Julia Barzyk, PhD, is a former funding agency program manager who founded Wise Investigator to provide U.S.-based university researchers the training and support they need to have success with the research funding process.
Jul 26, 2026
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5 min read
Short-turnaround opportunities are easier to assess when you already know what you can offer.
Jul 19, 2026
3 min read
When the right opportunity appears, your support system needs to be ready to move with you.
Jul 12, 2026
4 min read
A keyword match may be exciting, but it is not the same as a fundable fit.
Jul 5, 2026
An online presence helps all parties see just where your work fits.
Jun 28, 2026
You do not know what will appear next, but you can still be ready to respond.
Jun 21, 2026
Rest helps us accomplish more in our work, often with a fresh perspective.
Jun 14, 2026
Being informed matters, but do not allow new threats to slow you down.
Jun 7, 2026
New initiatives may be exciting but still should fit what you are positioned to do.
May 31, 2026
Feedback is most valuable when built into the timeline, not squeezed in at the end.
May 24, 2026
Stop searching for the perfect contact and start building the funnel
May 17, 2026
Why the best approach to early career awards may not start with the award itself
May 10, 2026
2 min read
Anxiety is not an indication that you should delay reaching out.
May 3, 2026
How faculty can stay prepared while science budgets remain uncertain
Apr 26, 2026
Three situations in which PIs should consider strategic funding-related support
Apr 19, 2026
Why treating them that way can quietly hurt your chances of funding
Apr 12, 2026
Why many faculty start too late and neglect the most strategic parts of the funding process
Apr 5, 2026
6 min read
What four former program officers want you to understand about the difference between a (merely) technically strong idea and a fundable one
Mar 29, 2026
How to stay current without going down rabbit holes
Mar 22, 2026
11 min read
Using large language models to support, not interfere with, your ideas
Mar 15, 2026
Developing an intentional relationship with AI in research and grant writing
Mar 8, 2026
Realization, impact, and the life of research after funding
Mar 1, 2026
How your idea meets the world of review and funding
Feb 22, 2026
Why internal clarity comes before external alignment
Feb 15, 2026
Why protecting the Spark is the first step toward funding
Feb 8, 2026
The phases every funded research project moves through, so named or not
