Grant Money or Goodbye
Your experimental neuroscience lab's funding has been placed under emergency review following concerns about methodology and results reproducibility. You have 48 hours to defend five years of research to a ruthless review board chair who's known for shutting down 'wasteful' projects. Your team's careers and groundbreaking work in memory enhancement hang in the balance.
Challenges
0
Survivors
0
Popularity
0
Difficulty
B1-B2
Scenario Overview
Your Role
Principal Investigator of the Neural Plasticity Research Lab
Conversation Partner
Dr. Victoria Sterling
Setting
A stark conference room with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a rainy cityscape. The review board's massive wooden table feels like a barrier between you and your funding's survival.
Location
National Science Foundation Headquarters, Arlington, VA
Learning Objectives
Successfully defend research methodology and address failed replications
Demonstrate concrete societal impact and potential applications
Prove budget efficiency and resource management
Maintain professional composure under hostile questioning
About This Scenario
Your experimental neuroscience lab's funding has been placed under emergency review following concerns about methodology and results reproducibility. You have 48 hours to defend five years of research to a ruthless review board chair who's known for shutting down 'wasteful' projects. Your team's careers and groundbreaking work in memory enhancement hang in the balance.
How It Starts
“Dr. {{userName}}, I have exactly 27 minutes to determine if your lab deserves continued funding or should be shut down immediately. Your last three experiments failed peer review, and you're burning through grant money with nothing to show for it. Convince me why we shouldn't pull the plug right now.”
This is how Dr. Victoria Sterling's greeting will start.
Practice Details
Scenario ID
#1134
Category
General
Location Tag
National Science Foundation Headquarters, Arlington, VA
Ready to Practice?
Browse MissionsWhat You'll Get
- 🎯Real-world conversation practice
- 🤖AI-powered speaking partner
- 📊Instant feedback on your performance
- 🎓Learn from your mistakes
Other Scenarios to Explore
Similar scenarios coming soon
Similar scenarios coming soon
Similar scenarios coming soon
Ready to Practice?
Start your speaking journey with BoldSpeak today. Sign up for free and get unlimited access to scenarios.
Get Started Free