EngineerAlvara

Hey, just following up. I took the UC Berkeley option. I haven't started but I'm excited and although I have some minor concerns, I am glad I made this choice. If there's anyone new to the school or anyone not new, I'm open to hanging out and meeting new people with the very little free time we will have over coffee or a drink. Also, totally into study groups or just comparing results for class/research and open to reviewing papers. email: engineer_alvara at berkeley dot edu

hahah maybe the slogan could be "grad stuff" jk

HM - E/VG, VG/E, E/E - Undergrad (graduated '17). Only bad notes were "However, the proposed research activities are not well linked to outreach." This is surprising since I stated that I am specifically intending to bring these research activities directly to underprivileged communities in the surrounding area during a summer REU. I guess the reviewer didn't read that far into the paragraph or doesn't value underprivileged communities as important outreach? I'm confused.

Hi all, I am having trouble making a decision between these schools. They each have really great things going for me there and I am interested in both. Columbia has unofficially offered me TA and RA opportunities, with the PI I am looking to work with saying he usually requires at least 3 semesters of TA from his students. The PI at Columbia is conducting research that I am really interested in and we have already spoken about what work I would be doing. He is involved with the administration stuff but is seemingly not that busy aside from his research and grant writing but seems to have time for students (approx 5 Ph.D. candidates). Berkeley is offering 2 yrs fellowship and the two PIs I am talking to are really cool older guys. One PI is also an administrative chair so I realize he might be not as involved, however, his students (approx 6 Ph.D. candidates) reassure me that he is very attentive, this PI also already has a few ideas for what I would work on and might request me to stick to this plan. The second PI is super laid back and has been very clear to me that he wants me to discover my own project and is very open with collaborations with other labs, he is also busy due to his large lab (approx 12 Ph.D. candidates). A lab outside of the Mechanical Engineering Department is doing the same work as the Columbia PI and has already agreed to work with me. I appreciate any input and thank you in advance.

Sorry for the late reply. The university offered me full funding, yes, but that funding was in the form of TA/RA offers. Just FYI. Contact the University first then see if they are going to fund you. Then if you find one, get back to GEM and they might list you.

Yes, it is up to the university. But for me what happened was I found a university that was already going to give me the funding and then I told GEM and they just listed me as a GEM Associate Fellow.

Hey, yes actually I got a lot of responses. It is a matter of persistence and making sure you actually initiate good first contact.

So, from what I understand there are three ways to contact the GEM employers. GEM Portal Apply to the company for any position Find the GEM positions with those companies and apply I did all three.

I recently had my Employer Member Status change from "matched" to "held" I have no idea what that means. I also emailed the GEM people and got a small response, didnt help much but here it is. "Thank you for contacting us at The National GEM Consortium. With regard to your MATCHED employer status, GEM Employers are actively reaching out to Complete 2018 GEM applicants right now. Please make sure your voicemail is updated with a professional outgoing message. Please respond within 24 hours to any requests for an interview or other GEM Employer inquiries. You will see your homepage Employer status change from held, unmatched, to matched, to released as your application is previewed by several Employers. Do not be concerned with this status. All GEM Employers can see your application and will outreach to interview, if potentially interested in sponsoring you as a GEM Fellow. Please be reminded, the employers select you, you do not select the employer. You are encouraged to interview with all employers outreaching to you, as you do not know who you are held by or matched with. Remember, this is an opportunity to be fully funded through your graduate STEM degree. The internship is for a 10-12 week period and there is no obligation beyond the required internship(s) to remain with an employer or for an employer to continue to engage or employ your beyond the fellowship internship commitment. This means, if you are not selected by your top pick employer, be mindful of the support opportunity and that if you decline the internship, you are declining the fellowship. Thank you, The National GEM Consortium"

I wanted to get the ball rolling here for the Ford Predoctoral Fellowship. Does anyone know the date of notification for awards?