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Finding a sponsor |
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The following information is taken from Expérimentez
l'Expo-sciences created by the Conseil du loisir scientifique
in partnership with Merck Frosst Canada Ltd. and the ministère
de la Culture et des Communications du Québec.
You realize, of course, that you can not do your entire project without
some help. The following are a few tips on how to go about "knocking
on doors."
Start by asking for help from your science club coordinator or your teacher.
This will help you establish credibility with the people you wish to approach.
You will find in this section a form
letter that your teacher can use. The letter will serve to confirm
that you are working on a Science Fair project and can help establish
initial contact. The letter will obviously have to be adapted to your
specific situation. Be sure to mention if you've participated in previous
Science Fairs or have won prizes. This will certainly increase your credibility.
Before requesting a meeting
Everyone's time is precious, including yours and that
of the people you plan to approach for help. Before requesting a meeting,
be sure that you have carefully planned out your project. Read up on the
subject (Internet, science magazines) so that you have enough background
information to know what you're talking about.
Obviously, you won't know everything, but you MUST at least be
able to explain what you need. You need access to a laboratory?
You will have to explain why. Nobody is going to let you use a laboratory
unless you manage to convince them of the importance of your project and
show them that you're serious. In order to be convincing, you have to
be convinced yourself. Avoid using expressions like "I think"
or "maybe." Instead, try "according to my readings"
or "after consulting with my teacher, I'm interested in doing a project
on . . ." Now you sound like you know what you're doing.
Merck Frosst scientists act as contact persons whenever they can. As do
other researchers, they receive a number of requests and have very little
time to answer. So they are more likely to answer questions that are clear
and concise, especially if you're enthusiastic about your project and
can talk a little about it.
Requesting a meeting
Requesting a meeting is a crucial step. This is not
easy, especially if you don't have someone to help pave the way. Try asking
parents, uncles, aunts or teachers. They often make excellent contacts.
If you don't have a contact, just be better prepared.
Before sending a letter, call the company or research centre that
you're interested in and ask for the names of some researchers. If that
doesn't work, contact the communications department or a department manager.
Remember to always be courteous. You are, after all, asking a favour.
Try to strike a balance between being polite and assertive to get what
you want.
Writing a request
When writing a request, once you have found who you
will address your letter to, tell the person a bit about yourself. Explain
that you want to participate in a Science Fair. This detail can increase
the value of your request. Explain your project and what you expect from
the meeting.
End your letter by mentioning that you will be following up with
a telephone call (specify the date). Remember to leave your address and
a telephone number where you can be reached and, above all, to call on
the date specified in the letter.
At the meeting
Once again, be polite. Show the person that you have
taken initiative, done some reading and know your subject matter. Ask
questions without expecting all the answers right away. The person is
there to help you get on track, not do the entire project for you.
If your first meeting is successful, your contact person may agree
to become your sponsor and be available to follow your project's progress,
field questions, offer advice and possibly open other doors.
One last piece of advice: be yourself; it will pay off.
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© 2002, Conseil de développement du loisir scientifique
(CDLS). This document is distributed by the Conseil de développement
du loisir scientifique.
For more information, visit our Web site at www.cdls.qc.ca. |
The opinions
expressed in this section are those of the authors and do not
necessarily
reflect the opinions of Merck Frosst or its employees. |
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