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Preparing Biographical Sketches  

Biographical Sketches (biosketches) must be provided for the PI, and all persons included in the Key/Senior Person section of the grant application.  Although it is not required, DOE recommends that applicants use the format approved by the National Science Foundation (NSF), a pdf of which is available for download in the column to the right of this text.  A sample biosketch to use as an example is also available for download. Biosketches must not exceed 2 pages in length.  To adhere to this page restriction, only include the most relevant information to the proposed project.   

Do not include any sensitive or protected personally identifiable information including social security numbers, birthdates, citizenship, marital status, or home addresses.  Do not include information that a merit reviewer should not make use of or that is not relevant to the person’s position with respect to the proposed project.  

Biosketch Elements and Format 

Required Information 

Instructions 

Name 

Enter the name of the person, last name first, and include any applicable suffix. 

Position Title 

Enter the current position title of the person. 

Organization and Location 

  • Enter the name of the primary organization of the person. 
  • Enter the city, state/province, and country where the primary organization is located.  If the state/province is not applicable, enter N/A.  Indicate “virtual” if the project is not based in a physical location. 

Professional Preparation/Education & Training 

Provide a list of the person’s professional preparation (education and training), listed in reverse chronological order by star date.  Include all postdoctoral and fellowship training, as applicable, listing each separately.  Also include the baccalaureate degree or other initial professional education.  For each entry, provide: 

  • Name of the institution 
  • Location of the institution, including city, state/province, and country 
  • Degree received 
  • Month and year degree received, or expected receipt date 
  • Field of study (major/area) 

Appointments & Positions/Research & Professional Experience 

Provide a list, in reverse chronological order by start date, of all the person’s academic, professional, or institutional appointments and positions, beginning with the current appointment (including the associated organization and location).  Appointments and positions include and titled academic, professional, or institutional position whether or not renumeration is received, and whether full-time, part-time, or voluntary (including adjunct, visiting, or honorary).  Include a brief description of each position.  For each position, provide: 

  • Start date: YYYY 
  • End date: YYYY 
  • Appointment or position title 
  • Name of organization or institution 
  • Department, if applicable 
  • Location of organization or institution 

Products/Publications 

Provide a list of up to 10 publications and/or products most closely related to the proposed project.   

  • For each publication, identify the names of all authors (in the same sequence in which they appear in the publication), the article title, book or journal title, volume number, page numbers, and year of publication.  Though not used for evaluation purposes, provide a website address if available electronically. 
  • Patents, copyrights, datasets, software systems, and other relevant products may also be included in this section.  Include the necessary identifying information, such as copyright dates, institutions, website urls, and any product collaborators.  

Synergistic Activities 

Provide a list of up to five professional and scholarly activities related to the proposed project and research.  Examples may include, among others: 

  • Innovations in teaching and training 
  • Contributions to the science of learning 
  • Development and/or refinement of research tools 
  • Computation methodologies and algorithms for problem-solving 
  • Development of databases to support research and education 
  • Participation in national or international research collaborations 



Pro tips 

  • Make sure that you begin collecting information for the biosketches early so that you can ensure the proper format and that the information is up to date.   
  • As the biosketches are limited to two pages per person and the PI and other senior/key personnel may have lengthy resumes and/or CVs, be sure to include the most relevant information to the project when including information regarding professional experience, publications, and synergistic activities.  

Important Websites: 

Additional Resources: 

  • Biosketch template

View file
namebiosketch template.pdf
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  • Biosketch Sample

View file
nameBiographical Sketch Sample Shatner Rockets.pdf
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