The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program

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The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program
Funding Opportunities for CEE Graduate Students

• Graduate Affairs Committee
• Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Tennessee Technological University

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What is the NSF?
National Science Foundation
Independent Federal Agency created by Congress in
1950
Mission ..to promote the progress of science
to advance the national health, prosperity, and
welfare to secure the national defense"
Annual budget of over 5.5 Billion US Dollars. 20
of all federal research in colleges and
universities sponsored by NSF
NSF CAN FUND YOUR RESEARCH AS A GRADUATE STUDENT
AND PAY YOU A HANDSOME FELLOWSHIP!!
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But Why care about an NSF Fellowship?

• PRESTIGE!!
• Highly Competitive 10 Probability of Success
• Career Enhancement NSF has a well-founded
  reputation
• Research Independence (Its Your Money!)
• Healthy Stipend 30,000 per year (Including
  Summer!)
• Covers Tuition Upto 10,500 per year
• Frees up CEE Funds for use on other students
• No application fee!
• Even if you fail the whole process helps with
  your thesis work
• Resubmissions allowed
• Honorable Mention

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I know what you are thinking.
Question 1 Are Tech Students up for it? Question
2 How am I going to prepare the application
package when it all looks so complicated and
difficult?
Answer 1 ABSOLUTELY YES! John Richardson, ChE
student Class of 2003, TTU NSF Graduate
Fellowship Winner Answer 2 Thats why the CEE
faculty is here to help. Plus Your major Advisor
or the Graduate Affairs Committee
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Outline of Seminar

• Applying to the NSF Graduate Fellowship Program
  Rules, Regulations, Eligibility requirements
• Tips on Preparing the Application Package
• Sharing CEE Graduate Affairs Committees
  experience on reviewing NSF graduate proposals
  (Dr. Badoe and Dr. Hossain)

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Eligibility

• Citizenship U.S. citizen or national or
  permanent resident alien status
• Fields For graduate study in STEM fields
  supported by NSF
• Degree Requirements Completion of no more than
  12 months full time graduate study.
• This means you can apply at 3 times (1) senior
  year of college, (2) before or during 1st year of
  graduate school, (3) beginning of 2nd year of
  graduate school (if lt 12 months of full time
  study)
• You can apply more than once.

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Who should especially apply?

• If you are female or a minority
• Once the general-pool fellow candidates are
  chosen, another screening for women and
  minorities occurs.
• Those who make this cut came close in the
  general-pool but fell short of top rankings.
• Several additional students are chosen for
  fellowships in this cut.
• Everyone! NSF adjusts its review based on your
  academic level
• Note Computer Science Directorate has
  additional funding for women for GRFP

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Application Deadlines
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General Tips

• Start Your Application Early 2-3 months ahead
• Inform your Advisor of your intent to apply (for
  book keeping)
• Almost Everything is done ONLINE
• Goto Fastlane https//www.fastlane.nsf.gov/grfp/
• Open an account in Fastlane
• Start filling in the material required gradually
  in a step by step manner in consultation with
  your Advisor

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Your Application Package

• THREE Essays Online submission 2 pages each
• (1) Proposed Plan of Research what do you plan
  to do?
• (2) Personal/Professional Statement what made
  you want to pursue this career path and how do
  you see yourself helping society in future?
• (3) Previous Research Experience how prepared
  are you?

• THREE Letters of Reference- ONLINE submission
• Official GRE scores Direct ETS reporting
• Official Transcripts Direct reporting by
  institution

Mail-in Deadline December 31, 2006
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What does it take to win?

• A great research idea AND
• Your OWN ideas Not your advisor
• Well-expressed
• essays

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• You cant win
• if you dont enter!

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How can you develop a great research idea?

• Your advisor active mentorship
• Your own research and thinking
• Reading journals in your field
• Talking to others/experts in your field

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How to write well-expressed essays?

• Your advisor can always help (if you start early)
  
• Practice and allow plenty of time
• Read Gopen and Swan 1990. The Science of
  Scientific Writing. American Scientist, 78,
  550-558. www.amstat.org/publications/jcgs/sci.pdf
  
• Read Herbert Michaelson 1990, How to write and
  publish Engineering Papers and Reports, 3rd
  Edition.

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Evaluation of Applications by NSF Review Panel

• Intellectual Merit
• Broader Impacts
• These are the criteria that you must address as
  you complete the three essays of the Application.
  
• Note Listing the proper primary field is
  important dictates the panel that reviews

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Intellectual Merit?

• Demonstrated intellectual ability
• (2) Demonstrate ability to
• Plan and conduct research
• Work as a member of a team and independently
• Interpret communicate research findings

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Broader Impacts?

• Ask yourself So what?
• Articulate Contributions that could
• Integrate research education at all levels,
  infuse learning with excitement of discovery
• Encourage diversity
• Enhance scientific technical understanding
• Benefit society

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GeneralWriting Successful Proposals

• The number 1 rule!
• Make the job of reading your proposal
• as easy and pleasant as possible
• for the reviewers.
• This Not This

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The number 2 rule

• Show your passion!
• Make it infectious like chickenpox!
• Now, more rules.

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• Start early youll need to revise a few times
• There is no rule that you must wait until the
  week before a proposal is due to begin work on
  it.
• No LATE SUBMISSIONS (This is not a Homework
  Problem)

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• Follow all instructions exactly.
• If something is ambiguous, email helpdesk_at_nsf.gov

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• 5. Grammar counts!
• No misspellings
• Proper sentences
• Proper grammar
• Correct punctuation
• TTU has editorial support

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• 6. Your writing style counts
• Direct sentences are best.
• Example
• The research to be undertaken will..
• It is proposed to.
• Better
• I will conduct research that..
• My research will prove that.

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• Avoid technical jargon when possible.
• Avoid phrases like It is obvious. It is
  apparent. As previously stated.
• Avoid long sentences.
• Use references to support your proposal if you
  can.
• Dont promise something you cannot deliver.
• Check to see if there are internal ambiguities
  (are you contradicting yourself?)

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• Use reviewers comments to your benefit (if
  youve submitted before).
• Be yourself show who you are in your writing.
• Dont be shy about selling yourself (but dont be
  arrogant either).
• Dont give up. Tech students never give up! You
  will improve your proposal and your skills each
  time.
• Be truthful and make sure your essays are your
  own artwork.
• You cant win if you dont enter!

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• Does what you have written make sense?
• Ask your advisor and others to read it. Do they
  understand it?

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Essay-1 Personal Statement

• Purpose of this essay
• To establish that you can become a knowledge
  expert and a leader who can contribute
  significantly to research, education and
  innovations in science and engineering.
• This should be a personal statement that lets the
  reviewer get to know you.
• Show your passion, concern and creativity in full
  steam
• Dont plagiarize!

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Essay-2Previous Research Experience

• Describe any previous scientific research
  activities in which you participated
• Purpose of past research
• Your specific role in the research did you work
  independently or as part of a team?
• What you learned from your research (how to plan
  conduct, work independently or as part of a
  team, learn interpret communicate results)
• If none, describe activities that prepared you to
  undertake research
• List any publications or presentations

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Essay-3Proposed Plan of Research

• Clear, concise, original
• Present a complete plan for a research project
• This is all about what specifically you propose
  to do. Not a general method.
• Must demonstrate your understanding of research
  design and methodology
• Must explain the relationship to prior research,
  if any
• Stress anticipated results.
• Must describe how you propose to address
  Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts.

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Letters of Reference

• Choose Faculty members or industry
  representatives who can vouch for your research
  experience
• Remind them of Deadline
• Provide all referees with your
• Proposed Plan of Study or Research Form
• Previous Research Experience Form
• Course Report Form

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Our Experience as Reviewers

• Dr. Badoe has regularly served as panel member
  for Civil Engineering (the last 3 years)
• Dr. Hossain has served as panel member for
  Geosciences (since last year)
• Informal Discussion
• Sharing the mindset of the panel and a reviewer
• Sharing the finer details of selection

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The CEE Vision

• One day in near future.
• More and more CEE students (undergrads and grads)
  will feel inspired to apply
• Winning NSF Graduate Fellowship by CEE Graduate
  Students will be regular every year

SEE US ANYTIME FOR ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS GOOD
LUCK!!!
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

• NSF and ASEE Nicole La Maistre
• (Email N.LeMaistre_at_asee.org)
• Dr. Daniel Badoe Member of Graduate Affairs
  Committee, CEE
• Graduate Affairs Committee, CEE