The National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program (https://www.nsfgrfp.org) offers fellowships to new and incoming graduate students in the sciences. The award is very prestigious and rather competitive. However, if you are eligible (see the solicitation) it is completely worth it to apply.
This introduction to the NSF-GRFP will teach you more about the fellowship, help you decide when to apply, and give you tips on crafting a winning application.
Slides from my 2020 NSF-GRFP course on the mysterious topic of Broader Impacts.
The National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program (https://www.nsfgrfp.org) offers fellowships to new and incoming graduate students in the sciences. Applications deadlines are typically in October.
The views presented here are solely my own, not those of my employer or the National Science Foundation.
A presentation based on thesis writing techniques. It will help readers to have an understanding regarding writing skills. More informative content will be shared.
Slides from my 2020 NSF-GRFP course on the mysterious topic of Broader Impacts.
The National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program (https://www.nsfgrfp.org) offers fellowships to new and incoming graduate students in the sciences. Applications deadlines are typically in October.
The views presented here are solely my own, not those of my employer or the National Science Foundation.
A presentation based on thesis writing techniques. It will help readers to have an understanding regarding writing skills. More informative content will be shared.
I made this presentation for grad initiation course led by Professor Margrit Betke in order to raise awareness about available opportunities to grad students with a focus on computer science Ph.D. students but many of the suggestions can be applicable to other fields.
This presentation describes important steps before starting writing any paper:
Types of Articles
Comparison of Review Article and Research Paper
Structure of Manuscript
Tools used to prepare a manuscript
Types of Review
The flow of Research Process
This presentation was given to animal science students, and was adapted from a number of sources (in the reference list). It is intended to help students understand how to structure a scientific article and the basics of scientific writing.
How to write a good Dissertation/ Thesis
Thesis refers to a written work on a particular domain resulting from original research. You should introduce your subject area and explain research topic by referring latest published materials instead of old published materials. The objective is to present a simple, clear and complete account of the results of your research.
• Brainstorm or generate ideas for your topic.
• Conduct a thorough literature search before designing your methodology and collecting your data.
Relate your findings to your original statement of the problem and your literature review.
Https://www.ThesisScientist.com
Research papers are of different types and it is important to define one before you are starting the work on your document. This presentation will help you to understand the most common types of research papers. Get more tips here:
https://essay-academy.com/account/blog/types-of-research-papers
Complete and descriptive presentation on Report Writing. It contains both formal and informal report writing.
This presentation will surely help you alot in your preparation.
The National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program (https://www.nsfgrfp.org) offers fellowships to new and incoming graduate students in the sciences. Applications deadlines are typically in October.
The fellowship is very prestigious and competitive, with an acceptance rate of ~15%. However, if you are eligible (see the solicitation), then it is completely worth it to apply as it provides three years of full funding (including a $34,000/yr stipend) and access to additional opportunities such as internship and research abroad programs.
This webinar covers what you need to know about applying for the NSF-GRFP. I have taught workshops/courses on this fellowship for the past six years and will go over the fellowship application process in detail and share my tips for success.
I made this presentation for grad initiation course led by Professor Margrit Betke in order to raise awareness about available opportunities to grad students with a focus on computer science Ph.D. students but many of the suggestions can be applicable to other fields.
This presentation describes important steps before starting writing any paper:
Types of Articles
Comparison of Review Article and Research Paper
Structure of Manuscript
Tools used to prepare a manuscript
Types of Review
The flow of Research Process
This presentation was given to animal science students, and was adapted from a number of sources (in the reference list). It is intended to help students understand how to structure a scientific article and the basics of scientific writing.
How to write a good Dissertation/ Thesis
Thesis refers to a written work on a particular domain resulting from original research. You should introduce your subject area and explain research topic by referring latest published materials instead of old published materials. The objective is to present a simple, clear and complete account of the results of your research.
• Brainstorm or generate ideas for your topic.
• Conduct a thorough literature search before designing your methodology and collecting your data.
Relate your findings to your original statement of the problem and your literature review.
Https://www.ThesisScientist.com
Research papers are of different types and it is important to define one before you are starting the work on your document. This presentation will help you to understand the most common types of research papers. Get more tips here:
https://essay-academy.com/account/blog/types-of-research-papers
Complete and descriptive presentation on Report Writing. It contains both formal and informal report writing.
This presentation will surely help you alot in your preparation.
The National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program (https://www.nsfgrfp.org) offers fellowships to new and incoming graduate students in the sciences. Applications deadlines are typically in October.
The fellowship is very prestigious and competitive, with an acceptance rate of ~15%. However, if you are eligible (see the solicitation), then it is completely worth it to apply as it provides three years of full funding (including a $34,000/yr stipend) and access to additional opportunities such as internship and research abroad programs.
This webinar covers what you need to know about applying for the NSF-GRFP. I have taught workshops/courses on this fellowship for the past six years and will go over the fellowship application process in detail and share my tips for success.
Thinking about applying for a K award? Wondering how to put together the most competitive application?
NIH Research Career Development Awards (K awards) promote career development and provide support for senior postdoctoral fellows or faculty-level candidates. In this presentation, Dr. Sheila Lukehart leverages her many years of chairing K-award review committees at the NIH to provide practical tips and advice.
National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) NSF GRFP TalkMichael Thompson
The National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship program (GRFP) is the nation's oldest and most established fellowship program that directly supports students in various Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. Since 1952, NSF has provided funding for over 50,000 Graduate Research Fellowships. To date, forty-two Fellows have gone on to become Nobel laureates and more than 450 have become members of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). Undergraduates are highly-encouraged to apply. If awarded this fellowship provides $34,000 dollars per-year for three years and a cost-of-education allowance of $12,000 dollars to the graduate degree granting institution. In this session you will be provided with an overview on what it takes for an undergraduate to apply and be awarded a GRFP.
Overview of the Graduate School Application ProcessDr. Molly Morin
Several components are involved in the graduate school application process. This presentation provides an overview of these many components including: reasons for going to graduate school, finding fit, application materials, personal statement advice, requesting a letter of recommendation, and more!
Michigan State University (MSU) | College of Education | Institute for Research on Teaching and Learning (IRTL) Doctoral Student Support | Megan Drangstveit presentation on Grant Proposal Writing | March 2015
Introduction to AI for Nonprofits with Tapp NetworkTechSoup
Dive into the world of AI! Experts Jon Hill and Tareq Monaur will guide you through AI's role in enhancing nonprofit websites and basic marketing strategies, making it easy to understand and apply.
This slide is special for master students (MIBS & MIFB) in UUM. Also useful for readers who are interested in the topic of contemporary Islamic banking.
MATATAG CURRICULUM: ASSESSING THE READINESS OF ELEM. PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS I...NelTorrente
In this research, it concludes that while the readiness of teachers in Caloocan City to implement the MATATAG Curriculum is generally positive, targeted efforts in professional development, resource distribution, support networks, and comprehensive preparation can address the existing gaps and ensure successful curriculum implementation.
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Normal Labour/ Stages of Labour/ Mechanism of LabourWasim Ak
Normal labor is also termed spontaneous labor, defined as the natural physiological process through which the fetus, placenta, and membranes are expelled from the uterus through the birth canal at term (37 to 42 weeks
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June 3, 2024 Anti-Semitism Letter Sent to MIT President Kornbluth and MIT Cor...Levi Shapiro
Letter from the Congress of the United States regarding Anti-Semitism sent June 3rd to MIT President Sally Kornbluth, MIT Corp Chair, Mark Gorenberg
Dear Dr. Kornbluth and Mr. Gorenberg,
The US House of Representatives is deeply concerned by ongoing and pervasive acts of antisemitic
harassment and intimidation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Failing to act decisively to ensure a safe learning environment for all students would be a grave dereliction of your responsibilities as President of MIT and Chair of the MIT Corporation.
This Congress will not stand idly by and allow an environment hostile to Jewish students to persist. The House believes that your institution is in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and the inability or
unwillingness to rectify this violation through action requires accountability.
Postsecondary education is a unique opportunity for students to learn and have their ideas and beliefs challenged. However, universities receiving hundreds of millions of federal funds annually have denied
students that opportunity and have been hijacked to become venues for the promotion of terrorism, antisemitic harassment and intimidation, unlawful encampments, and in some cases, assaults and riots.
The House of Representatives will not countenance the use of federal funds to indoctrinate students into hateful, antisemitic, anti-American supporters of terrorism. Investigations into campus antisemitism by the Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Committee on Ways and Means have been expanded into a Congress-wide probe across all relevant jurisdictions to address this national crisis. The undersigned Committees will conduct oversight into the use of federal funds at MIT and its learning environment under authorities granted to each Committee.
• The Committee on Education and the Workforce has been investigating your institution since December 7, 2023. The Committee has broad jurisdiction over postsecondary education, including its compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, campus safety concerns over disruptions to the learning environment, and the awarding of federal student aid under the Higher Education Act.
• The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating the sources of funding and other support flowing to groups espousing pro-Hamas propaganda and engaged in antisemitic harassment and intimidation of students. The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is the principal oversight committee of the US House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate “any matter” at “any time” under House Rule X.
• The Committee on Ways and Means has been investigating several universities since November 15, 2023, when the Committee held a hearing entitled From Ivory Towers to Dark Corners: Investigating the Nexus Between Antisemitism, Tax-Exempt Universities, and Terror Financing. The Committee followed the hearing with letters to those institutions on January 10, 202
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This will be used as part of your Personal Professional Portfolio once graded.
Objective:
Prepare a presentation or a paper using research, basic comparative analysis, data organization and application of economic information. You will make an informed assessment of an economic climate outside of the United States to accomplish an entertainment industry objective.
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1. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Slides by Kelsey Wood, PhD Candidate, NSF-GRF ’14
More information at kelseywood.com
Introduction to the NSF
2. Why apply for fellowships?
MONEY FREEDOM FAME
You could earn a livable wage!
3 years of $34,000/year stipend+
$12,000 institutional expense
Additional funding opps for
international collabs (GROW) and
internships (GRIP)
Your PI can no
longer tell you what
to do
You don’t have to TA
Boost your CV and
gain recognition
Winning awards and
fellowships leads to
winning more awards
and fellowships
Also it’s good practice: writing grants and selling yourself & your research is now part of your job in academia
3. Who wins these fellowships?
• Grad students with high potential
to become leaders in their field
• 2000 awardees out of ~13000
applicants (~15% acceptance rate)
• Number of NSF-GRFP Awardees at
UC Davis:
• 2019: 11
• 2018: 18
• 2017: 15
• 2016: 22
• 2015: 25
• 2014: 22
Biomedical Engineering
0.7%
Chemistry
11.0%
Comp/IS/Eng
5.3%
Engineering
25.7%
Geosciences
4.0%
Life Sciences
26.1%
Materials Research
1.0%
Math
3.8%
Physics
5.8%
Psychology
6.9%
Social Sciences
9.0%
STEM Education
0.5%
NSF-GRFP Awardees 2009-2014 by Field of Study
Data from Fastlane
R code & clean data for analysis on github.com/kelseywood
4. Who is eligible for the NSF-GRFP?
• U.S. citizens, nationals, and permanent residents
• Pursuing research-based MS or PhD in eligible STEM fields
• Biomedical related research allowed but must be focused on basic science or advancement of
engineering principles
• Social sciences allowed and encouraged
• No dual degrees (MD/PhD, DVM/PhD, JD/PhD, etc.)
• Academic Levels:
• 1: Undergrad Seniors/Pre-grad school (no graduate study)
• 2: First-year graduate students
• 3: Second-year grad students
• – ≤ 12 months of graduate study by August
• 4: >12 months graduate study
• – Interruption in graduate study of 2+ years (can have MS degree)
5. When should you apply?
• Undergraduate/pre-first year if:
• you are definitely applying to grad school this year (need to pick *one* institution
for your research statement)
• First year if:
• You have publications from undergrad/pre-doc research
• You have joined a lab or rotating but know which lab you want to join
• Receiving the fellowship would influence which lab you would join
• You have something solid to write about for your research proposal
• Second year if:
• You will have publication(s) by next year
• You don’t have any idea what lab you will join or what you will be working on if
rotating
• You will have preliminary results by next year
6. “But should I apply???”
• Common concerns:
• Poor undergrad GPA -> explain or compensate in Personal Statement
• Lack of research experience -> explain in PS, or wait until 2nd year to apply
• Lack of broader impacts -> use non-science examples, have a lot of planned BI
• Too busy to write -> start early, use deadlines
• Bottom line:
• Even if you don’t win, the experience is highly valuable
• You win 0% of fellowships that you don’t apply for
7. The NSF-GRFP Application
• Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals Statement (3 pages)
• Graduate Research Statement (2 pages)
• Undergraduate & Graduate Transcripts
• Three letters of reference
• Fastlane extras: List of fellowships, scholarships, teaching and work
experiences relevant to your field of study; List of significant academic
honors, publications, and presentations
8. Official NSF Criteria
Intellectual Merit: your potential to advance knowledge
• Academic performance; grades, courses, awards, etc.
• Graduate Research proposal
• Research/professional experience
• Reference letters
Broader Impacts: your potential to benefit society and contribute to the
achievement of specific, desired societal outcomes.
• Outreach experience
• Potential benefits to society of your research
• Personal background
• Reference letters
NSF recommends a separate section with its own header for Intellectual Merit and
Broader Impacts in each statement
9. Personal Statement, Relevant Background, Future Goals
• Introduce yourself as a scientist and as a person
• Be unique and memorable without being cliché
• Relevant background = your CV in paragraph format
• Demonstrate that you have the experience to be successful in grad
school
• Future goals: include why do you want to be a professor in academia
10. How much do grades matter?
• You don’t need a 4.0 GPA to win the GRFP
• It really depends on the reviewer
• Major GPA is more important than overall GPA
• Provide explanation in personal statement – can use it to demonstrate resilience if your grades
improved after a hardship
• Actual evaluations from NSF reviewers:
• 3.8 (science), 3.4 (overall) = “outstanding GPA”
• 3.68 = “good academic record”
• 3.68 = “not very competitive”
• 3.46 = “kind of low”
• 3.3 = “average GPA”
• HOWEVER! GPA is only one minor part of the application. If you write a stellar proposal + have
excellent broader impacts + glowing letters of rec, that is more important than GPA
???
12. Letters of Recommendation
NSF recommends at least 3 letters of rec (applications with only 2 will be read but not
likely to be as strong)
You can ask for up to 5 people to write you letters as backups
I’d recommend asking for 4 –or 3 if you are 100% sure they will all get them in on time
Give your letter writers a heads up NOW
Who should you ask?
Your current graduate advisor* ~must have as a 2nd year, should comment on originality of proposal
Former research supervisor(s)
Someone who can speak to your broader impacts
Professors that adored you
If you do have low grades to explain, have one of your letter writers vouch for your academic abilities
• Send them the NSF-GRFP instructions, ask what you’d like them to
emphasize, send them a copy of your personal & research statements and CV
**MAKE SURE LETTER WRITERS SUBMIT THEIR LETTERS ON TIME!!!**
13. Research Statement: What should you write about?
2nd year: your research (with prelim findings)
1st year: your research
rotating: 1st rotation or the lab you want to join
ideally you already have some background knowledge
Or pick something that builds off of your undergrad/pre-doc research
Undergrad: your undergrad research or make something up (challenging)
Talk to your PI early and often!
Focus topic – don’t be vague or talk about multiple topics
Hypothesis-driven research best
Basic research (emphasize science over applications)
14. Research Statement: What should you write about?
• Keep in mind:
• You don’t actually have to do your proposed research
• NSF funds the person not the research
16. Incorporating broader impacts
• In personal statement:
• highlight past/current activities
• even if non science related!
• any volunteer work, international work, peer tutoring, etc.
• describe future plans in detail
• Join a club and sign up for outreach activities NOW
• In research statement:
Societal benefits – US economy, environment, climate change
Will you share results? Blog about research? Present to public/stakeholders?
Present research at conferences, publish papers, deposit data online
Train undergrads, outreach to underrep. communities
Propose a specific outreach activity to go along with your research
17. Broader impacts criteria
Integrating research and education
outreach, mentoring, teaching
Advancing diversity in science
gender, ethnicity, disability, geographic
Enhancing scientific and technical understanding
blogging, open access, media
Benefiting society
public policy, organizations
18. What are NOT broader impacts?
Biomedical impacts (can mention but do not emphasize)
Improving crop production (also can mention but shouldn’t be goal)
Intellectual merit (advancing knowledge)
19. Example
• I will study ________ (specific research topic) to learn more about
_______ (broader, important topic)
INTELLECTUAL MERIT
• I will study ________ (specific research topic) to [help disadvantaged
population]/[increase agricultural productivity]/[protect environment
from climate change]/etc..
BROADER IMPACTS
20. Broader impacts ideas
• Organizations you can join:
• Association for Women in Science
• Scientific Societies (Davis Botanical Society, Association of Plant Biologists etc.)
• UC Davis Science Says and CapSciComm (Science Communication groups)
• Volunteer opportunities:
• Powerhouse Science Center in Sacramento
• NorCal STEM Fair Mentoring
• Bay Area Science Festival (coming up in October!)
• Kids into Discovering Science (KiDS) program at UC Davis
• ScienceBuddies.org and PlantingScience.org (Online mentoring)
21. Who are the NSF-GRFP reviewers??
• Types of scientists:
• Academics
• Industry scientists
• Government scientists
• Not necessarily experts in your field…(define terms, choose right “field of study”)
• Trained online on how to rank GRFP applications
• ~30% have evaluated before – the rest are new
• All are bus – will probably only read your application ONCE
• Each reviewer has 30 applications
• NSF calculates Z-score for each reviewer to control for reviewer biases
25. What causes procrastination?
Not caused by “laziness” or lack of ambition
Psychology & behavioral conditioning
Immediate reward
Working towards
Long term goals
Distractions
Internet, TV, etc.
Delayed reward
+
fear of failure
+
task aversivenessdelayed
guilt and anxiety
over not completing task
vs
+ depression
+ anxiety
(PHQ-9 & GAD-7 tests)
26. Techniques for dealing with procrastination
• Acceptance/mindfulness
• Time management (Pomodoro technique)
• Peer pressure
• Writing rituals & locations
• Positive procrastination
• “Writing stuff”
27. Suggested Timeline
• August: research writing advice for GRFP. Brainstorm. Talk to advisor.
• By Sept 1st: outline of Personal and Research Statement, ideas for
planned broader impacts
• Mid-September: drafts of PS and RS, send to peer editors and advisor
• By October: Send revised draft to letter writers with CV and
instructions
• 10/14 – send to advisor/editors for final revisions
• 10/21-ish applications are due
28. What should you do now?
• Read up on resources, example essays
• Contact awardees in your field from your institution
• Ask for their essays and advice!
• Some might offer to look over your application
• Begin planning your broader impact activity – Now!