An Interview with Dr. Elliott Weinstein

A colleague I admire told me they were second choice for their job. The first choice person turned it down, which is how they landed it.

This exchange was a good reminder that we often don’t hear the inside scoop. People’s successes look easy because we don’t know what it took to get there.

But most careers have twists and turns. That’s why I run the Scholar Voices series - to hear about choices (and second chances) that shaped careers.

Today I’m delighted to share an interview with Dr. Elliott Weinstein. He is a T32 postdoctoral scholar at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. He studies HIV prevention and treatment among marginalized groups, HIV and aging, aging among people with chronic comorbidities, community engaged research practices, and sleep.

~~~An Interview with Dr. Elliott Weinstein~~~

How did you get interested in HIV/AIDS research? It started early. My best friend in high school, her mom is a big HIV/AIDS researcher and physician. After high school, her mom asked if we wanted to volunteer at the International AIDS Conference. We did, and that sparked my interest. Growing up gay in New York City, knowing the history of the epidemic in that city, volunteering at the conference, helped me recognize that HIV/AIDS was still a huge deal - there was still a lot of work to be done. This research felt like a way of connecting many facets of myself. In college, I had interests in medicine and psychology, and I was an art history major. Great artists of the modern era were creating art in response to the epidemic or died during the epidemic. And this work felt close to home. My uncle died from AIDS in 1992.

When you were a graduate student, you received an NIH R36 dissertation grant. How did you learn to write grants? Partly from your book. You did such an amazing job of demystifying grant writing and making it more digestible for folks who don't have the inside access to it. And then I luckily came from a lab in which we were well funded by the NIH. My mentor had a lot of experience, and older students in the lab had also received funding through the NIH. They were able to pass on their materials, which served as a resource for me.

What have you learned while writing grants? I’m still becoming a better grant writer. I submitted an R44 as a co-investigator, I’m working on an LRP, a K grant, and assisting with an implementation science focused R01, which is super exciting! In grant writing, so many people apply, and many people won’t get the grant. But the more you apply, the more likely it is you’ll get something. It helps to hear from other people what didn’t work well. For my R36 dissertation grant - the feedback I got originally from other people who had applied for an R36 was, “It's too much. This is a great idea. But reviewers, despite the fact that they might be excited about it, won't recommend it because they’ll think you're taking on too much.” That surprised me because I would have expected reviewers would want more from our grant. So I really had to figure out what is the right amount? What is feasible?

How are you navigating the current grant environment? It’s hard. I have adapted and tried to be more flexible. Even though my prior research program has focused on sexual and gender minorities, HIV and health, I've had to pivot a little. Not because I don’t care about these populations, but because I want to be able to continue doing research with them. But to do that, I need funding. Bringing in some non-controversial issues like sleep has been a way that I'm trying to do that. But I’m starting my career. It is hard to trudge forward knowing that people have lost their programs.

What are the benefits of grant writing? Grants have helped me be a better communicator. You need to pitch your research to different types of people. Some who know a ton about what you’re studying, some who know nothing. You have to make your work digestible and interesting for both. Grants have helped tighten my writing - getting rid of extraneous words, being clear and succinct. And grants have helped me understand the entire life cycle of a research project. When you're a graduate student, you see bits and pieces of research. In grant writing, you have to think of everything, from start to finish. Further, grants have helped clarify my research interests and how I’m building on published knowledge in a way that's meaningful.

Do you have an example of a time when you were glad you invested in grant writing?

Grants give you the flexibility to pursue what you want and not be tied to things you're not interested in. This is a huge reason to write grants, because then you’re in the driver’s seat.

That’s what I loved about the R36 dissertation grant. It allowed me to make major decisions. Even with my collaborators, they would say, ‘Maybe you could do it a slightly different way, but this is yours.’ And you get to buy out of some things you don’t want to do, a major perk! But also - you build a program of research that's meaningful to you and can move the field forward and improve people's lives. What’s better than that? [Betty’s note: “Buying out” is when a grant covers time you would spend on other activities. For instance, a grant needs to cover 16.67% of my salary to “buy me out” of teaching one class.]

What advice do you have for others? Go for it. This is true for your career and grant writing. Even if you feel hesitant, go for it. If you don't try, you'll never get it. And the worst thing that happens with trying is you don't get it which, honestly, leaves you right where you started anyways. Also, get a team around you that you trust. Find people who will push you forward, give you knowledge, and cheer you on. For me, these people have been the ones that have shown an interest in me - not just in my work. Where it’s not just a transactional relationship. The kinds of people who say, ‘Reach out to me for anything. You can say no to working on my paper, and I will still be there to support you.’ Finally, find people doing similar work. They can help steer you in the right direction. You don’t have to create a whole new path by yourself.

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Thank you to Elliott for sharing his experiences. Stay tuned for Part II of this interview, where Elliott shares his advice on securing postdocs. You can connect with Elliott on LinkedIn.

If you know someone who might like to hear more scholars’ stories, would you mind forwarding this email to them? Past interviews covered topics like building a career in the humanities, tips for breaking into tech, and grant writing tips. Thanks for reading and believing that scholars deserve support for incredible ideas.

Betty

Stay in touch: The Newsletter, Bluesky, and The Grant Writing Guide book.

P.S. If you’re looking for places to visit - I had a blast visiting Wash U in St. Louis for a grant writing workshop. The food was amazing (Pappy’s Smokehouse for BBQ; Neon Greens for salad; Bowood by Niche for brunch). And here’s the view from the top of the Gateway Arch.