funding for graduate students

1. funding for graduate students Katie WilkesResearch Funding and Development Services

2. Funding Opportunities for Grad Students • Fellowships to apply for now • National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program • Department of Defense Science and Engineering Program • Fellowships to apply for later • National Institutes of Health National Research Service Award • American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellowships • Other fellowships from professional societies or associations • OHSU training grants or other internal awards that are open to grad students (e.g. Tartar Trust, Friends of Doernbecher research grant) Today we’ll be focusing on these because of upcoming deadlines.

3. NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program About the NSF Fellowship Supports the development of a diverse, globally engaged U.S. science and engineering workforce. Funds students pursuing research-based MS or PhD in NSF-supported disciplines: Chemistry Psychology Computer and Information Social Sciences Science and Engineering STEM Education (research-focused) Engineering Geosciences Life Sciences Materials Research Mathematical Science Physics and Astronomy Note: Research with a disease-related or clinical focus is not accepted. But that doesn’t mean you can’t apply…

4. NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program • Why apply for an NSF fellowship? • $32,000 stipend per year for three years (can be spread out over five); $12,000 tuition to institution • Provides access to international research opportunities and XSEDE cyber infrastructure resources • Prestigious award – looks good on your CV! • Writing grants is great practice. As a scientist, you’ll be doing it for your whole life. • What are my chances of getting an award? • 2010-2013: • 2,000 awards annually • 12,000 applications annually • ~ 17% success rate • 2015: • 2,700 awards anticipated

5. NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program • Eligibility • Applicants must be U.S. citizens, nationals or permanent residents. • Must be enrolled in a research-based MS or PhD program. • Applicants may apply: during their senior year of college, after graduating from college (prior to starting grad school), or during the early portion of grad school. • Applicants must not have completed more than 12 months of full-time graduate study or its equivalent as of August 1, 2013. • Applicants graduate program must be a field supported by NSF (no MD/PhDs, public health, dentistry, etc.) It is crucial to read the entire program announcement for this and any other funding opportunities. Make sure you are eligible before you apply!

6. NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program • Timeline • NSF Fellowships due late October/early November (varies by discipline) • October 29 for engineering • November 4 for life sciences • Notified of decision in April. • Start working on your application now! • Application Components • Two short essays • Personal, Relevant Background, and Future Goals Statement • Graduate Research Statement • Transcripts • Three letters of reference required

7. NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program • How are applications evaluated? • Reviewers are asked to consider what the proposers want to do, why they want to do it, how they plan to do it, how they will know if the project is successful, and what benefits could accrue if the project is successful. To the end, reviewers are asked to evaluate all proposals against these two criteria: • Intellectual Merit • The potential of the applicant to advance knowledge based on the totality of the content in the application, including the strength of the academic record, proposed plan of research, description of previous research experience or publication/presentations, and references • Broader Impacts • The potential to benefit society and contribute to the achievement of specific, desired societal outcomes as indicated by personal, professional, and educational experiences

8. NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program • What are Broader Impacts? • “Broader impacts may be accomplished through research itself, through the activities that are directly related to specific research projects, or through activities that are supported by, by are complementary to, the project. NSF values the advancement of scientific knowledge and activities that contribute to achievement of socially relevant outcomes. Such outcomes include but are not limited to, full participation of women, persons with disabilities, and underrepresented minorities in STEM fields; 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 U.S.; and enhanced infrastructure for research and education.” More examples.

9. NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program • How are applications evaluated? (cont.) • The following elements should be considered for both review criteria: • 1. What is the potential of the proposed activity to: • Advance knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields (Intellectual Merit) • Benefit society or advance desired societal outcomes (Broader Impacts) • 2. To what extent do the proposed activities suggest and explore creative, original, or potentially transformative concepts? • 3. Is the plan for carrying out the proposed activities well-reasoned, well-organized, and based on a sound rational? Does the plan incorporate a mechanism to assess success? • 4. How well qualified is the individual, team, or organization to conduct the proposed activities? • 5. Are there adequate resources available to the PI to carry out the proposed activities?

10. NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program • Essay #1: Personal, Relevant Background, and Future Goals Statement (3 pages) • 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? • 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. • Tips • In each essay, applicants must include separate statements on Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts. • Emphasize any educational or community service activities of which you have or will take part – how does the larger community benefit if you receive the award? • Mention all publications, posters, presentations, awards, recognitions. • Emphasize what work you did independently. • View sample outline.

11. NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program • Essay #2: Graduate Research Plan (2 pages) • 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 (i.e., access to national facilities or collections, collaborations, overseas work, etc.) 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. • Tips • You don’t have to actually do this research exactly, they just want to see how you think and how you write. • Get the idea from previous work, current rotation or thesis lab, or a question that interests you. • Be specific but not too jargon-y. • Why is this work important to the field? Anticipated results? How will you know if you are successful? • View sample worksheet.

12. NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program • Reference letters • 3 reference letters must be received by November 6, 2014 • When choosing references, someone who knows you well is more important than getting a “big name.” • At least 2 of them should be familiar with your current work. • Share application materials and review criteria with references • Good letters should address Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts • Letters should include details explaining the nature of the relationship to the applicant, comments on the applicant’s potential for contributing to a globally-engaged U.S. STEM workforce, statements about the applicant’s academic potential and prior research experiences, statements about the applicant’s proposed research, and any other info relevant to NSF review criteria. • Ask them NOW

13. DoD National Defense Science & Engineering Graduate Fellowship • About the DoD Fellowship • Fellowships are awarded to applicants who will pursue a doctoral degree in, or closely related to, an area of DoD interest within one of the following disciplines: • Biosciences Naval architecture and ocean • Chemical engineering engineering • Chemistry Oceanography • Cognitive, neural, and Physics behavioral sciences; • Computer and computational sciences; Geosciences; • Materials science and engineering • Mathematics Every agency has its own specific priorities. Make sure you do some research on what these agencies are funding, so that you know where your research fits (or doesn’t).

14. DoD National Defense Science & Engineering Graduate Fellowship • More about the DoD fellowship • $31,000 annual stipend for three years, pays for tuition and fees, and up to $1,000 per year in medical insurance. • DoD fellowships are more competitive than those from NSF (10% vs. 17% success rate). • DoD application a shorter essay, and NSF essays can be rewritten for the DoD fellowship application. • Eligibility • Applicants must be U.S. citizens or nationals. • Applicants have completed less than two full-time years of graduate study in the discipline in which they are applying. • Deadline: December 2014 (applications available in September) • View DoD fellowship application materials.

15. Applying for a Grant or Fellowship at OHSU • OHSU Process • If you already have a department assigned: Applicants that already have a department assigned should contact their Grants & Contracts Coordinator (GCC) within your department, 30 days prior to the GRFP deadline.  The department contact will prepare and route the internal paperwork before the deadline.  • Applicants that are not assigned to a department yet: Applicants not assigned to a department should contact the Deans Office, 30 days prior to the GRFP deadline. The Deans Office will prepare and route all of the internal paperwork before the deadline. Please contact Dee Miller (millerd@ohsu.edu) to start this process.  • Please note that it is still the responsibility of the fellow to submit their application through the Graduate Research Fellowship Program in Fastlane. • Email funding@ohsu.edu with questions about your fellowship application.

16. Proposal Development Resources at OHSU • Free workshops on grantsmanship! • View upcoming workshops here • Vollum Writing Program • Learn the basic elements of good science writing • Receive peer feedback on current writing projects • Take advantage of 1:1 coaching sessions with instructor • Recommended for 2nd year grad students working on qualifying exams • $500 fee, covered by many grad programs • Great step-by-step resource for NSF Fellowship applications: • http://grfpessayinsights.missouri.edu/

17. Where to get help? Research Funding & Development Services http://www.ohsu.edu/funding Research News http://www.ohsu.edu/researchnews Contact us: funding@ohsu.edu