Idea Lab

The Idea Lab is for the very early stages of the grant development process and far in advance of the submission deadline (or the investigator may not even have a deadline yet). For the Idea Lab, you do not need to have any materials prepared, but a having a general sense of the research questions, first draft of Specific AIMS, or some preliminary data may be helpful to provide ahead of time. The benefit is having the opportunity to brainstorm with a few learned colleagues to aid in the process of development.

This is best for individuals who are in the early stages and are seeking guidance on one or more of the following:

• Where to submit for funding
• Possible collaborators for work
• Data that will be necessary
• Challenges
• Purpose/value of research

Meeting Structure

The Idea Lab meetings are synchronous 60 minute virtual or in-person meetings that will include 2-3 experts in the areas that you mention in your request form and a member of the Grant Development Subcommittee to facilitate the meeting.

Request

Please complete this request form to request an Idea Lab. Once your request is submitted, you will receive a response from a member of the Grant Development Subcommittee within 3 business days. The Grant Development Subcommittee member will help coordinate the meeting date, time, and location with the other experts.

Serving as a Reviewer

If you agree to serve as a reviewer for the Idea Lab, please register as a reviewer. Registering is for the purposes of tracking all the reviewers for the entire academic year as the Grant Development Subcommittee coordinates recognition from leadership for your services at the end of each academic year.

As a reviewer for the Idea Lab, there are not necessarily any documents to review ahead of time. During the discussion, please share your thoughts and ideas in a constructive and respectful manner, value listening to other’s ideas, be mindful that this is in the early stages of development, and stay focused on the specific questions asked by the requester/PI. The attending Grant Development Subcommittee member will help facilitate the conversation.

Preparation for Your Meeting

Ahead of your Idea Lab, please prepare any questions that you may have for the experts, any documents that may be helpful for experts to reference (e.g. preliminary data, foundation/grant information, ideas for collaborators, etc.). As this is a resource for those that are early on in the grant development process, there are not many materials necessary. Please come prepared with an open mind and questions.

Questions

If you have any further questions about the Idea Lab process, please contact ofaa@georgetown.edu.