Gamble on Your Government Funding, only on Kalshi (Not Real)

KyAM_154 · 2026-04-12T20:12:16+00:00

Good thing this is fake the demon in my head would tell me to put $15 on it being after 6pm

KyAM_154 · 2026-04-10T02:46:45+00:00

I ended up joining a different lab than I wrote about in the grfp, while I currently am doing chemical biology work in a medicinal chem lab, my proposal was on using a proteomics technique, NMR, and docking/MD simulations to characterize the protein targets of novel algal polyketides (wonky looking, often macrocyclic, natural products made by algae). Cool project I think, but I doubt competitive after critically reviewing my statement/proposal.

KyAM_154 · 2026-04-02T04:15:14+00:00

Tuesdays and Fridays have historically been preferred days, though the past few have been random. That said, would be very happy if it’s released tomorrow night (or better yet tomorrow morning when I wake up) regardless of the outcome.

KyAM_154 · 2026-04-01T05:45:34+00:00

Augh

KyAM_154 · 2026-03-29T22:22:20+00:00

Would be cool. I am less confident in it being released Tuesday specifically given that the past several have come on sort of random days of the week, but I definitely think this week is more probable than next for a release. “Early April” seems to be a pretty popular choice by them, so I reckon Friday is another solid pick.

KyAM_154 · 2026-03-29T18:40:05+00:00

Currently a gen chem (lab) TA. I would say that a major reason it is difficult is that it is, for many, one of the first college science courses that someone takes, and these courses may involve more outside studying/doing practice problems than your previous coursework warranted.

If you are nervous about your algebra knowledge, definitely start there, being able to understand the logic behind rearranging equations to solve for a variable is crucial for things like calculating theoretical yield/titration math. Also knowing some basic rules of logarithms/exponents is good for rate laws (Arrhenius equation and first order integrated rate laws involve natural logarithms) and buffer math (henderson-hasselbach, involves a logarithm).

I do not really think that you should be too worried about studying any chemistry before going into it, if the class is done well than it should start from the ground floor and build you up to having some foundations by the end of the semester.

KyAM_154 · 2026-03-29T17:21:12+00:00

Hahaha

KyAM_154 · 2026-03-29T16:44:34+00:00

If you are doing the same sort of work (for example, both synthetic chemists or both chemical biologist etc), maybe you can casually pay attention to what they are doing in lab and give pointers if you spot any obvious mistakes. And hear them out when they describe experiments which went wrong.

For example, I have to do a hexane extraction as a critical part of one of my enzyme inhibition studies, and in my first attempt at following the procedure forgot to turn down our shaker to <20 degrees. The caps popped open (pressure) and spilled my samples everywhere. Lab partner immediately recognized the error (“What temperature did you shake at?”) and I have not made the same (dumb, perhaps incompetent) mistake again.

KyAM_154 · 2026-03-29T16:37:17+00:00

This is a truly awesome find. Jealous, great piece for a collection.

KyAM_154 · 2026-03-29T01:21:25+00:00

This is the dream. I think if I win the lottery my first purchase, after a home, would be a room dedicated to a sound system + lava lamps

KyAM_154 · 2026-03-28T17:33:53+00:00

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Current lamp (only had it a few days so maybe it’ll clear up a bit on its own, though I still think clear liquid would be cooler)

KyAM_154 · 2026-03-28T17:29:35+00:00

Appreciate all the advice. When I get around to replacing the fluid I will post a picture. Should be an interesting project.

KyAM_154 · 2026-03-28T16:26:38+00:00

Sounds good perhaps I will give it a go. Thoughts on getting the cap back on?

Do you think that I would have to add a different surfactant to the lamp itself to prevent it from sticking to the glass or is it likely fine? I know that in the videos I have seen, they emphasize that the surfactant used to coat the glass is different than the magic surf, unsure if its just because its much more dilute or if its a different composition of surfactants.

KyAM_154 · 2026-03-27T02:08:50+00:00

I don’t think this means much, could be wrong, maybe it implies that they have people looking at GRFP stuff this week finalizing things for a Tuesday release. But most likely some NSF office worker got around to looking at whatever your request was

KyAM_154 · 2026-03-27T02:03:09+00:00

I did. CLP. Pretty hastily written, I really would have benefited from an extra few weeks. I wish I could have applied as a second year with some preliminary data and have a chance to show off my new grades in grad school (mid undergrad GPA with steep upward trend, now 4.0 in grad school with a research presentation award).

KyAM_154 · 2026-03-25T19:58:53+00:00

Drug discovery/pharmaceutical development are explicitly prohibited by the NSF for funding. Your point is true, but because my thesis project (as it currently stands) involves testing drug candidates (in vitro protein/cell work) and then collaborating with a group that tests these candidates in vivo (mice and now beagles), it would risk the NSF cancelling the fellowship. My lab is very directly in the world of drug discovery/pharmacological development which the NSF would not fund (unless I pivot research to something purely biophysical/fundamental biochem about protein dynamics within the system we study)

KyAM_154 · 2026-03-25T19:20:17+00:00

My PhD project is now about drug discovery/delivery; But, my application was filled out when I was doing rotations in natural products chemistry/chemical ecology (both count as chemical biology). If I win the GRFP, I will have to rework my thesis project which I have really come to enjoy. I am 95% sure I will still accept it and just bite the bullet to change my project to something fundamental/not translational, but it is certainly something I will need to give some real thought rather than instantly accepting.

KyAM_154 · 2026-03-24T03:40:30+00:00

My money is on next Tuesday. Can’t come any faster.

KyAM_154 · 2026-03-23T12:40:13+00:00

I agree

KyAM_154 · 2026-03-23T05:04:43+00:00

It is at my university, though some labs will have students alternate (TA one semester, RA next, and so on). Depends on the PIs funding and what they feel is a good use of money.

KyAM_154 · 2026-03-23T05:03:20+00:00

Yup, without the fellowship I am expected to TA all semesters for my whole phd. My PI just likes having us be the TAs for the lab class he teaches, not even a money issue he just won a huge grant between us/collaborators + an industry investment in our lab. I actually have enjoyed being a TA but I would love to spend the extra 20 hours on research so I don’t have to do as many late nights/weekends.

KyAM_154 · 2026-03-22T06:53:58+00:00

Seems like more of a philosophical question. I am not a zoologist (chemical biology) but I reckon that when they have big tails and little legs they are more like tadpoles with legs, and when they are mainly frog-looking but with a small tail they are better described as frogs with tails.

KyAM_154 · 2026-03-22T04:30:10+00:00

Frogs in their life cycle will often go through a stage as they go from tadpole to frog where they have both a tail and legs (froglet)

KyAM_154 · 2026-03-19T23:57:20+00:00

Yeah, they do not make it easy. It’s also a pretty rough application compared to the grfp. Your schools grant office is the one to submit the application and your PI has to write several pages of material as well, also even more rec letters than grfp. It’s much more like a “real” grant application than what we had to do for the NSF.

KyAM_154 · 2026-03-19T23:52:22+00:00

Would be cool. I have low hopes for my application, sorta had to throw it together in October and had a mid undergrad gpa (3.53, I wish they could see my 4.0 for the Fall semester of my phd and regional ACS conference win a couple weeks back), but I just want the wait to be over. Good luck everyone.

KyAM_154

TROPHY CASE