mathematics/statistics nsf grfp seminar [10pt] information ...egoins/notes/nsf_week1.pdf · letters...

What is the NSF GRFP?Application Materials

Other Graduate Fellowships

Mathematics/Statistics NSF GRFP Seminar

Information Session

Edray Herber Goins

Purdue University

Department of Mathematics

October 1, 2015

Edray Herber Goins Mathematics/Statistics NSF GRFP Seminar 1/36



Abstract

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research FellowshipProgram (GRFP) is perhaps this most prestigious graduate fellowship forthose of us in the mathematical sciences. Edray Goins (Associate Professorof Mathematics) and Mark Ward (Associate Professor of Statistics,Associate Director of Actuarial Science, and Undergraduate Chair) will runtwo seminars to maximize your chances of being awarded this fellowship!

During the first of two seminars, well review the specifics of the fellowship.We will cover what needs to go into the application – such as a personalstatement, curriculum vitae (CV), research statement, and letters ofrecommendation. We will also give more general information on applyingfor other graduate fellowships, such as the Hertz Foundation, FordFoundation, National Physical Science Consortium (NPSC), and NationalDefense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship (NDSEG).

At the seminars, we will have several Purdue staff and students inMathematics and Statistics who have served on NSF GRFP panels and/orbeen awarded the fellowships over the years. And Dinner will be served atboth sessions!




Mark D. Ward Frederi G. ViensProfessor of Statistics Professor of Statistics

NSF GRFP Panelist NSF GRFP Panelist


http://www.stat.purdue.edu/~mdw/http://www.stat.purdue.edu/~viens/



Jamie Weigandt Joan PonceMathematics Grad Student Mathematics Grad Student

NSF GRFP Awardee (’09) NSF GRFP Awardee (’13)


http://www.math.purdue.edu/~jweigand/iweb/Home.htmlhttp://www.math.purdue.edu/people/bio/ponce0



Arman Sabbaghi Kyle BemisStatistics Faculty Statistics Grad Student

NSF GRFP Awardee (’09) NSF GRFP Awardee (’12)


http://www.stat.purdue.edu/~sabbaghi/http://www.stat.purdue.edu/~kbemis/



OverviewFastLaneSelection Process

What is the

NSF GRFP?





The National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate ResearchFellowship Program (GRFP) is the countrys oldest fellowshipprogram that directly supports graduate students in various STEM(Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields.

The fellowship stipend is currently $34,000 for a 12-month tenureperiod.

The deadline for the 2016 NSF GRFP Applications in Chemistry, theMathematical Sciences, and Physics and Astronomy is 8:00 pmEastern Time on Friday October 30, 2015

Reference Letters must be submitted by 8:00 pm Eastern Time onThursday, November 5, 2015

The Graduate School will pay $250 for submitting an application.Mathematics and Statistics will pay an additional $100 forsubmitting an application.

http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2015/nsf15597/nsf15597.htm






Submitting an

NSF GRFP proposal





Am I Eligible to Apply?

Categories of applicants that are ineligible:

Those who do not hold United States citizenship, national, orpermanent resident status by the application deadline.

Those who have completed the requirements for any graduate orprofessional degree by August 1, 2015, except

applicants who have completed a joint baccalaureate-master’s(BS/MS) program and have not completed any further graduatestudy outside the joint program unless the graduate coursework wasrequired to establish or maintain credentials in a profession such asteaching;

applicants that have had an interruption in graduate study of at leasttwo consecutive years prior to November 1, 2015 and have completedno additional graduate study as of August 1, 2015.





https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/grfp/Login.do






What Do I Need

To Get Started?





NSF GRFP Application Materials

The following must be submitted through FastLane GRFP ApplicationModule:

1 Personal Information

2 Education, Work and Other Experience

3 Electronic Transcripts

4 Proposed Field(s) of Study

5 Proposed Graduate Study and Graduate School Information

6 Names and e-mail addresses of reference letter writers

7 Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals Statement

8 Graduate Research Plan Statement





How Does the

Selection Process Work?





How the NSF GRFP Panel Works

1 800 applications in the Mathematical Sciences

2 They are divided into two panels: Math I and Math II

3 Each panel has 10-15 individuals over various disciplines

4 The panel meets for three days and divides applications into threecategories:

1 Graduating SeniorsThe panel is very generous towards

2 First-Year Graduate StudentsThey should have a good idea of the research

3 Second-Year Graduate StudentsNo applications in this area in 2013?





How the NSF GRFP Panel Works

After giving the applications a score of 1–50, the panel places them intoone of three “Quality Groups”:

1 Quality Group 1: Highly Meritorious (20-40 applications)

Applicants placed in QG1 are outstanding andrecommended to receive fellowship offers.

2 Quality Group 2: Meritorious (60-80 applications)

Of somewhat lower quality than those placed in QG1, andof substantially equal merit within the group. Theseapplicants are considered worthy of NSF fellowship supportby the panel. Applicants from QG2 who do not receiveFellowship offers receive Honorable Mention.

3 Quality Group 3: Not Recommended (300 applications)

Of lower overall merit than applicants placed in QG1 andQG2. Applicants in QG3 do not receive Fellowship offers orHonorable Mention.




Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals StatementResearch StatementBroader ImpactLetters of Recommendation

I’m Ready To Apply!

Now What?





NSF GRFP Application Materials

The following are the most important documents!

1 Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals StatementNo more than Three PagesThis limit includes lists of publications and presentations

2 Graduate Research Plan StatementNo more that Two PagesThis limit includes references, citations, and images

3 Three Reference LettersDeadline is November 5Applicants can request up to five reference letters





Personal Statement

1 Why are you fascinated by your research area?

2 What examples of leadership skills and unique characteristics do youbring to your chosen field?

3 What personal and individual strengths do you have that make you aqualified applicant?

4 How will receiving the fellowship contribute to your career goals?

5 What are all of your applicable experiences?

6 For each experience, what were the key questions, methodology,findings, and conclusions?

7 Did you work in a team and/or independently?

8 How did you assist in the analysis of results?

9 How did your activities address the Intellectual Merit and BroaderImpacts criteria?





Graduate Research Plan Statement

1 What issues in the scientific community are you most passionateabout?

2 Do you possess the technical knowledge and skills necessary forconducting this work, or will you have sufficient mentoring andtraining to complete the study?

3 Is this plan feasible for the allotted time and institutional resources?

4 How will your research contribute to the ”big picture” outside theacademic context?

5 How can you draft a plan using the guidelines presented in the essayinstructions?

6 How does your proposed research address the Intellectual Meritand Broader Impacts criteria?





Graduate Research Plan Statement

1 Criterion 1: What is the intellectual merit of the proposed activity?

How important is the proposed activity to advancingknowledge and understanding within its own field or acrossdifferent fields? How well qualified is the proposer toconduct the project? To what extent does the proposedactivity suggest and explore creative and original concepts?How well conceived and organized is the proposed activity?

2 Criterion 2: What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity?

How well does the activity advance discovery andunderstanding while promoting teaching, training, andlearning? How well does the proposed activity broaden theparticipation of underrepresented groups? To what extentwill it enhance the infrastructure for research andeducation, such as facilities, instrumentation, networks,and partnerships? Will the results be disseminated broadlyto enhance scientific and technological understanding?





What is “Broader Impact”?

1 Innovations in teaching and training

2 Development of curricular materials and pedagogical methods

3 Contributions to the science of learning

4 Development and/or refinement of research tools

5 Computation methodologies, and algorithms for problem-solving

6 Development of databases to support research and education

7 Broadening the participation of groups underrepresented in science,mathematics, engineering and technology

8 Service to the scientific and engineering community outside of theindividual’s immediate organization

9 Giving talks for the Math Club





Letters of Recommendation

1 Know the DeadlinesNSF: app by October 30 but letters by November 5Ford: app by November 19 but letters by January 9

2 Choose your references carefully; choose people that can speak toyour abilities and potential, rather than someone with a prominenttitle.

3 Provide referees sufficient time to write a strong letter. Consider atleast one month.

4 Discuss the application and share your essays with them. Considergiving a mini-lecture on your research and future plans.

5 Inform them that reference letters should reflect both yourIntellectual Merit and Broader Impacts.

6 Remind reference writers about deadline a few days before the duedate. Ask for a confirmation that it was submitted.

7 Have a backup reference writers!




Hertz FoundationFord FoundationNational Physical Science ConsortiumNational Defense Science and Engineering Graduate

What Are Some

Other Fellowships

I Can Apply For?





http://blogs.ams.org/mathmentoringnetwork/2013/09/15/

how-do-i-find-money-for-graduate-school/


http://blogs.ams.org/mathmentoringnetwork/2013/09/15/how-do-i-find-money-for-graduate-school/http://blogs.ams.org/mathmentoringnetwork/2013/09/15/how-do-i-find-money-for-graduate-school/




Fellowship Amount/Duration

ApplicationDeadline

Web Site

National ScienceFoundation

$34,000for 3 years

October 30 http://www.nsfgrfp.org

HertzFoundation

$32,000for 5 years

October 30 http://www.hertzfoundation.org

Ford FoundationPredoctoralFellowship

$24,000for 3 years

November 20 http://sites.nationalacademies.

org/pga/

fordfellowships/

National PhysicalScienceConsortium

$20,000for 6 years

November 30 http://www.npsc.org

National DefenseScience andEngineeringGraduate Fellowship

$34,000for 3 years

December 18 http://ndseg.asee.org


http://www.nsfgrfp.orghttp://www.nsfgrfp.orghttp://www.hertzfoundation.orghttp://www.hertzfoundation.orghttp://sites.nationalacademies.org/pga/fordfellowships/http://sites.nationalacademies.org/pga/fordfellowships/http://sites.nationalacademies.org/pga/fordfellowships/http://sites.nationalacademies.org/pga/fordfellowships/http://www.npsc.orghttp://ndseg.asee.orghttp://ndseg.asee.org




NSF GRFP

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is the most prestigious of thegraduate school fellowships.

Successful applicants receive an $34,000 annual stipend for three years.

For those applying in Mathematics, the deadline is October 30.


http://www.nsfgrfp.org




Hertz Foundation

The Hertz Foundation Graduate Fellowship Award gives the mostmoney of the graduate school fellowships.

1 Five Year Hertz:$32,000 annual stipend for 5 years

2 Five-Year Coordinated:$38,000 annual stipend for 5 years

Fellows must attend one of the Foundation’s currently participatingschools. You must be in either Applied Mathematics or Statistics. Thereis a $5,000 additional annual stipend for Fellows with dependent children.

The deadline is October 30.


http://www.hertzfoundation.org




Ford Foundation

The Ford Foundation has a series of fellowships depending on your yearof graduate study.

1 If you’re just beginning graduate school, there is the PredoctoralFellowship.

2 If you’re well into the program and are a year away from finishing,there’s the Dissertation Fellowship.

3 If you’ve finished graduate school and are looking for a job, there’sthe Postdoctoral Fellowship.

You must be an underrepresented minority to be eligible for thesefellowships.

Successful applicants for the Predoctoral Fellowship will receive $24,000annually for up to three years.

The deadline for the Predoctoral Fellowship is November 20.


http://sites.nationalacademies.org/pga/fordfellowships/http://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/FordFellowships/PGA_047958" target="_blankhttp://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/FordFellowships/PGA_047958" target="_blankhttp://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/FordFellowships/PGA_047959http://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/FordFellowships/PGA_047960




http://sites.nationalacademies.org/pga/fordfellowships/


http://sites.nationalacademies.org/pga/fordfellowships/




NPSC

The National Physical Science Consortium (NPSC) pays $20,000 ayear up to six years to successful applicants.

Fellows must work for am employer during the summers – which actuallytranslates into extra income for you. The program actively seeks to assistwomen and underrepresented minorities.

The application deadline is November 30.

Full disclosure: This is the fellowship I had in graduate school myself!


http://www.npsc.org/




NDSEG

The National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG)Fellowship is offered by the Department of Defense.

They offer three years of support, giving $33,500 in the first year;$34,000 in the second year; and $34,500 in the third year.

The deadline is December 18.


http://ndseg.asee.orghttp://ndseg.asee.org




http://ndseg.asee.org


http://ndseg.asee.org




Good Luck!

The deadline for the 2016 NSF GRFP Applications in Chemistry, theMathematical Sciences, and Physics and Astronomy is 8:00 pmEastern Time on Friday October 30, 2015

Reference Letters must be submitted by 8:00 pm Eastern Time onThursday, November 5, 2015

The Graduate School will pay $250 for submitting an application.Mathematics and Statistics will pay an additional $100 forsubmitting an application.


Writing Studio on October 15Edray Herber Goins Mathematics/Statistics NSF GRFP Seminar 36/36


What is the NSF GRFP?OverviewFastLaneSelection Process

Application MaterialsPersonal, Relevant Background and Future Goals StatementResearch StatementBroader ImpactLetters of Recommendation

Other Graduate FellowshipsHertz FoundationFord FoundationNational Physical Science ConsortiumNational Defense Science and Engineering Graduate

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