NASA FINESST info
My research on Assessing the impacts of invasive plants on ecosystem characteristics using multi-scale imaging spectroscopy has been selected for funding by the NASA FINESST program. Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology (FINESST) is a program for graduate students to design and lead research projects specifically aligned with NASA’s Science Mission Directorate goals. For the FINESST program, the Principal Investigator (PI) or the research advisor, is the one handling submission of the proposal, and the Future Investigator (FI; the graduate student), is the one writing the grant proposal. FINESST proposal has eight sections, which are very similar to proposals that the faculty submit to funding agencies. I started developing the proposal by focusing on the most crucial section, the Science/Technical/Management (STM) where the proposal writer should focus on research gaps, establishing the importance of the study, formulating the hypotheses, defining the study’s objectives, outlining the methods to achieve these objectives, and providing a detailed time table. Although the STM section is the most time-consuming and requires the most effort, other sections also require careful attention. For example, the proposal requires a data management plan section where I discuss how the data will be shared with the public. This proposal also needs some personal documents, including my CV and research readiness statements, and current and pending support. FINESST proposals also require a mentoring agreement, which outlines the roles of the FI and PI to ensure that the FI will receive the needed support to achieve the objectives of the proposal. Another important component of the proposal is the budget justification section, where we describe how the funds from the FINESST proposal will be used. One of the main key factors when putting this proposal together was getting feedback from my advisor and polishing the proposal. We had many rounds of revision until the proposal was ready to submit. I also read a few previously-funded NASA proposals to get an idea how a successful proposal looks like. The FINESST program is very competitive, so having a polished proposal is very important.
Here are few sites that helped me understand more about FINESST:
An Earth Scientist’s Guide to NASA FINESST by Ben Tonelli
FINESST Tips & Tricks by Michael J. Radke
My works are featured here
Extra info
- I attended the sPectra - The major dimensions of plant spectral variation working group research meeting in May 2024 at Leipzig. Learn more about sPectra project.
- I attended the Spectral Ecology Summer School (March to July 2023) to expand my knowledge in remote sensing, ecology, leadership, and team science. Learn more about SPEC School
- The Nature’s Conservancy has awarded me the J.E. Weaver Small Grants Award to support of my research at the Joseph H. William’s Tallgrass Prairie Preserve.
- I attended the Environmental Data Science Summit focused on harnessing diversity in environmental data science.
- For my master’s degree, I was awarded the UN FAO Hungarian Scholarship. Learn more about the UN FAO Hungarian Scholarship.
My services
I have always strived to be involved in various synergistic activities to share my knowledge and give back to the community. Specifically, I am a permanent member of Ikala STEM, Chapter America, an organization dedicated to empowering the next generation of Malagasy women in STEM. While in Hungary, I also served as a mentor at Stipendium Hungaricum Mentorship program, where I assisted ten international students in getting used to the Hungarian education system. Back in Madagascar, I was a volunteer and an active member of the Malagasy Youth Biodiversity Network, an organization dedicated to achieve sustainable development goals by increasing awareness on the importance of biodiversity and the consequences of biodiversity loss. I also served as a Leader at Teach for Madagascar, where I taught literacy skills to illiterate children and English to primary school students.