Nov 2003: How to Write a Great Science or Engineering Proposal

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  I have read a lot of essays, books, websites on how to write great proposals. But they all have something missing. They all tell you how to write it- but they don't tell you what to write. Well, I am going to tell you what to write. You might say thats impossible- but read on.
  I recently read a book that tells you how to write movie screenplays. There are 3 categories, A, B, C. First pick an item from Category A. In Category A, we have: "A dirty cop who...", "A beautiful movie star from Russia that...", "A platoon of soldiers in 1920...". There are 30 possibilities in Category A. Now we move to Category B. Category B has "finds a huge diamond", "shoots his/her best friend accidentally," "gets trapped in a mud slide", etc. And Category C has, "and finds inner peace", "and turns his/her life around," etc.
  Pick one from each category. For example, you could have "A dirty cop who...finds a huge diamond...and turns his life around". So if each category has 30 selections, that gives us 30x30x30 possibilities- about 30,000 different screenplays that we can write. Each one will be original and interesting.
  Now we apply the same principle to writing a proposal. First, pick a technical area. Don't worry, you don't have to know anything about it. For example, lets pick "Quantum Optics". Now, you could buy a book on Quantum Optics. Or, find someone to collaborate with. How about Chuck Chuckerson at Cimmanon State? He is pretty good guy.
  Now let's combine it with something else. Preferably something as unrelated as possible. Just pick something random. Biomedical is always good. How about "Biomedical imaging".
  Okay, now we have "Biomedical imaging with Quantum Optics." That's not bad! Time to do a quick literature search. If no one else has thought of this area, then you are set. If someone else has, then it is back to the dartboard. How about "DNA sequencing". Now we have "Biomedical Imaging with Quantum Optics, utilizing DNA sequencing".
  Fortunately, though, in this case we were just able to stick with "Biomedical Imaging with Quantum Optics." Let's continue. Our proposal abstract reads like this:
Biomedical optics is an important area with many interesting challenges. In this proposal, we apply recent developments in quantum optics to create a novel imaging system. This system will have applications to neural imaging, as well as the gastro-intestinal system. Quantum optics will give us a new degree of sensitivity and resolution.
That's the abstract. In Section 1, we review Quantum Optics. Section 2 will describe fundamental challenges in biomedical imaging. Then, in Section 3, they come together.
  As you can see, it's pretty easy to write a great proposal, and you don't even require any knowledge of science. Now, if you are a great scientist, you just need 1 selection in your title. For example, if you have invented quantum optics, that's all that you need in your title. And you are ready for the Nobel Prize.
  If you require 2 categories in your proposal, then you are probably still doing some innovative work. Could be very interesting! Three categories in your proposal is a bit much, you could be waiting a while to get funded. And with 4 categories, you might as well give it up.
  OK, so now you have finished this short essay. And you are ready to launch your career. Please make me a co-author on your paper. I can add a little bit on Signal Processing, it will really spice things up.
  I used to think science was like a tree, each branch sprouting more and more branches. But it's not like a tree, because of the cross-connections between branches. Although this essay has a cynical tone, I am not condemning this approach. I think it is valid, and it can generate new research.
  I asked a well-known scientist once, "If there are so many new technologies, then are papers easier to write than they used to be?"
  He said, "No, because there are a lot more scientists and engineers than there used to be."
  But, now I think he was incorrect. Because the number of possibilities increase as the square or the cube of the number of branches on the tree, really there are an enormous number of research topics out there.