Is it appropriate to politely email a senior professor who you have never met for advice on a funding proposal?

[resistingreality]

Hi all, just wondering if this would be appropriate?

I am putting together a funding proposal and there is a very senior professor (officially retired but still active) who has vast insight on the topic at hand. I don't know him (I think we might have met very briefly but he won't remember me) but would like to discuss my ideas with him. Is it inappropriate to drop him an email to that effect? This is one of the many aspects of academic life that I have no idea about!

More generally ... is it normal to feel a bit despondent when writing grant proposals? I don't do it often (enough) but it seems like a huge mountain to climb with such limited chances of success! Would be really interested in how others manage this!

I don’t think it’s inappropriate but I wouldn’t be hugely hopeful of a response if you have no real connection and nothing’s in it for him- still worth asking though, some people do like to be helpful!

Worth highlighting why it would be of interest to him, and do mention the time you’ve previously met - perhaps with a little subtle flattery eg “we met at x seminar where you had interesting insights on y”.

I can’t really help re despondency, I feel the same way and that’s why I’m planning to leave academia…

Thanks @Helloits2023, this is helpful. I guess I could give it a try, and hopefully risk nothing more than mild embarrassment. And I've survived that plenty of times before. Re: despondency. Yes. It's a tricky one. It's going to take me SO MUCH TIME to put this funding proposal together and the chances of success are probably less than, I don't know, 5%. Blah.

Blah indeed. If it helps, this stranger on the internet admires you for keeping at it 💪

Someone emailed me in this way previously - I didn’t mind at all. I helped them out.

i go through stages with writing - first despondency then I think it’s AMAZING and then back to despondency. It’s such a lot of work - it’s natural to get caught up with it. I just plod on and try not to let it take over. If I am organised the easiest way is to only do one hour a day, for four months, rather than flat out and hellish for one month

The "retired" professors I've worked with have always been flattered by this type of approach. Giving feedback is low effort and high reward. If they can help a junior academic in the earlier stages of their career they would.

Thanks all (@pleasejusttext - I'm not all that junior - at least in terms of years dong this😀It's more that I've been rather slow in the career progression stakes)!

@bge thanks for thoughts on despondency. I think I am similar - I rarely think what I'm doing is amazing but do sometimes think it's interesting and often that it's quite important. It's just good to know that these roller coasters are quite normal in the writing process. I do much of my work alone and find it quite isolating at times.

I've been approached this way - to act as PI or supervisor/mentor for grants I can lead. I haven't been emailed out of the blue for advice or to give feedback, but it's not out of order.

But make it easy for this person. We get overwhelmed with these sorts of requests - I generally get a request to review a grant, or referee a book or article, or read something for another researcher about once a fortnight. I spend almost as much time facilitating others' research as doing my own!

So send an email, with a short abstract (no more than a 200 word paragraph) included in the body of the email, not as an attachment he has to download, and be specific about what you want from him. Are you asking him to collaborate, or simply comment on your proposal, or be on your project's advisory board or management group, or whatever?

But a general comment ...

Whenever I see these sorts of questions, I do wonder why people don't utilise these sorts of networks & possibilities within their own institution, or personal networks. I'm at an ambitious RG place, and we have informal peer reviewing within the department, formal mentors (I have a mentor and I mentor about half a dozen colleagues), events run by our research institute when people 'pitch' their grant ideas, and a formal process of internal peer reviewing before you submit to UKRI or ERC etc etc.

Do you have any of these at your place? If so, use them! If not, do you at least have a Director of research ? Can you ask them to set up internal peer reviewing or mentoring?

Hi @blueheelers. I get quite a lot of these requests too. It can be time consuming. I am always happy to help when I can - but then I am not a very senior professor. On your second point - yes - we do have all of that. And I will use it. But the person I want to talk to is the absolute expert in the particular field where I want to conduct my research. There is nobody in my institution who can match that subject specific expertise. Hence, hoping he might be able to comment on my research.

@blueheelers - forgot to say thanks!

Go for it. It sounds like you know how to do it politely & even charmingly. Good luck & I hope you have a lovely conversation with him. My career has been much enhanced by the generosity of more senior colleagues, so I know how joyful those conversations can be.

All of the above. In addition- given that this person is as you say THE expert in your topic, have you thought about possibly asking him to get involved if say your grant proposal involves running a couple of conferences or workshops? That way, they're getting something our of it as well, and you'll have an additional benefit. I've had good experiences in the past cold mailing senior colleagues with a request to get involved in something or other im organizing. Much better than simply asking for a favour but with nothing to offer in exchange.