NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program

1. NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Office of Research & Engagement The University of Tennessee

2. Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) Overview

3. The Basics • The GRFP is a prestigious, nationally competitive fellowship offered by the National Science Foundation. It provides three years of financial support for beginning graduate study leading to a research-based degree in the STEM disciplines. • This fellowship attempts to identify and support the most outstanding graduate students in science and engineering in the country. • The NSF expects fellows to make leading contributions to science and to society.

4. Financial Financial support • The fellowship includes a $32,000-per-year stipend for three years. Additionally, each fellow's graduate institution receives a $12,000 annual cost-of-education allowance that covers tuition and fees during the fellowship period. After one year of graduate study, Fellows become eligible to apply for international research funding support through Graduate Research Opportunities Worldwide (GROW).

5. Eligibility • Eligibility requirements* • *Always refer to the NSF-GRFP Solicitation for official eligibility information. • Citizenship: Must be a United States citizen, national, or a permanent US resident by the application deadline. • Degree requirement: Individuals are typically eligible to apply during the senior year of college, or after graduating from college and prior to entering graduate school, or during the first year of graduate school, or prior to completing the Fall term of the second year of graduate school. Not eligible: Those who have earned a graduate or professional degree (exception may be a joint BS/MS program). • Field of study (disciplines): Biological sciences, computer sciences, chemistry, engineering, geosciences, information science, social sciences, life sciences, mathematics, materials research, psychology, physics and astronomy, or STEM education and learning. Interdisciplinary research is also possible. Not eligible: professional practice degrees - see details in the GRFP solicitation.

6. Award Cycle • The GRFP competition opens in August with deadlines in early November. Awards are announced the following spring. Fellows must commence graduate study in the summer or fall after accepting the award. The new competition cycle is OPEN (for Academic Year 2014-15.) About 2,700 fellowships will be offered pending availability of funds.

7. Special Note • Whereas the National Science Foundation awards grants to investigators to fund their research, the Graduate Research Fellowship Program funds students who are training to become well-rounded researchers. It's a fine distinction, but an important one.

8. How to Apply

9. How to Apply • It's easy! • Read the official GRFP solicitation for eligibility requirements. • If eligible for the competition, create an account in FastLane GRFP • Note that your absolute deadline for application is by your field of study. For 2013 the deadlines are November 4-8. • Complete all sections of the online application form. Note: Add publications and presentations in the "Other Experience" section. Save. • Follow the instructions to add the names of 3-5 reference letter writers.(Writers will submit recommendation letters directly into Fastlane GRFP.) In 2013 reference letters are due on November 14.

10. How to Apply • While in Fastlane, copy the NEW instructions for the 2 required statements and both review criteria. Analyze the wording. • Meet with your faculty mentor. Discuss the new GRFP instructions. Strategize on how to develop your statement for a proposed Graduate Research Topic. • Begin writing your statements. Take time to reflect on what you've written. Seek feedback from others. Revise. Make certain that you address both review criteria--intellectual merit & broader impacts--in both statements. Important: Follow the new instructions precisely. • Upload your academic transcript(s) into the Education section of Fastlane GRFP. Must be legible. Save.

11. How to Apply • Confirm that your three top references have uploaded their letters into FastLane. If not, follow up immediately! • Upload your final statements. Save. One last time, make certain that your application is complete. (You can view and print your application packet or check your application status.) • Submit your GRFP application 1-2 days before your disciplinary deadline.

12. Complete Application Packet Your complete GFRP application packet must have: • Fastlane Application+ 2 GRFP Essays+ Transcript(s)+ 3 reference letters

13. NSF Merit Review Criteria

14. General NSF Merit Review Criteria • Intellectual Merit: The Intellectual Merit criterion encompasses the potential to advance knowledge • Broader Impacts: The Broader Impacts criterion encompasses the potential to benefit society and contribute to the achievement of specific, desired societal outcomes.

15. Defining "Desired Societal Outcomes" The term "desired societal outcomes" appears in multiple NSF documents (including the GRFP Solicitation) but we have to dig deep to learn exactly what this means. According to NFSGRFP.org, examples of desired societal outcomes "include, but are not limited to: • full participation of women, persons with disabilities, and underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); • improved STEM education and educator development at any level; • increased public scientific literacy and public engagement with science and technology; • improved well-being of individuals in society; • development of a diverse, globally competitive STEM workforce; • increased partnerships between academia, industry, and others; • improved national security; • increased economic competitiveness of the US; and • enhanced infrastructure for research and education."

16. The GRFP Review Process

17. The GRFP Review Process Overview of the Review Process • Each year the GRFP office solicits hundreds of volunteers to serve on review panels. Prospective reviewers complete online application forms explaining their related interests, experience and academic qualifications. The National Science Foundation then selects reviewers and assigns them to disciplinary and interdisciplinary panels. The panel information is kept confidential. Reviewers are not allowed to disclose their panel assignment or details about the review process. However, you can be assured that panel members are trained prior to the review process. • When you apply for this fellowship in Fastlane-GRFP, you will select a field of study/discipline that aligns with your proposed graduate program and graduate research topic. Based on your choice, the National Science Foundation assigns your application packet to a corresponding review panel. Keep in mind that many review panels are interdisciplinary. Consult with your mentor(s) on the most appropriate field of study/studies for your GRFP application.

18. The GRFP Review Process • During the actual panel review process, your complete GRFP application is reviewed: the online form, transcript(s), two statements and three reference letters. The GRFP reviewers read these complementary pieces to gain a holistic impression of you. Every application is read by at least two panelists. According to the solicitation, reviewers must give " full consideration" to both review criteria (intellectual merit and broader impacts) "during the review and decision-making processes; each criterion is necessary but neither, by itself, is sufficient." • Each reviewer completes a comment form to fully and equally address both criteria. The GRFP office analyzes the panels' findings and offers awards to the most competitive applicants. After you are notified of your status, you are granted access to the reviewers' comments.

19. How Do GRFP Panelists Determine IM & BI? Panelists will analyze your complete application packet to gain a holistic impression of your intellectual merit and broader impacts. According to NSFGRFP.org: • Intellectual Merit: "Panelists evaluating applications submitted to the Graduate Research Fellowship Program may consider the following with respect to the Intellectual Merit Criterion: the potential of the applicant to advance knowledge based on a holistic analysis of the complete application, including the personal statement, relevant background, and future goals statement, the graduate research statement, strength of the academic record, description of previous research experience or publication/presentations, and references." • Broader Impacts: "Panelists may consider the following with respect to the Broader Impacts Criterion: the potential of the applicant for future broader impacts as indicated by personal experiences, professional experiences, educational experiences and future plans." My advice: Use the Fastlane GRFP online application form wisely, explicitly address IM & BI in both of your statements, and ask your references to address your IM & BI according to the Reference Letter Guidelines.

20. Personal, Relevant Background & Future Goals Statement

21. Text of the Prompt for the Personal Background and Future Goals Statement • Please outline your educational and professional development plans and career goals. How do you envision graduate school preparing you for a career that allows you to contribute to expanding scientific understanding as well as broadly benefit society?

22. Prompt • Describe your personal, educational and/or professional experiences that motivate your decision to pursue advanced study in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM.) Include specific examples of any research and/or professional activities in which you have participated. Present a concise description of the activities, highlight the results, and discuss how these activities have prepared you to seek a graduate degree. Specify your role in the activity including the extent to which you worked independently and/or as part of a team. Describe the contributions of your activity to advancing knowledge in STEM fields as well as the potential for broader societal impacts.

23. Prompt • NSF Fellows are expected to become globally engaged knowledge experts and leaders who can contribute significantly to research, education, and innovations in science and engineering. The purpose of this statement is to demonstrate your potential to satisfy this requirement. Your ideas do not have to be confined necessarily to the discipline that you have chosen to pursue.

24. Personal, Relevant Background & Future Goals Statement The Purpose of this Statement • This statement introduces you to the reviewers. In a compelling fashion, you will share your motivation to pursue advanced studies; steps you have taken to gain professional knowledge and skills; your experience working independently and on teams; and your career goals. Reviewers will be seeking strong evidence of your intellectual merit and broader impacts: How have you (and will you) advance knowledge and benefit society? Important: Before you begin writing • Precisely follow the NEW instructions for this statement, found in the online application form in Fastlane GRFP https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/grfp/Login.do. Remember: This statement is limited to three pages.

25. Your Writing Process To begin writing, create an outline to organize your thoughts. (An example follows.) Next, select experiences that best illustrate your knowledge, skills and abilities. When ready, begin writing freely (you can edit later.) Now review your work. Add transition language to connect paragraphs. Edit for clarity and length. When you have completed a first draft, ask family members and friends for feedback. Revise. Ask your mentor(s) and a GRFP Resource Person to read your polished statement. Faculty members are extremely busy, so allow at least a week turn around time. Based on the feedback, revise your essay again. Consult a campus writing tutor for help with grammar or mechanics.

26. Highlight Your Publications, Presentations and Posters! • The FastLane instructions tell you to list your publications/presentations/posters in the "Other Experience" section of the online application. I strongly suggest that you also tell your reader about your publication productivity in this personal statement. For example, "As a result of my undergraduate research experiences, I coauthored two refereed journal articles and presented an outreach poster for state legislators. See my citations in the 'Other Experience' section of the online application."

27. Check your examples for Intellectual Merit Questions a reviewer might pose about this essay • What motivated this applicant to pursue advanced studies? • How does the chosen degree program fit with the student's career goals? • Does this person learn from mistakes? Seek advice? Collaborate with others? • How does this applicant face adversity, solve problems and move past barriers? • How has this student demonstrated the potential to advance scientific knowledge? • Will this student become a scientific leader within or across disciplines? • How does the student's academic and research goals align with the NSF's mission and priorities?

28. Check your examples for Broader Impact Questions a reviewer might pose about this essay: •How has this student made a difference in the lives of others? •How has this student been engaged with people from diverse backgrounds? •In what ways has this student been a leader in various settings? •Did this student teach and mentor others? Will he/she continue? •How has this student demonstrated the potential to broadly benefit society?

29. A Sample Outline for the Personal, Relevant Background & Future Goals Statement • Part I. Introduction: In 3-5 sentences, make an interesting point about your unique background, your goals, or your vision for benefitting society. These first few sentences must quickly convince the reviewers that you are intelligent, innovative and articulate. Your writing must be original, sincere and engaging. Avoid clichés and the mundane.

30. Sample Outline • Part II. Body: • A. Outline your educational and professional development plans and your career goals. Make this connection for reviewers: How will graduate school prepare you for a career that allows you to expand scientific understanding as well as benefit our society?

31. Sample Outline • B. Describe specific personal, professional or educational experiences that motivated you to pursue advanced studies. • Hint: Reflect on different experiences: teaching; outreach; leadership; mentoring; research; internships; jobs; scholarship; campus & community engagement; volunteer work; service with underrepresented groups; study or travel abroad; or inspiring role models. Identify what you learned, or how your thinking changed. Why did those experiences motivate or prepare you to undertake a research-based graduate degree?

32. Sample Outline • C. Give specific examples of your previous research and/or professional activities. Present a concise description and highlight the results. Discuss how these activities have prepared you to seek a graduate degree. Specify your role in the activity including the extent to which you worked independently and/or as part of a team. • Hint: Consider how you have successfully used your leadership and communication skills on research teams and in interdisciplinary settings. What research and scholarship skills did you acquire? How will you be able to use your skills in graduate school? If you worked with people from other countries, how can you apply your cultural literacy to connect with international researchers?

33. Sample Outline • D. Describe the contributions of your activities to advancing knowledge in STEM fields as well as the potential for broader societal impacts. • Hint: This prompt relates to the intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. Avoid grandiose or unsubstantiated claims. Be concise and realistic about advancing knowledge. Specify who will benefit from your research and outreach activities, and how they will benefit. More on broader impacts.

34. Sample Outline • Part III. If you have not already done so, address Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts explicitly. Point to specific examples of your previous and proposed activities (i.e., research and outreach activities) to demonstrate the criteria. You have the option to (a) explicitly address both review criteria in a separate paragraph or (b) integrate examples of the criteria throughout the body of your essay. Consider the judicious use of boldface to draw reviewers' attention to the key words Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts.

35. Sample Outline • Part IV. Conclusion: In 3-5 sentences, conclude your essay. Examples: Reiterate how a graduate degree will help you achieve your career goals; or explain how the GRFP will enable you pursue a particular line of research; or describe how you intend to contribute to your profession as a scientific leader or address social needs or global challenges.

36. Graduate Research Statement

37. Graduate Research Statement Prompt "Present an original research topic that you would like to pursue in graduate school. Describe the research idea, your general approach, as well as any unique resources that may be needed for accomplishing the research goal . . . . You may choose to include important literature citations. Address the potential of the research to advance knowledge and understanding within science as well as the potential for broader impacts on society...."

38. Graduate Research Statement The Purpose of this statement • With this statement, you must demonstrate that you can conceive and begin planning an original research project. • The original research project should be hypothesis-driven and significant, • The strongest projects are also innovative and paradigm-shifting

39. Graduate Research Statement Important: Before you begin writing • Precisely follow NEW instructions for this statement, found only in the online application form in Fastlane GRFP https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/grfp/Login.do. • Be sure to enter your title and keywords into Fastlane - it gives you extra line spacing on your statement! Remember: This statement is limited to two pages.

40. Graduate Research Statement Key advice: (a) work from an outline, (b) write in a scholarly fashion and (b) approach this statement like a two-page research abstract. Other suggestions: • Your rationale for selecting a particular research topic should be informed by the literature. Worksheet • Consider a graduate research topic that relates to your stated career goals. • The scope of the subject matter must be doable for a graduate student's research project. • Be realistic about the resources you need and how your expenses will be covered. • A "general approach" should include rigorous data collection/analysis methods for a quantitative, qualitative or mixed methods study. • You are required to address both Intellectual Merit (the potential of your research to advance knowledge) and Broader Impacts (the potential of your research to benefit society.) • Work closely with your mentor on this statement.

41. Questions a Reviewer Might Pose Related to this Research Statement Intellectual Merit • Has the student presented a well-organized statement? Writing clear? Definitive? • Is the topic innovative or potentially transformative? • How did the student justify the need for this research topic? • Is the "general approach" appropriate for the topic? Are methods rigorous? • Has the student identified possible pitfalls or limitations with this topic? • Is this student ready conduct a graduate research project on this topic? • What is the mentor's expertise and how strong is the mentor's support of this research? • Do the references letters confirm that the student will have adequate research resources? • Will the student publish and present scholarly findings within and across disciplines? • If the student proposed international research or field study, is it relevant? • How will this research help the student acquire new knowledge and skills? • Potentially, how might this research advance knowledge within and across disciplines?

42. Questions a Reviewer Might Pose Related to this Research Statement Broader Impacts • Does the topic address a significant global problem, societal need or NSF priority? • How will society benefit from this research - directly and/or indirectly? • Does this applicant express an interest in becoming a scientific leader, either within or across disciplines? • How does this applicant propose to collaborate with international researchers? • Might this study enhance research and education infrastructure (e.g., facilities, instrumentation, networks, and partnerships)? • How does the research topic broaden participation of people from underrepresented groups? • Does this applicant propose to teach public audiences about science and discoveries? • Are activities realistic? Sustainable? What groups will be reached and how will they benefit? • If the GRFP makes an investment in this student, how will this student help the NSF achieve its goals?

43. For Your Consideration • Reviewers understand that quite often, students work on lab teams funded by external grants. If your graduate research topic is part of a larger research project, make certain that you explain this. Be clear about your role and responsibilities. Specify how your topic relates to the overall research project. DO NOT copy and paste sections from a grant proposal - that is plagiarism. • Rest assured that reviewers also understand that students need to build research skills. If your proposed research topic will be a challenge with your current skill level, briefly explain how you will acquire the necessary skills to conduct your research (e.g., graduate courses, summer research, and/or mentoring.)

44. From Outline to First Draft Getting Started • To begin writing your Graduate Research Statement, you should create an outline to organize your thoughts. First, start with the instructions found in Fastlane GRFP. Identify the sections listed in the instructions (e.g., Research Idea, General Approach, Needed Resources, Intellectual Merit, Broader Impacts and Literature Citations). Start an outline based on these sections.

45. From Outline to First Draft • Next, conduct a literature review on a topic of interest. By studying articles in the top-tier journals of your discipline, you can develop your rationale for your research topic. This worksheet can help guide you through that process. A lit review can also point to appropriate methods for your "general approach" section. Terminology will vary by discipline and nature of inquiry (i.e., quantitative or qualitative approaches). Think critically about what resources you will need - and what your expenses might be to conduct a research project. Re-read the explanation of the review criteria and determine how to address them in your statement.

46. From Outline to First Draft • Complete your outline and discuss it with your current mentor(s). Because you used the literature to inform your thinking, you should feel prepared to defend your selected topic and general approach. Ask: "Am I headed in the right direction with this concept?" Based on the feedback you receive, revise your outline.

47. Writing Phase • When ready, begin writing freely (you can edit later.) Now review your work. Edit your plan for clarity and length. When you have completed a first draft, send it to your mentor. Faculty are extremely busy, so allow at least a week turn around time. Based on the feedback you receive, revise your essay. Continue working with your mentor as necessary to complete the plan. If you need help with grammar or mechanics, consult a campus writing tutor.

48. Writing Phase Decisions, Decisions • Fact: This statement is limited to two pages. Be ready to make tough decisions on what to include and what to forgo. Pictures, charts or graphs are part of the two page limit. Will you have enough space? Your mentor will be an invaluable resource to you on these decisions. Strive for clarity and a scholarly tone!

49. Writing Phase How Many Literature Citations? • The new instructions give you a choice about including citations. (I think you should include them.) If you do, select 2 - 5 seminal references that best document (a) the need and/or importance of your research, (b) previous findings or preliminary results and/or (c) pertinent controls, models, or procedures in your general approach section. Check with your mentor on what references the reviewers might expect.

50. Writing Phase Formatting Tips • Requirements. Strictly adhere to the essay formatting guidelines found in Fastlane GRFP. Do NOT alter the margins, line spacing, typeface or font sizes because you will be disqualified from the competition. • Headings. To conserve line space, try in-paragraph headings. (The word "headings" is an example of an in-paragraph heading.) Simply bold face the section title, place a period after the title, and start your narrative on the very same line.