst drivel to provoke a response. All behind a cloak of anonymity. That is the nature of a troll; inevitably a loser … Continue reading →

Posted in April Fools, education, grant, humor, laboratory, proposal, Research, science, students, training, troll | Comments Off on On the connection between (April) fools and trolls

Relativity Theory

Posted on 12 April 2012 by Steve Caplan

How many times have we been told in the course of our lives “It’s all relative?” I hear that over and over. And I suppose that there’s a lot of truth in that statement. If we push aside considerations of … Continue reading →

Posted in grant, grant review, international, proposal, relative, relativity, Research, science | Comments Off on Relativity Theory

Accountable Anonymity

Posted on 24 March 2012 by Steve Caplan

Being heavily involved these past few weeks in reviewing piles of grants, I have been thinking a lot about the power that anonymity can confer. And how it can, when there are no checks and balances (or in the case … Continue reading →

Posted in anonymity, bullying, cyber-bully, grant, review, science | Comments Off on Accountable Anonymity

One day in the life of Ivan Denisovich–no, no, in my life

Posted on 24 September 2011 by Steve Caplan

For the record, I had actually planned this blog for some time, but for one reason or another, never got around to writing and posting it. With the furor over scientists’ approach to work in the lab still fresh from … Continue reading →

Posted in fellowship, grant, group leader, PI, post-doc, principal investigator, Research, science, scientist, student, training | Comments Off on One day in the life of Ivan Denisovich–no, no, in my life