graduate funding 101 linda vong office of graduate studies may 13, 2009
TRANSCRIPT
Graduate Funding 101
Linda Vong
Office of Graduate Studies
May 13, 2009
Outline for today
Who I am and what I do
Types of funding
Where to look for funding
A few of the major players
Where to go from here
Who I am and what I do
Financial Support Unit
Help navigate application procedures
Act as a liaison between agency and student
Act as a second (or third, or fourth…or seventh) pair of eyes for proposals
-basic editing, grammatical errors, etc.
Types of funding
Departmental
Travel
Research
Training
Fellowship
General Scholarship
Where to look for funding
UCSD’s SURF database
(http://research.ucsd.edu/surf/)
Community of Science (http://www.cos.com)
Other UC’s funding databases
-UCLA’s GRAPES (Grad and Postdoc Extramural Support)
(http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/grpinst.htm)
Favorite professors and department advisors
Blog: http://ucsdgraduatefunding.wordpress.com
Where to start
A few of the major players
Ford Foundation Predoctoral
Awarded in a national competition administered by the National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academies on behalf of the Ford Foundation. The awards will be made to individuals who, in the judgment of the review panels, have demonstrated superior academic achievement, are committed to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level, show promise of future achievement as scholars and teachers, and are well prepared to use diversity as a resource for enriching the education of all students.
Basic Eligibility Requirements
U.S. citizens who are enrolled or planning to enroll in an eligible research-based program leading to a Ph.D. at a U.S.
educational institution.
http://www7.nationalacademies.org/FORDfellowships/
David L. Boren Graduate
Fellowships
[National Security Education Program (NSEP)]The NSEP David L. Boren Graduate Fellowships enable
U.S. graduate students to pursue specialization in area and language study, or to add an important international dimension to their education. NSEP supports students studying languages, cultures, and world regions other than Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Boren Fellowships are intended to support U.S. graduate students who will pursue the study of languages and cultures deemed critical to U.S. national security and who are motivated by the opportunity to work in the federal government.
Basic Eligibility Requirements
Be a U.S. citizen and a graduate student
http://www.borenawards.org/boren_fellowship
Fulbright U.S. Student Program
The IIE Fulbright U.S. Student Program equips American leaders with the skills they need to thrive in an increasingly global environment by providing funding for open academic year of study or research abroad. Grantees undertake self-designed programs in disciplines ranging from social sciences, business, communications and performing arts to physical sciences, engineering and education. The U.S. Student Program awards approximately 1,000 grants annually and currently operates in over 140 countries worldwide.
Basic Eligibility Requirement
Be a U.S. citizen & have a Bachelor’s Degree
*Please note that OGS administers this award for UC San Diego*
https://us.fulbrightonline.org
[Institute of International Education (IIE)]
Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation
Research
The ED Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA) Fellowship Program provides opportunities for graduate students to engage in full-time dissertation research abroad for 6 to 12 months in modern foreign languages and area studies.
Basic Eligibility Requirements
Be a graduate student and be a U.S. citizen or national or a permanent resident of the U.S.
[U.S. Department of Education(ED)]
Abroad Fellowship Program
Social Science Research Council
http://www.ssrc.org
The SSRC sponsors fellowship and grant programs on a wide range of topics, and across many different career stages. Most support goes to predissertation, dissertation, and postdoctoral
fellowships, offered through annual competitions. Some programs support summer
institutes and advanced research grants. Although most programs target the social
sciences, many are also open to applicants from the humanities, the natural sciences, and
relevant professional and practitioner communities.
UC Research Institutes
Pacific Rim Research Program
UC Institute for Research in the Arts UCIRA: http://www.ucira.ucsb.edu/
UC-MEXUS: http://ucmexus.ucr.edu/
UC Humanities Research Institute: http://www.uchri.org/
http://ucop.edu/research/
Dissertation Writing
UCSD: Fletcher Jones and President’s Dissertation Year Fellowships
Harry Frank Guggenheixm Fellowships
Woodrow Wilson and Charlotte Newcombe Fellowships
Wenner-Gren Foundation
Spencer Dissertation Fellowships
CILAS Grants
Thinking ahead
Agencies:
Fulbright IIE DoE DDRA Ford DAAD Pacific RimBoren
Deadlines:
September 11 and October 20Late October or early NovemberNovember 14Early to mid NovemberEarly JanuaryEarly to mid January
Where to go from here
Okay…now what??
Do the research
Devise a plan of attack
Rally the troops
Submit your applications
Constant vigilance!
Dot the i’s and cross the t’s
Be concise and be clear. Don’t make the reviewer search for the “who, what, when, where, how and why.”
Know your limitations/pitfalls and be ready to address them. If you are the slightest bit unclear about an aspect of your research, be ready to address that.
Formatting may seem like something you can get around – it’s not.
Tips for success
Avoid jargon-heavy wording. Can someone outside of your field of expertise understand what you’re trying to do?
Demonstrate evidence as to WHY your project needs to be carried out in the country you are proposing. There is a definite difference between NEED and WANT. The use of vague, general or broad terms in the proposal should be avoided.
Keep in mind that you’re writing a persuasive piece, you have to make the reader feel like they NEED to fund you.
Tips for success
Tools for successDissertation writing:
http://globetrotter.berkeley.edu/DissPropWorkshop/
Grant writing tips:
HHMI"Making the Right Moves" Chapter 9: Getting Funded
ScienceCareers.org Grant Doctor articles
NIH Grant Writing Tip Sheets
Proposal Writing Websites collected by University of Wisconsin-Madison
General writing:
Joseph Williams. 2006. Style: Toward Clarity and Grace. University of Chicago Press. Chicago, IL.
Joseph Williams. 2008. Style: The Basics of Clarity and Grace. University of Chicago Press. Chicago, IL.
Tools for success
Thank you!Any questions?
Linda Vong
Graduate Fellowship Advisor
4th Floor, Student Services Center