Scientists whose research has earned them decades-long stretches of government funding deny that there is anything special about their work -- and some funding agency officials agree.
"I'm not sure there's a formula except doing good science," says Anne Dieffenbach of the Office of Research Reports at NIH's National Institute of General Medical Sciences.
Nonetheless, says Bruce Umminger, division director of the NSF division of integrative biology and neuroscience, "I think there are certain characteristics these scientists share."
Indeed, the scientists interviewed for this article have certain traits in common that, while not a guarantee of 40 consecutive years of support, can function almost as a how-to list for doing good science. And good science often leads to consistent funding. The key to steady funding does not necessarily lie in the practical applicability of one's research results. "The research that has come from my lab," says Oscar Ratnoff, a professor ...
