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Can a PhD scholar co-author with faculty from a different institution?

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National Institute of Technology Karnataka · Posted
Machine Learning & AI Earth & Climate Science

What I need help with

I am preparing my first SERB Core Research Grant proposal. My research area is structural health monitoring using IoT sensors.

Specific questions:

  1. What is the typical review timeline.how many months between submission and decision?
  2. Is the budget justification section as important as the technical merit section?
  3. Should I include international collaborators or is that a distraction for a first application?
  4. What is the realistic success rate for first-time applicants?

I am applying as an Assistant Professor with 2 years of post-PhD experience and 6 publications.

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Nandita Ghosh Distinguished 720 pts · Accepted answer

The short answer: it depends heavily on the journal and field, but here is a general framework.

If your null result is well-powered and the hypothesis was reasonable: Absolutely publish it. Null results in well-designed studies are as valuable as positive results. Journals like PLOS ONE explicitly welcome them.

If your study is underpowered: Be transparent about it. Report effect sizes and confidence intervals, not just p-values. A small, underpowered study with honest reporting is still a contribution.

What kills papers is when limitations are obvious but the authors have not addressed them.