PREP Program cultivates grant writing skills for early career researchers
Now in its third year, the program provides critical support to early career Virginia Tech social science faculty navigating the complexities of grant writing.
Zhenshan Chen wants to plant seeds for a greener, more profitable future for farmers.
An assistant professor of agricultural and applied economics, Chen’s research efforts are growing with help from the Institute for Society, Culture, and Environment (ISCE) Preparing your Research for an Extramural Proposal (PREP) Program. This support will prepare Chen to apply for federal grants for his project focused on creating a comprehensive approach to ease farmers into the carbon market.
The carbon market is a system where carbon emissions are traded through credits, rewarding those who lower their emissions. Although the market provides financial incentives for sustainable farming practices, many farmers remain uninvolved.
Chen’s proposal includes surveys, policy design, and tool development to lower participation costs and ensure fair carbon credit pricing, enhancing the carbon market’s benefits for farmers and the wider community.
“I’m excited to be a PREP scholar for several reasons. It allows open discussions about research and proposals with a diverse group, which isn’t common in other settings,” Chen said. “The program will also help me refine my proposal early and develop essential grant writing skills. Plus, I’m excited about forming friendships by overcoming challenges together.”
Chen was one of five Virginia Tech faculty members spanning three university departments, one school, and three colleges named to the 2024-25 PREP cohort and awarded up to $10,000.
Now in its third year, the PREP Program is designed for Virginia Tech faculty pursuing research in the social sciences with the goal to support faculty who are either new to grant writing or have faced challenges with previous proposals.
Over two semesters, cohort members will receive hands-on training to master the grant process and develop competitive proposals for federal, state, or private funding.
"Participants are encouraged to think critically about their project’s goals, methods, and outcomes while ensuring alignment with funder priorities," said Karen Roberto, University Distinguished Professor and ISCE executive director. “This helps them craft clear, concise, and persuasive grant proposals, increasing the chances of securing funding and stronger financial support."
Another PREP recipient, Rosanna Breaux, is no stranger to the institue’s faculty funding programs. After participating in the COVID-19 Reset Program, Breaux is thrilled to have another opportunity for accountability and to receive tailored feedback throughout the grant writing process.
“Improving my grant writing skills is essential for my success as an early career researcher,” said Breaux, assistant professor of psychology. “I’m excited about the opportunity to get feedback from colleagues in various disciplines, which will be valuable for gaining insight into potential reviewer perspectives.”
Breaux’s project focuses on emotion socialization practices, which are how parents respond to their children's emotional displays. Through this work, she aims to validate a new method for measuring these responses in real-time, providing a more dynamic and accurate way to understand the effects of these practices on children's social-emotional development.
By studying families over time, Breaux hopes to uncover how these parenting strategies evolve and their long-term impacts on their children's well-being.
In the fall, PREP features monthly sessions to help participants develop strong concept papers to crystalize their ideas and to use in receiving initial feedback from program officers prior to fully developing their proposals. The spring semester includes longer monthly group sessions for writing, reviewing, critiquing, and discussing proposals with fellow cohort members.
After completing the program, each of the five researchers is expected to apply for funding from external grant agencies.
“By taking part in the PREP Program, faculty learn and implement best practices while sharing ideas and explaining their work with colleagues across different fields,” Roberto said. “This collaborative approach not only strengthens their proposals but also broadens their network of Virginia Tech peers and potential partners."
The 2024-25 PREP recipients and their associated topics are the following:
- Austin Gray, assistant professor of biological sciences in the College of Science, "Assessing the Occurrence and Impact of Contaminants of Emerging Concern in Floodwaters in Disadvantaged Communities in Hampton Roads: An Ecological and Environmental Justice Approach"
- Isabel Prochner, assistant professor of industrial design in the College of Architecture, Arts and Design, "Design-driven methods and technologies enabling more effective, safe, and comfortable chest binding for transgender people"
- Rosanna Breaux, assistant professor of psychology in the College of Science, "Validation of the Parent Emotion Socialization in Daily Life Measure"
- Zehra Gulseven, assistant professor of psychology in the College of Science, "Examining Prosocial Development from Middle Childhood through Adolescence"
- Zhenshan Chen, assistant professor of agricultural and applied economics in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, "Fair and Viable Carbon Markets for Farmers: Empowering Sustainable Agriculture Practitioners"
