How I got my GAUK Grant
From What if… to We got it! A story of forms, brainstorming, rewrites, caffeine, and joy of science world.
The student grant of the Charles University Grant Agency (GAUK) offers PhD candidates a valuable chance to learn how to craft and eventually manage a research grant. This year, I woke up on April Fools’ Day in a tent high in the mountains of Mallorca, trying to catch a signal to open the document listing the newly announced GAUK awardees. My name was there, and, for once, it wasn’t a joke. But reaching that moment came with a few lessons.
Lesson No. 1
Deadlines matter, especially the early internal ones. I nearly missed the faculty submission deadline, despite having prepared my proposal weeks in advance. Calling my supervisor late in the evening while she was travelling, asking for her CV and confirmation on short notice, was super unpleasant. On the bright side, at least I didn’t have time to exercise my perfectionism and over-polish every sentence.
Lesson No. 2
Sometimes you don’t get the grant, and that’s normal. Frustration is natural, but reviewers aren’t enemies (usually). Last year, my project wasn’t supported, and I created unnecessary drama that I still regret. Since then, I am learning to take criticism constructively and not to take everything so personally.
Lastly, Lesson No. 3
The story sells (but only if you tell it to the right people). My methods were solid, my logic clear, my idea relevant and novel. Yet my writing tends to be endlessly technical and very hard to read. I’m grateful to my supervisor, Karolina, who always reminds me that a proposal should read like a story. This time, we shaped the winning narrative together on a train ride to a conference. And, finally, don’t forget to choose a panel that genuinely cares about your topic. In my case, it was medical, though I still think of myself as a mathematician. I am deeply grateful to Karolina, who is supporting me unfailingly throughout my PhD journey, helping me to crystallize ideas, reminding me of the bigger picture, and believing in me always. Her guidance has been generous beyond measure, and I owe much of this success to her insight, kindness, and optimism. Now, I’m stepping up my game, already brainstorming ideas for postdoc grants. Perhaps this is what the everyday life of a scientist looks like, and so far, I’m enjoying it.