DLDS: Postdoc Grant Writing Series | Session 1: Framing Your Research Effectively
Behind every successful grant proposal is a strong foundation—clear questions, a focused plan, and a roadmap that connects today’s experiments with tomorrow’s discoveries. In this mini-series for postdoctoral fellows, science editor Courtney McQueen, PhD, Manager of Editing Services, Office of the Vice Provost for Research, will walk you through the core building blocks of proposal development: sharpening your ideas, organizing your research program, crafting effective Specific Aims, and communicating impact with clarity.Session 1 will focus on why research questions are the backbone of competitive proposals and how they shape your narrative. You will practice reframing goals and hypotheses into compelling, flexible questions that keep your science moving. While we’ll use NIH-style proposals as our main framework, the strategies and principles are broadly applicable and can be adapted to many other funders and mechanisms.Meet the InstructorCourtney McQueen, PhD | Courtney manages Editing Services for the Office of the Vice Provost for Research. She joined the Research Development Team as a Sr. Science Editor in 2017 and has run the Editorial Assistance Services Initiative (EASI) since 2021. Courtney obtained her BS in Chemistry from Harvey Mudd College in 2004 and her PhD in Chemistry from Princeton University in 2010.EASI: https://research.jhu.edu/rdt/easi/
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