so long story short I struck a breakthrough in a research project that has largely been led by myself. I’ve been receiving mentorship and guidance for the project from my PI. My PI suggested that we apply for a pioneer grant, which is $100k, to upscale the project. However, I was told that due to the nature of grant reviews, our application wouldn’t be looked at very seriously if a first-year undergrad submitted it, and my PI suggested that we apply under their name instead since they’re a professor. My PI and I wrote the grant, and we actually got it!
My question is whether it would be okay to list that as my accomplishment, even though the grant is under my PI’s name? I’m gonna go out on a limb and say that a grant of this size will probably meaningfully influence my applications, so I don’t want anything suspicious to AOs to occur.
Is your name anywhere on the grant application? If not, would your PI readily give you credit for the research and your role in grant writing? Do you have any papers already with you listed as first author? If your PI is writing a strong letter of recommendation and credits the work that you have done (which a good mentor should willingly do), then there is no problem at all with taking credit for your work.
The issue comes if your PI does not acknowledge your efforts. If your name is on no papers and no grant, then you may come across as dishonest, even if that is not the case. And if that is the scenario, you need to find a different PI to work with.
Is your name anywhere on the grant application?
Unfortunately, no
Would your PI readily give you credit for the research and your role in grant writing?
Yes
Do you have any papers already with you listed as first author?
No, but I do have a 2nd author publication in a different field.
I didn’t plan on asking my PI for a LOR because I didn’t really want them to know that I was transferring out, which might cause some tension for the project. Do you think that’s a reasonable fear or is it something that’s not really worth caring about?
If you are leaving you are leaving. They will know when you no longer come. .
The LOR is the right route. If he won’t write it then your efforts will backfire.
Seems to me if he’s that much a mentor you need to let him know you are leaving and won’t be there to continue the work. It’s only fair to him and will be better than him being taken by surprise later.
Transparency is typically better….especially here. If your statement is questioned, then in essence u will be seen as lying.
If you have something that important they will question why you don’t have this LOR.
You NEED to tell your PI that you’re leaving. And you need a LOR from this person. First of all, you just helped them get a large grant. Who is expected to do that work? The PI needs to find someone else or they cannot keep the money. If you want to stay in this field, you cannot burn bridges by disappearing. Tell them that you’re transferring for reasons X, Y and Z but that you value the mentorship they’ve provided and hope that you can continue to work with them and learn from them. You may be able to still work on this project to some extent at your new institution.
It will look very bad if you claim to have done this work and gotten a grant, but do not have a LOR from the PI.
And incase it wasn’t obvious from my previous response, this discussion with the PI needs to be in person, not via email, unless you’ve been working virtually this entire time.
If this is such a great accomplishment why are you leaving?
Starting gets you little. It’s how you finish. I assume your name would have been on the ultimate output. So unless it’s something severe you will cost yourself by transferring.
I am questioning tbh. I think the only 2 schools left that I would seriously consider leaving for are Columbia and Stanford. I’ve actually taken off quite a few schools off my list already
If your name isn’t on the grant then it’s not yours. If you’re going to claim partial authorship of a successful grant application that doesn’t include your name as an author it’s going to look odd that you didn’t ask the named author for a Letter of Reference. I don’t think that will help your application.
I also think you’re going to have a difficult time explaining your motivation for applying to transfer. You’re full pay, so it’s not finances. And it’s certainly not lack of opportunity. You’re going to have to convince the AOs of Columbia and Stanford that you’re not hunting for prestige, and that might prove to be more difficult than you think.
It seems that you want to list this grant and are looking for folks here to agree that you should do so…even though you are not listed as a grant author.
I think these are separate questions - can I list it and be fine (probably, yes) and should I list it. I’m still all ears to the morality of it given the circumstances I’ve described, but I’m guessing the resounding answer is no.
OP- you have nothing to gain and everything to lose by not being transparent with any faculty member who has been helpful to you professionally. Play the long game here and not the short game.
AND- you have EVERYTHING to lose by not being 100% transparent in your transfer applications. It sounds as though you can truthfully describe your role, your relationship with your professor, etc, without having to overstate your role in getting the grant. So do that! Be truthful! Such a great way to launch a scientific career by being honest and transparent!
yeah I think you’re right. I’m still racking my thoughts and getting over the shock because I just got word of the Grant on Friday, so I’m probably just being illogical right now.
“ 2: 2nd author-publication at an IF 6 journal (I noted that it was being peer-reviewed during my freshman apps but no results until way after decision dates)”
Or something else?
When did you do this grant writing? It’s not listed in your November posts about transferring.
You are a freshman at Michigan…a terrific university.
And I agree with previous posters on other threads….don’t waste your time applying to colleges that rejected you for admission last year. A change in your visa status won’t make a speck of difference.
And listen to @blossom. Colleges expect honesty and integrity.