An Interview with an Award Recipient

[Recently Ravi Murugesan, the AuthorAID training coordinator, received an award from the Board of Editors in the Life Sciences (BELS). Below is an interview with him. Thanks, Ravi! —Barbara]

BG: Congratulations on the award! First of all, what’s BELS?

RM: Thank you, Barbara. BELS certifies the proficiency of manuscript editors in the life sciences. Since 1991, hundreds of editors have passed the rigorous BELS certification exam. I was certified in 2007. More information about BELS appears at www.bels.org.

BG: Please tell us about the award. What is it called, and what is the purpose? Who is eligible? And what does the award consist of?

RM: The BELS Executive Council Award provides reimbursement of up to USD 500 for BELS-certified editors to take part in a professional development activity, such as a workshop or conference. The award is given twice a year, to one editor at a time. To apply, the certified editor must be a dues-paying member of BELS.

BG: How did you apply for the award?

RM: The application form was online on the BELS website, and it was very short. I had to state the activity I was interested in, and I had to write a brief statement explaining how I would benefit professionally by receiving the award. In my statement, I said that I’d like to learn more about plain English and try to link it to research writing.

BG: What will you use the award to do?

RM: I’m going to attend a one-day workshop on plain English in London, run by the Plain English Campaign (http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/). I plan to write a blog post about the workshop later this month.

BG: What main advice do you have about applying for such awards?

RM: Read the instructions first, and follow them while you work on your application. After you finish your application, make sure you have followed the instructions. That might sound like boring advice, but many applications for any grant don’t fully comply with the instructions. Just by following the instructions closely, you can improve your chances of winning a grant. If you have to write a statement to support your application, try to write persuasively. I had to write a statement under 100 words, and I worked on it in multiple sessions to craft something that would make an impression. The AuthorAID Resource Library contains a series of PowerPoint files on proposal writing. Just search for “proposal writing” to see them.

BG: Thanks very much, Ravi. Again, congratulations!