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25th Anniversary

A Collaborative Checklist: How We Select Projects

Seven general criteria and considerations are top of mind when we decide on collaborations to support.

Image of Theoretical cosmologist Anna Ijjas
GOOD TALK: Theoretical cosmologist Anna Ijjas presents her research on the Big Bounce model of the universe’s formation at an annual meeting of the Origins of the Universe program.

 PROJECT CRITERIA AND GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS

  • IMPORTANCE. The goal may be concrete or conceptual, but there should be little doubt that great progress in the project would have a strong and positive influence on related areas, and that achieving the goal would represent a major scientific milestone.

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  • SCOPE. The project should have clearly defined initial activities with appropriate bounds on their range. Nonetheless, flexibility should be allowed in its implementation in order to take advantage of new opportunities as they evolve.

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  • FEASIBILITY. There should be good reason to believe that the time is ripe for great progress in the enterprise, perhaps because new technology, new datasets, or new results place a theretofore elusive goal in sight.

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  • IMPACT. Support from the foundation should be seen as critical for the objective to be achieved. Important as the goal may be, there seems little sense in piling on to an effort already amply funded from other sources.

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  • LEADERSHIP. The project’s leadership should be able to recruit the best and most original participants into the enterprise, while at the same time instilling in them something of a cooperative and collaborative spirit. Such an environment likely provides the best hope for ultimate success.

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  • LEVERAGE. While not essential, it would seem desirable that in time the project would be likely to attract support from outside. This could be in the form of collaborations with government or other agencies, government or private grants to the Foundation or its grantees, or independent efforts from other individuals or groups, inspired by the project’s progress.

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  • TIMESCALE. Projects like these could easily run for 10 to 15 years or even longer, but it is not intended that they last forever. Winding down a project at an appropriate time, leaving room to initiate a new one, will have a continually rejuvenating effect on the foundation.



This article is part of the “Five Unique Contributions We’ve Made to Science” section of the foundation’s 25th anniversary book.

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