Grant Review from the Inside

Abstract

Surrounding a group of tables set in a large rectangle sit 25 people, their eyes focused on their laptops. Next to each sits a jug of water, a microphone, a ceramic coffee cup, and a prominent card displaying each reviewer’s name in simple, unadorned black and white. Not far away sit three smaller “satellite” tables, each manned by just a couple of people, also ensconced on their laptops. The room is small—barely capable of fitting the entire group of people—and windowless, but with high ceilings lit entirely by two overly ornate chandeliers, an incongruous touch to an otherwise staid setting. One person is speaking in a baritone-pitched monotone, the words seeming to impress no one. After a few minutes, a balding middle-aged man at one of the narrow ends of the rectangle responds, “Thanks for that thorough review, Mitch. OK, let’s see reviewer #2, uh, that’s Dr. Shi. What are your thoughts?”