FROM THE TOS PRESIDENT
Deborah Bronk

Hello TOS members!  As I take the helm of The Oceanography Society, I’d like to use this column to raise awareness of issues and to generate conversations.  I’ll start with a question:

What’s going on with how grants are listed in CVs?

For several years now, when I have reviewed CVs of job applicants, I’ve noticed it has become common to list grants received but to leave out details that used to be included.  As an example, a candidate notes the title of a grant, the funding agency, that it was nearly $4M, and indicates she was a co-PI.  That’s it.  No mention of the name of the PI, the name of the other researchers involved (there were many!), or that she would receive only a tiny sliver of the $4M listed. As scientists, shouldn’t we strive for clarity and transparency in our work, including how our work is represented in our CV?  Don’t our colleagues on research grants deserve the same acknowledgement as our co-authors on papers?  Is it ethical to suggest access to resources well beyond what is available to an individual?  I’d love to see a return of the detailed listing of grants and contracts – title, PI and all co-PIs with institutional affiliations, funding agency, dates covered by the grant, total dollar amount and the amount going to the CV holder.  It just seems like the right thing to do.

I’d love to hear your thoughts – on the CV question or other issues you would like to see raised.  I’m also here to serve, so please reach out to me at [email protected] if you have any concerns or ideas of how TOS can better serve its members and the work they do.