NPPS Leadership Team

[Brett Viren <bv AT bnl.gov>]

Torre Wenaus via Phys-npps-mgmt-l <phys-npps-mgmt-l AT lists.bnl.gov>
writes:

>   • initial step is a few sentence long abstract describing a potential 
> LOI. Dept will give
>     thumbs up or down on this promptly. In principle then the time lost to 
> a thumbs down is
>     negligible.
...

>   • So, a few-line abstract on AI/ML services, drawing on the LDRD, would 
> be a possibility
>     for one of the smaller proposals. With the danger that we’re approved 
> at LOI level but
>     doomed to waste our time. It would be “doing our duty” to the dept. But 
> we have strong
>     arguments that we are very busy and growing as it is.

I think this is an "in for a penny, in for a pound" situation.

My feeling is that submitting even a few sentences to the department
effectively commits a PI to go through the full process.

This is because I guess BNL will not max out the 4+4 limit so the
department's best move is to allow all LOIs to go to DOE.  Then, DOE
won't give any feedback on the LOI.  So, a "reluctant PI" is then left
with no new information from the day the LOI was submitted and must make
a difficult choice of "oh, just kidding" and bow out or the reluctant PI
must muscle through to the end.

On the other hand, if my guess is wrong and BNL maxes out 4+4 then the
reluctant PI can (weirdly) hope to get filtered.  But then, why bother
submitting?

On the gripping hand, anyone that really does want the award has all my
encouragement and I offer what assistance I can give.


Okay, enough game theory,
-Brett.

Attachment: signature.asc
Description: PGP signature