SERDP seeks to expand the technical diversity of its peer reviewers by inviting qualified individuals to submit their CV or resume for consideration. Candidate information is kept on file and reviewed for expertise matches to relevant proposals. Proposals may require peer review at any time of the year. Most proposals are submitted in response to SERDP’s annual Core solicitation that is released the late October timeframe, and full proposals go out for peer review in the following Spring (March/April). 

The following sections provide more details about the peer review role. To be considered as a peer reviewer, please email your CV or resume to peerreview@noblis.org.

What SERDP Peer Review Entails 

Proposal reviews are conducted completely online with no travel or participation in meetings required. Proposals consist of about 15 pages of technical material. Peer reviewers are asked to score two evaluation criteria (Technical Merit and Personnel) and provide a half-page critique on each. Reviewers are typically provided four weeks to complete their review and receive no more than eight proposals to evaluate. A modest honorarium is provided to non-federal employees who conduct these reviews. Peer review evaluations are provided anonymously to all submitters to help improve the quality of the specific proposal as well as future research.  

Benefits of Serving as a Peer Reviewer 

Participating in the peer review process is beneficial to the reviewer as well as to SERDP. Reviewing SERDP proposals expands the reviewer’s knowledge of the state of the science and cutting-edge research being conducted within the community. Peer reviewers also gain a unique perspective into the SERDP proposal process. They can assess common issues with SERDP proposals and discern winning proposal writing strategies. Using this insight, many peer reviewers go on to submit their own proposals in subsequent solicitations. Lastly, peer review provides an opportunity to give back to the scientific community. 

How to be Considered as a Potential Peer Reviewer 

If you have expertise in any of the SERDP Focus Areas and would like to be considered as a peer reviewer, please email your CV or resume to peerreview@noblis.org. In the email, please include a brief summary of your expertise. SERDP prefers peer reviewers to have conducted work in the relevant area within the last 5 years and have a Ph.D. Your information will be kept on file for upcoming reviews. If your expertise matches a proposal, or group of proposals, we will reach out with an invitation to participate.