Intro to the NSF-GRFP for Undergraduates Agenda - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Intro to the NSF-GRFP for Undergraduates

Agenda

• Overview of the NSF-GRFP
• Why to apply as a senior undergraduate
• Details on the process, eligibility, etc.
• Focus on the essays
• Getting started and next steps

NSF-GRFP

• The National Science Foundation funds

about 20% of basic research at American colleges and universities

• The Graduate Research Fellowship

Program funds about 2,000 student applications each year

Goals

• To select, recognize, and financially support individuals who have

demonstrated the potential to be high achieving scientists and engineers, early in their careers. To broaden participation in science and engineering of underrepresented groups, including women, minorities, persons with disabilities and veterans.

The Fellowship

• Five year award with three years of

financial support: $34,000 stipend plus $12,000 to institution

• Professional development opportunities
• Super computer access

Why apply as a senior?

• There is no limit on the number of applications beforegraduate school; once you

have started graduate study, you are limited to oneapplication. The award is to you as an individual. It is portable and can go wherever you go (in the US) for graduate school. Your proposal is less important than your potential.

Why apply as a senior?

• It is a valuable professional development experience that will help prepare you for

future applications. You can get feedbackfrom the NSF on your application that will help improve your next attempt. About 800 of the 2,000 awards last year went to students not yet in graduate

• school. (Some estimates are higher; NSF doesn’t release the information officially.)

~16% success rate

GRFP Eligibility

• U.S. citizens, nationals, and permanent residents

Early-career: undergraduates, baccalaureate recipients, or 1st & 2nd year graduate students Pursuing research-based M.S. or Ph.D. degrees in STEM fields Must enroll in a full-time graduate degree program in the summer or fall of the year they are offered a GRFP award To accept a fellowship award, if notified, you must inform NSF of your acceptance to a graduate program, if not already enrolled

GRFP Fields

• f Study
• Chemistry

Computer & Information Systems Science/Engineering Engineering Geosciences Life Sciences (includes Biological Sciences) Materials Research Mathematical Sciences Physics and Astronomy Psychology Social Sciences (includes Economics) STEM Education Sub-Fields of Study found at: www.nsfgrfp.org

Ineligible Fields

• Joint science-professional degree

programs e.g. MD/PhD, JD/PhD Business administration or management Counseling, Social work Education (except in science and engineering education) History (except in history of science) Research with primarily disease-related goals Clinical research

• patient-oriented research
• epidemiological and

behavioral studies

• outcomes research
• health services; public

health research

• focus on disease etiology and

treatment

July/August late October March - April May 1 Solicitation Posted Early November Recipients Announced Applications Due

Acceptance of Award and Declaration of Tenure/Reserve

Reference Letters Due Fellowship Year Begins June 1 or Sept. 1

Deadline Specifics

• October 21, 2019 (Monday)

Letters due November 1 Geosciences Life Sciences October 22, 2019 (Tuesday) Computer and Information Science and Engineering Engineering Materials Research October 24, 2019 (Thursday) Psychology Social Sciences STEM Education and Learning October 25, 2019 (Friday) Chemistry Mathematical Sciences Physics and Astronomy

Hertz Fellowship

• 5-year fellowship

Due October 23

• Full tuition
• $34,000 stipend
• Can be coordinated with NSF-GRFP
• Programs and networking in lifelong Hertz community

Fields of interest are in applied physical and biological sciences, math and engineering: Astrophysics, quantitative biology, biotech, chemistry, computer science, earth science, engineering, materials science, mathematics, physics, statistics

Application Overview

• 1) Personal Information, Education, Work/Research Experience,

Proposed Field of Study, Academic honors, Publications 2) Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals Statement (3 pages – single spaced, 12 pt Times New Roman,) 3) Graduate Research Statement (2 pages) 4) Transcripts (uploaded electronically) 5) Three letters of reference (may list 5)

Criteria

• Intellectual Merit

How important is the proposed activity to advancing knowledge within its own field or across different fields?

Broader Impacts

How well does the proposed activity benefit society or advance desired societal outcomes?

Intellectual Merit

• Your potential to discover new knowledge. Intellectual merit is found

throughout the application. 1) Demonstrated ability (via grades, coursework, awards) 2) Indicators of potential. Show how you: Plan and conduct research Work as a member of a team as well as independently Interpret and communicate research Take initiative, solve problems, persist

Broader Impacts

• 1)

Potential impact of the individual scientist (you!) on society 2) Potential impact of your research on society. The big SO WHAT questions Can also be found in all parts of the application

Broader Impacts

• Let’s discuss…
• Increasing participation of underrepresented groups, women, students with

disabilities, veterans

• Outreach: Mentoring; improving STEM education in schools
• Increasing public scientific literacy; increased public engagement with

science and technology

• Community outreach: science clubs, radio, TV, newspapers, blogs
• Potential to impact a diverse, globally competitive workforce
• Increasing collaboration between academia, industry, others
• NOT curing disease!

The Personal Statement

• Tell your story!

Speak from a place of power.

Personal Statement

• Connect your experiences to your career interests. How did you get interested in your field?

Experiences -- professional and personal -- that contribute to your motivationand preparation for pursuing a STEM career Research background – tell the story of how you got involved, how you contributed, what you learned, why it matters Career goals – how do these experiences shape your future aspirations? Not a narrative resume.

The Research Statement

• What’s the big picture?

Research Statement

• What’s the plan ? Communicate your idea and approach. Outline plan and methods. What will

you learn? How will you know if it’s successful? What’s next? Be ambitious, but keep time-frame in mind. (5 years) Avoid jargon – keep in mind that reviewers are not necessarily specialists. Cite appropriately but not exhaustively. Don’t go too far outside of your comfort zone. Match your current level.

Pitfalls

• Ignoring Broader Impacts
• Being vague or thinking that the Broader Impacts are obvious
• Biomedical/Clinical emphasis – too close to NIH
• Being too ambitious or not ambitious enough
• Lack of a coherent narrative between statements
• Writing is too dense

Tips

• Include clear sections on broader impacts and intellectual merit in each

essay

• Tie broader impacts to your experiences
• Show a plan and your leadership for both research and outreach
• Get feedback from a lot of people
• Share with your letter writers!

Next Steps

• Choose your letter writers and get them on board!
• Determine your primary field and deadline; start a reverse calendar!
• Open your Fastlane account at nsfgrfp.org and start filling in the information

(takes longer than you’d think!)

• Start drafting essays. Aim to have full drafts by the end of September.

Getting Started

• Brainstorm three bullet points to address each of the following:
• Broader impacts
• Intellectual merit
• Story of your academic/professional life

Getting Started

• In one sentence…
• Why should the NSF fund you?
• Why should the NSF fund your research?
• How will you now if your research is successful?

Th Thanks f for co comin ming

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