Eligibility
Q. Will a proposal that arrives after the deadline be accepted?
A. No. July 1 is a hard deadline.
Q. Although my primary faculty appointment is outside a Chemistry, Physics, or Astronomy Department, I hold a joint appointment in one of these departments, and my research interests are in fundamental areas of science. Am I eligible for the CSA?
A. Generally, yes. If your primary appointment is outside our core disciplines, please contact Senior Program Director Silvia Ronco to discuss your particular situation and confirm your eligibility.
Q. Before I began my present tenure-track position in calendar year 2021, I held a tenure-track position at another institution. Am I eligible to apply?
A. No. In 2024, eligible applicants must have started their first tenure-track position anytime in calendar year 2021. Previous positions could render an applicant ineligible. It is advisable to consult with a program director on eligibility issues.
Q. I began my appointment in January. When should I apply?
A. Your application will be accepted in the third academic year of your first tenure-track position. For example, if your appointment began in January (or September) 2021, you would be eligible for the 2024 deadline.
Q. Is there any restriction on the number of faculty from the same institution who are eligible to apply in the same program year?
A. No. The Cottrell Scholar program accepts proposals from all eligible faculty without numerical restriction. There is a past record in this program of more than one awardee in the same department of the same university in a given year.
Q. If I fail to receive an award, may I reapply the next year?
A. No. There is only one opportunity for application to this program.
Q. Although my first faculty appointment started in 2021, my tenure clock was stopped for a year in my second year due to personal reasons. Am I eligible to apply in 2024 or 2025?
A. Because your tenure clock stopped, you are eligible to apply in 2025. Please click here to submit a request for eligibility extension.
Q. Although I started in 2020, I was on parental leave for six months in 2023 and did not apply for the award in 2023. Am I eligible in 2024?
A. Yes, we accommodate faculty starting young families. Please click here to submit a request for eligibility extension.
Budget
Q. Does my Cottrell Scholar Award application include a budget, and what categories and items may be included?
A. There is no provision for a budget in the Cottrell Scholar application. A Cottrell Scholar award provides $120,000 over a period of three years with considerable discretion for the PI. Expenditures need only conform to the RCSA spending guidelines provided in the application form and at the time of funding.
Educational Proposal
Q. I know how to construct a research proposal, but I don't have similar experience in writing an educational proposal. What do you really want here?
A. Each applicant should propose an educational plan that contains the following elements: (1) past and on-going educational activities; this is used to measure your commitment to education and your potential for becoming an outstanding teacher-scholar, and (2) innovative future activities that will enhance undergraduate and/or graduate education in your department. The program identifies unique proposals that show potential for transformative educational impact at your institution and beyond. Because all faculty are expected to mentor undergraduates in their labs, undergraduate research activities should not be the central component of your educational proposal.
An educational proposal is a critical component of the application and undergoes rigorous review, which includes evaluation by science education experts.
Research Proposal
Q. Which research proposal should I use, one in which I am currently successfully engaged, or a new proposal for which I have limited or no preliminary results?
A. We ask you for your "best" project or research idea(s). Either a successful project currently underway or a new plan that you wish to promote is acceptable, but your CS proposal needs to identify new and exciting directions. To be clear, the research application could be thematically connected to other proposals or ongoing projects, but it must have specific aims that are distinct from applications submitted to other foundations or funding agencies. Existing research funding does not negatively influence evaluation of Cottrell Scholar applicants, rather existing funding and prior independent publications are viewed as positive indications of the potential of the applicant and the proposed research plan.
Q. Does the proposal require a particular font and font size?
A. Yes. Arial 11 point or greater is required for a proposal to be eligible for review.
Reviewers
Q. Who are "inside" and "outside" reviewers?
A. An inside reviewer or "insider" is a person who knows you and can assess your abilities. Former mentors/advisors and collaborators are insiders. Their assessment of you is critical to the overall evaluation of your proposal. An "outsider" is a person with whom you have had no substantive personal or professional contact who is an expert in the research field.
The opinions of outside experts are critical to the decision made regarding the award, so their selection is important. Often these are individuals whose research is referenced in your proposal. Your list may be incomplete if it does not include scientists whose research is referenced. The listing of outsiders who are not experts lessens reviewer confidence in your understanding of the field. We are discouraged when reported "outsiders" say they know you well and have spent a considerable amount of time with you. We are similarly discouraged when a designated "outsider" sends your proposal back to us with the comment that the research you propose is outside his or her field of expertise.
Q. How many reviewers should be listed, and what format should be used?
A. Provide the complete names, titles, complete addresses, and email addresses of at least 10 potential reviewers. At least eight reviewers should be "outsiders," along with a minimum of two "insiders." Verify the accuracy of the information, since incorrect information may result in delays in the review of your application. Clearly distinguish "outsiders" from "insiders.”. Do not forget to include a brief indication of your relationship to both inside (e.g., “Ph.D. mentor”) and outside reviewers (“never met,” "met once at a meeting,” etc).
Q. Are only those reviewers whom I have listed used in the evaluation of my proposal?
A. No. Program directors select reviewers from those in their experience and your listing whom they believe most suitable to provide assessment of the research that you propose. If you know of "insiders" or "outsiders" to whom the proposal should not be sent, please provide that information via email to a program director.
Q. I work in a very narrow subfield within my scientific discipline and I know everyone in my field. How do I select "outside" reviewers?
A. It is very much to your advantage to have reviews from people who are not at all acquainted with you. In their efforts to list the most qualified experts in their area of research, most applicants narrow the field of potential reviewers too much. In our experience, individuals working in broader areas that encompass your subfield are often well qualified to review your proposal and should be included in your reviewer list. Also, be aware that we are willing to seek reviews from qualified experts anywhere in the world. However, it is advisable to list at least five outside reviewers from U.S. or Canadian academic institutions.
Reviewer Comments
Q. Can I obtain external reviewer comments on my proposal after the final decision on awards has been made?
A. Not typically. Reviewer comments are confidential. At the program directors' discretion some comments may be provided.
Funding Rate
Q. What are my chances, and how are the Cottrell Scholars proposals evaluated?
A. The competition in the Cottrell Scholars program is keen. Since 2010 the funding rate has been about 14 percent. Proposal review is a three-tiered process. After a proposal has been received and processed for conformity to guidelines, RCSA program directors evaluate the educational plan. Those that pass this review are sent out for external peer review of both research and educational plans. Finally, when a proposal has the appropriate complement of reviews, the Cottrell Scholar Selection Committee evaluates the proposal in light of its reviews and then makes the final recommendation to RCSA’s Board of Directors.