Benthon

To upload the 5770-2 form, log on to the FII system and click on "Forms and Formats". Then click the link for "STAR Fellowship New Start Questionnaire". Scroll all the way to the bottom and press the "Click to Begin" button. Don't worry, this will not erase any previously-entered info. It will bring up a checklist of all of the things you need to complete. At the bottom is a button for "Files & Form Upload". If you click on that, you will find a spot to upload the form. Make sure all the boxes are checked on the checklist, and you are good to go!

EPA-F2013-STAR-F1: SAFE AND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES: ECOSYSTEM SERVICES—AQUATIC SYSTEMS ECOLOGY. For those of you who got an email, it seems like the new contact people are pretty much as unhelpful as the last, so if you have any questions about the survey I recommend you email them now. I know I had a lot of questions. It worries me how the survey is worded to talk about things happening in Fall 2012, especially since the last time I took a survey and assumed something, I almost lost out at my chance to receive the fellowship. Here are the questions I asked, in case you have them too. I will share the responses when I get them. "The instructions for the sponsor letter refer to the fellowship beginning in Fall 2012 multiple times. Should my advisor use the same language, or should she refer to Fall 2014, when the fellowship will actually begin? Also, I am having trouble deciding on which graduation date to write down on the Form 5770. I am projected to graduate in May 2016. However, if the EPA STAR fellowship must last for the entire year (i.e. cannot be prorated), and I start in September 2014, should I project my graduation date as August or September 2016 instead? I will need to ask for an extension in my degree program, but I would prefer this to forfeiting the fellowship for the 2015/2016 school year."

NSF GK-12. It is over in June so it would really be a bummer if taking that funding makes me ineligible for STAR. I also got summer funding to go to Australia through the NSF EAPSI (East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes) program. If you have not applied for EAPSI you really should. It is such a great program and you get to be a PI on NSF funding! Some of the East Asia and Pacific host countries (like Taiwan and Singapore) get very few applicants so your chances are amazingly good for an NSF program. DO IT!

Brandon replied to my email so here is the latest. If you didn't get an email it is likely because there was something in the survey that flagged you as not eligible to continue. For me it was the "have you accepted federal funding" question, which I have for this school year. Even though I sent Brandon an email specifically to explain my answer, apparently that doesn't matter, they have only been going off of the survey. I don't know what that means and if we will still be considered, I have not received any sort of confirmation regarding the status of my application. However I would send him an email if your took the pre-fellowship survey, believe you are still eligible, and did not get an email today. It can't hurt. Why oh why did I have to be so honest on that survey! I will post if I hear back from Brandon regarding whether or not I am still in the running.

I took the pre-fellowship survey but didn't get an email from Brandon today. Anyone else experiencing this? I was keeping my cool about this whole thing until about now- I don't want to be left out! I emailed Brandon and we will see what he says.

Sorry too quick on the post button, but ktravis is correct. Make sure on that question to choose the blank option from the drop down menu and then you can submit your form.

Same problem here. I just emailed Brandon back to let him know we are having the issue with the submit button. Also, hooray for all of us! I hope it all works out!

Just got a tentative offer for Australia. Good luck all!