Everything you don´t learn in the lab
Grant and scientific writing
Topic area
Science communication
Format
Online or in-house workshop
Workload
4 webinars of 2.5 h each = 2 workshop days
Trainer
Karin Bodewits or Philipp Gramlich
Target group
PhD students and postdocs
Description
Publications, theses, scholarships, travel grants, and fellowships are more than just academic support—they’re your ticket to success in any field. Whether you’re aiming for academia, industry, or NGOs, writing about your work and securing funding is highly valued everywhere.
Starting early with smaller grant proposals builds confidence, sharpens your proposal skills, and boosts your chances of landing more prominent, prestigious awards later (see this article). Beyond the financial benefits, winning grants gives you the freedom to direct your research and explore projects you’re passionate about, offering a level of career autonomy many PhD students don’t realise is possible.
In this course you´ll learn about:
What types of grants are there?
- Define your purpose and aim
- Find suitable grants for your project
The process of writing
- Who will read your text and what´s in it for them
- Describe your project in a coherent and engaging way
Different texts for different settings…
- Thesis
- Publications
- Scholarships
- External research stays
- Conference visits
Self-presentation skills
- Short CV
- Motivation letter
- Online profile
- Pitch your project to funding bodies
Course Flow Online Workshops
Day 1
Live Webinar
- Setting analysis (audience and purpose)
- Grants that might fit this purpose
- Individual and group course work (online and offline)
Day 2
Live Webinar
- What´s your USP (Unique selling point)?
- Your storyline: the structure of your proposal
- Individual and group course work (online and offline)
Day 3
Live Webinar
- Does your plan fit the readership?
- Clarity of your verbal and visual communication
- Individual and group course work (online and offline)
Day 4
Live Webinar
- Your application portfolio: CV, cover letter, pitch
- Your online persona
- Individual and group course work (online and offline)
Weeks 2-3
Individual written or oral feedback from the instructor.
Interested to read more about this topic? Then you might be interested in Karin´s article The importance of applying for funding early in your career, published in Chemistry World.