We're Number Ten!

In the world of science, grants are the fuel that feeds the monster. However, communication lags behind many other fields in grant getting. This is beginning to change. And it looks as if The Ohio State University is a great place to help change this trend. A recent report shows that OSU has moved into the top 10 nationally in research funding.

Furthermore, the trend looks to continue, as OSU is landing several big grants.

This is encouraging for assistant professors, who live in the Catch 22 of the grant world: it's extremely hard to get your first grant. Thus, like many of our students trying to get their first jobs without prior experience, we try for grants with no experience. We are, in effect, told to come back when we have already gotten our first grant ... which we cannot get.

All of this should be much easier at OSU now, as this top 10 ranking will enter the public consciousness. Grant reviewers on the fence may have yet one more reason to fund proposals coming from Columbus. We'll see if this prediction comes true.