Pres%giousFellowshipIntroductoryWorkshop

August22,2019

Presentedby:MichaelKahn,Professor

InstituteofBiologicalChemistrykahn@wsu.edu;5093358327

Objec&vesGetyouthinkingaboutapplyingforafellowshipsoon.Giveyousomeideaaboutwhatafellowshipcandoforyou.Presentinformationaboutapplyingforafellowship.Giveyouideasabouthowtoimproveyourchancesbetween

nowandwhenyouapply.Shortterm,longerterm.

1. WhatarePrestigiousFellowships?Competitive,National/International,Individual

2. Whywouldyouwantone?Cash,Prestige,Flexibility

3. Howdoyougetone?Theseareawardedtoapplicants.Apply. Anapplicationisnecessarybutnotsufficient.

4. HowareFellowshipapplicationsevaluated?Whoisyouraudience?Typicallyfacultymembersinyourdiscipline.

5. Howtoputtogetheracompetitiveapplication.Whatdoprogramslookfor?Canyougivethemmore?Orbetter?

Openfloorforquestions(prettymuchwhenever)

BenefitsofGraduateStudentPres&giousFellowships

•  Money•  Thesetypicallypayastipend($$$)andtuition•  Oftenincludeotherformsofsupport(travel,operations)•  DoIhavetogiveupmycurrentassistantship?

•  Usuallybut…•  Whataboutteaching?

•  Prestige—definitelya“cv-able”event•  Canfocusonyourownresearch

NSFGraduateResearchFellowshipProgram

!  “Since1952,NSFhasfundedover50,000GraduateResearchFellowshipsoutofmorethan500,000applicants.Currently,42FellowshavegoneontobecomeNobellaureates,andmorethan450havebecomemembersoftheNationalAcademyofSciences.Inaddition,theGraduateResearchFellowshipProgramhasahighrateofdoctoratedegreecompletion,withmorethan70percentofstudentscompletingtheirdoctorateswithin11years.”

(Adetour)•  Theprocessitself:

•  Whoareyou?•  WhydoyouwantaPh.D.?•  WhatmightyoudoonceyouhaveaPh.D.?

•  MyIDP(IndependentDevelopmentProgram)•  https://myidp.sciencecareers.org/

TimingofSubmissionfortheFellowships•  DependsontheFellowship.Somearedesignedtostartwhenyoustart,

somewhenyouhavereachedamilestone,likepassingPrelimExam•  DeadlinesvarywithProgram(NSF–Fall;USDA–Spring)•  Submitmorethanonceifyoucaninordertoobtainfeedback.

ForNSF•  Onlyonceasgradstudent(inYear1ORYear2)*

•  Butifyoustartedthissummer,youmayneedtoapplynow!!•  NSFhasadditionalcategories(interrupted,afterB.S.)•  2-3yearsofstudyleft•  WeekofOctober21(dependsonsubject)

(Backontheroad)

Whichfellowshipstoapplyfor?

•  Yourfit.Aretheprogramstryingtofindyou?•  Getfeedback.

•  Followthemoney.NSFgave2000awardsthisyear.

2000awards/12,000applications(17%)

•  Applicationsfordifferentawardsaresimilarbutnotidentical.

Whataregraduatestudentpres&giousfellowships?

•  NationalScienceFoundationGraduateResearchFellowshipProgramhttps://www.nsfgrfp.org/

•  NSFNon-AcademicResearchInternshipsforGraduateStudents(INTERN)SupplementalFundingOpportunity

•  https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf18102•  NSFisinterestedinindividualswhoarecurrently,orwhowillbeenrolledin

STEMdisciplines,includingsocialsciences,STEMeducation.•  3yearsofsupportduringa5yearfellowshipperiod•  $34,000tothefellow($2,833/month),$12,000totheinstitutionforcostof

attendance•  Accesstointernationaltravelfundingandinternshipopportunities.•  2018:2000awards/12,000applications

Whataregraduatestudentpres&giousfellowships?

•  NationalScienceFoundationGraduateResearchFellowshipProgramhttps://www.nsfgrfp.org/

•  Eligible:ApplicantsmustbeUnitedStatescitizens,nationals,orpermanentresidentsoftheUnitedStatesbytheapplicationdeadline.

•  Noteligible:Extensivedefinition,readcarefullybut!  Practice-orientedprofessionaldegreeprograms…!  Clinical,counseling,businessadministrationormanagement,socialwork,

education(exceptinscienceandengineeringeducation),orhistory(exceptinhistoryofscience)areasofgraduatestudyarenotsupported.

!  Researchwithdisease-relatedgoals...However,researchinbioengineering…thatappliesengineeringprinciplestoproblemsinbiologyandmedicinewhileadvancingengineeringknowledgeiseligibleforsupport.Bioengineeringresearchtoaidpersonswithdisabilitiesalsoiseligible.

Should you even apply?

As an undergraduate? Yes. But make it clear what is real and what is fantasy.

As a first year graduate student?

Yes. But have a clear idea what you will be doing.

As a second year graduate student? If not now, when?

NSFGraduateResearchFellowshipProgram! PersonalInformation(cv)

! Education,WorkandOtherExperience;electronictranscripts;ProposedField(s)ofStudy;ProposedGraduateStudyandGraduateSchoolInformation;

! Atleastthreereferenceletters(professional).ByNovember1

! Personal,RelevantBackgroundandFutureGoalsStatement

! GraduateResearchPlanStatement

2019NSFGRFPDeadlines

Allapplicationsaredueat5:00p.m.localtime,asdeterminedbyyourmailingaddress.October21,2019 Geosciences,LifeSciences October22,2019 ComputerandInformationScienceandEngineering,Engineering,

MaterialsResearch October24,2019 Psychology,SocialSciences,STEMEducationandLearning October25,2019 Chemistry,MathematicalSciences,PhysicsandAstronomy November1,2019(Friday) ReferenceLettersmustbesubmittedby5:00PMESTImportantDates→LateJuly/EarlyAugust-ProgramSolicitationReleased→EarlyAugust-FastLaneApplicationOpened→LateOctober(you)/EarlyNovember(refs)-ApplicationDeadlines(bydiscipline)→EarlyApril-AwardsAnnounced→EarlyMay-FellowsAcceptanceDeadline

Gettingstarted:Doyourresearch•  myIDPhttps://myidp.sciencecareers.org/

•  FAQshttps://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2019/nsf19081/nsf19081.jsp#q74

!  http://www.alexhunterlang.com/nsf-fellowship!  SiteisespeciallyvaluablebecauseithaslinkstolotsofessaysfromFellows(successful!)

!  http://www.malloryladd.com/nsf-grfp-advice.html!  AdvicetoApplicantsoftheNSF'sGraduateResearchFellowshipProgram(GRFP)!  MalloryisagraduatestudentinanalyticalChemistryatTennesseeandhaswrittenaveryusefulguide.!  “Ienjoylearningnewlanguages,experiencingnewcultures,rockclimbing,reading,hiking,yoga,film,

anything�thathascaffeineinit,�andallthingspink.”

!  http://www.clairemckaybowen.com/fellowships.html!  ApplyingfortheNSFGRFP!  “IamaNSFGRFPfellowfrom2015andworkedforNotreDame'sOfficeofGrantsandFellowshipsfor

applicationcycles(2014-2015,2015-2016),helpingothergraduatestudentsapplyfortheNSFGRFP.”

!  https://fellowships.missouri.edu/fellowship/nsf-grfp/

Been there, Doing that…

Jacob Woodbury Was: mild-mannered WSU undergraduate,

Genetics and Cell Biology Now: ambitious WSU graduate student,

Molecular Biosciences NSFGRF 2019- Research area:

STEM Education

NSFGraduateResearchFellowshipProgram

!  Therewillbethreereviewers.Proposalsseparatedbydisciplineandstage.!  Theywanttoreadagoodstory.!  Itshouldbewellorganized,havedetails,andbereadable.!  Theywilltriagequicklythenthinkmoreabouttheirtopgroup.!  Iffundingis17%andtheyget40proposalstoreview,theyarelikelytohave~7-8awardees

!  Theymighthavegottenagoodsubset,beinagoodarea,etc."willzeroinon~15proposals

Whoisyouraudience?“SteveSaunders”

TherearemanyotherfacultyatWSUwhohavereviewedforNSFandotheragencies.

•  StartwritingASAP.

•  Thisisanexerciseinwritingbutmostlyinrewriting.

•  Forbestresults,haveseveralprofessorsandstudentsinyourfieldreviewyourproposal.Providethemwiththeprogramannouncement.Nicepeoplemaynotbegood;Differentpeopleseedifferentthings.

•  Feedback:Interpretfeedbackasconstructive!!•  Listencarefullytothecommonalitiesthatyouhearfromeveryone.Isyour

essayhardtofollowbecauseofitsorganization?Haveyouexplaineditwelltoanaïvebutsophisticatedreviewer?

•  Optional:Senddraftsoftheessaystokahn@wsu.eduasWorddocumentsbeforeSeptember15,2019.Wewilltrytoprovidefeedback.September30isagoodtargetforafairlyfinishedproduct.

Theapplica%onhttp://www.alexhunterlang.com/nsf-fellowship!  Contents

!  1Whatisit?!  2BasicOutlineofApplicationProcess!  3TipsforGettingStarted!  4GeneralAdvice!  5ReviewCriteriaDetails

!  6ReviewCriteria:MyTwoCents!  7PersonalStatement,RelevantBackground,andFutureGoals:EssayPromptfromNSF

!  8PersonalStatement,RelevantBackground,andFutureGoalsEssay:MyTwoCents!  9GraduateResearchStatement:EssayPromptfromNSF

!  10GraduateResearchStatement:MyTwoCents

!  11ExamplesofSuccessfulEssays

http://www.alexhunterlang.com/nsf-fellowship!  11ExamplesofSuccessfulEssays

TheProgramAnnouncement,Solicita&on,RequestforProposal...

MakesureyouhavecurrentRFP.RFPscanchange.Applicationdate,Stipendlevelandbudgetconditions,Eligibilitycriteria,Format,Supportingdocuments,etc.

PrintoutRFPandunderlineallofinformationonformattingandcontent.•  FollowEXACTLYalloftheinformationonformatting.

•  Wrongformatcanbedisqualifying.•  Usealloftheinformationoncontentinyouressaysevenusingsnippets

ofexactwordingforsomeofit.•  Thereisnosuchthingasa“suggestion.”•  Respondtocriteria.Don’tgetzeroes.•  Arrangelettersanddocumentsaheadoftime.StartNOW!

**TheProgramAnnouncement,Solicita&on,RequestforProposal...**

Twocomponents—“stuff”and“thevisionthing”

GRFPsupportsindividualsproposingacomprehensiveholisticplanforgraduateeducationthattakesintoaccountindividualinterestsandcompetencies.Aholisticplandescribestheexperiences,attributes,andacademicachievementsthat,whenconsideredincombination,showhowtheapplicanthasdemonstratedpotentialforsignificantresearchachievementsinSTEMorinSTEMeducation.Thus,anapplicantmustprovideadetailedprofileofherorhisrelevanteducationalandresearchexperiencesandplansforgraduateeducationinsuchawayastodemonstratethispotentialforsignificantachievements.Makeitreal.Connectthedots!

**TheProgramAnnouncement,Solicita&on,RequestforProposal...**

**TheProgramAnnouncement,Solicita&on,RequestforProposal...**

I

Whatdoesittaketogetanaward?NSFwinnerstypicallyhadsomeoffollowingitemsontheirCVs:

•  Researchexperiences•  AgoodGPA•  Nameonapublication,Posterpresentations •  Tutoringexperience,Volunteeringexperiences•  Internshiporcareerrelatedworkexperience

•  EvidenceofprofessionaldevelopmentthatrequiredinitiativeandwasevidenceofwillingnessofotherstomentorAplan—Whatdoyouwant/need;Howwillyougetit?

LeNersofRecommenda&on•  Consulttheprogramannouncement/solicitation.

•  Isitappropriatetoaskyouradvisorforaletterwhenyouhaveonlyknownthemforafewmonths?YES

•  Usethreeacademics(andthensomeothers?)•  Givethemtime.(Amonthormore?)•  Documentyourhistory(Fromdifferenttimesinyourlifeordifferent

aspectsofyourrecord.)•  Adviseyourrecommendersiftherearespecificissuesyouwouldlikethem

tocover.Sometimestheyaremorecredibleoraddtoyourcredibility.•  Initiative,Flexibility,Effort,Workingingroups,BroaderImpacts,etc.

•  Makeyouressayseasytofollow:

•  Tellthewholestoryandmakeitcoherent.•  Chronologicalorder(maybe?)•  Headings(oratleastparagraphs)•  Exactwordingof“suggestions”inthepersonal

statement•  Iftheyaskforit,giveittothem•  Getpersonal(i.e.usedetailsandgoodverbs)butdon’t

besaccharine

**TheOverallFormatofaResearchProposal**

1. Attention-grabbingstatementofneed2. Brieflysummarizethestateoftheliteratureonthematter,endingwitha3. Statementoftheproblem,need,and/orgapintheliteraturethatyourproposalwilladdress

4. Hypothesiswithregardtotheneed5. Howyouwillresolvethishypothesisviayourmethods6. Howtheresolutionofthishypothesisandthecompletionanddisseminationofyourresearchwillinfluencetheworld

7. IntellectualMeritandBroaderImpacts.8.  Whoseproposalisitanyway?

TheScienceofScientificWritingGeorgeD.GopenandJudithA.Swan

https://cseweb.ucsd.edu/~swanson/papers/science-of-writing.pdf

WritingwiththeReaderinMind:ExpectationandContext

!  Informationisinterpretedmoreeasilyifitiswheremostreadersexpecttofindit.!  Wecannotmakeevenasinglesentencemeanoneandonlyonething;wecanonly

increasetheoddsthatamajorityofreaderswillinterpretwhatwehavewrittenaccordingtoourintentions.

!  (Readforambiguity—trytomisunderstand.)!  Theinformationthatbeginsasentenceestablishesaperspectiveforviewingthe

sentenceasaunit.!  Itisobviousthatascientificdocumentisincompletewithouttheinterpretationofthe

writer;itmaynotbesoobviousthatthedocumentcannot"exist"withouttheinterpretationofthereader.

(Anotherdetour)

TheScienceofScientificWritingGeorgeD.GopenandJudithA.Swan

https://cseweb.ucsd.edu/~swanson/papers/science-of-writing.pdf

WritingwiththeReaderinMind:ExpectationandContext

Wenowhavethreerhetoricalprinciplesbasedonreaderexpectations:First,grammaticalsubjectsshouldbefollowedassoonaspossiblebytheirverbs;Second,everyunitofdiscourse,nomatterthesize,shouldserveasinglefunction

ormakeasinglepoint;Third,informationintendedtobeemphasizedshouldappearatpointsof

syntacticclosure.

! ThePersonalStatement:

! Whoyouare! Howyougotthere(obstaclesovercome,

uniqueexperiences,selfdiscovery,grit)! Whatisimportanttoyouandwhy

! Connect“whoyouare”to“¿WhyshouldIgiveyoumoney?”

! TheResearchStatement:! Whatdoyouwanttodo?! Whyisitworthdoing?! Whyshouldyoubedoingit?! Areyoudoingitintherightplace?

! Thisisabouttraining.Whatdoyouneed?! Howwillyouhelpithaveimpact?

Asummary!  Pres&giousFellowshipsaregoodforyou.

!  Money,flexibility,pres&ge(duh!)

!  Yougetthembyapplyingforthem(some&mes)!  Youdon’tapply,youdon’tget.

!  Agenciesandfounda&onsawardPres&giousFellowships.!  Theyhavetheirreasons.Knowyouraudience.!  Differenteligibilitycriteriamightfitdifferentstagesofyourcareer.!  Moneycanbeusedfordifferentthings.!  TheGoldenRule:Thosewhohavethegoldmaketherules.

!  Togetone,youneedtofittheircriteriaaswellorbeNerthanthecompe&&on.!  Posi&onyourself.!  Personalstatement.!  Researchplan.!  Recordofaccomplishment.!  Peoplewhovouchforyou.

!  Youneedtofollowinstruc&ons.

!  Planahead.!  Deadlinesanddeadlinesbeforedeadlines.

Whoisyourteam?You. Your advisor, committee, colleagues. Other students. (You are not competing with them. Trust me.) WSU Mentors. Faculty volunteers who are willing to read and comment on your

application. WSU Internal eREX https://myresearch.wsu.edu/Grants/ERex.aspx#/list Proposals can be submitted by institution.

There is a protocol. Give them time to get it together. Need to clear an approval process, check budget, etc. adam.williams@wsu.edu in the Graduate School will help you

Judy Swan TED talk

ProgramAnnouncementsandContactInformationhttps://www.nsfgrfp.org/http://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/FordFellowships/PGA_047958https://ndseg.asee.org/https://www.krellinst.org/csgf/about-doe-csgfhttps://www.nasa.gov/stem/fellowships-scholarships/index.htmlhttp://hertzfoundation.org/dx/fellowships/fellowshipaward.aspxhttps://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/agriculture-and-food-research-initiative-food-agriculture-natural-resources-andhttps://researchtraining.nih.gov/programs/fellowships/F31https://smartscholarshipprod.service-now.com/smarthttp://www.hhmi.org/developing-scientists/gilliam-fellowships-advanced-studyhttps://ffarfellows.org/https://molecularbiosciences.ku.edu/predoctoral-fellowship-listhttps://landrylab.com/fellowships/

SomeNSFGraduatePrograms

April Seehafer, seehafer@wsu.edu https://distinguishedscholarships.wsu.edu/category/awards/fulbright/