Compoe

For what it's worth, you're not alone in the uncertainty. There's a lot riding on getting funding, and it's completely absurd that people have to wait until June, July, even August to know whether they can afford to go. :/

Also for what it's worth, there's still no letter for me in Montreal. I've set up a small notification trigger on the mailbox so I'll know if the mail has been delivered. I'll probably call SSHRC later if the letter isn't here after today's delivery.

And if they'd mailed them on Monday, then some people would have wished that the letters had been sent as soon as they were ready - which was apparently today.

SSHRC just can't win.

Well, unless they gave awards to all applicants along with complimentary boxes of chocolate.*

*: If you're reading this, SSHRC, I'm willing to negotiate on the specific number of chocolates per box. Call me.

Oh fuck.

Results have been mailed - https://twitter.com/#!/SSHRC_CRSH

Aimless....speculation. Wait for your letter. Try to relax.

That may be the case, and you have every right to be angered by the fact that some individuals are privileged enough to find out their results ahead of time; but, let's not lose sight of what this forum is for, to share information. So even though it is unfair that SleepyPhD received results before the rest of us, I don't see much sense in attacking him or her for providing us with what we want - information. Let's just try and keep the discussion cordial.

^ If you're in Humanities, the lack of publications usually isn't a big deal at all. It takes years to get published and I've been told that it's not until year 3-4 that having forthcoming publications becomes important. I know two people who won Super SSHRCS last year with zero pubs (one of whom also had 0 conferences too) but since they were just finishing up their MA year and entering PhD1, no one was expecting them to have done much work in their fields yet. And, in my case, my supervisor feels strongly that I should only go to the major conferences (in my field there are two respective conferences a year that are important) and avoid colloquiums/grad conferences/anything else because it's unnecessary, you won't make valuable connections and you'll waste time that could be spent writing articles for future publication and/or writing my dissertation. So I have very little activity in my field because I have only recently started working on material worth showing off at conferences.

Also, re: the other question about similarities between projects. My MA thesis was thematically related but I changed periods entirely. In terms of how similar the projects are, the only thing I've been told by multiple people is that you need to show growth (this is true even in terms of re-submitting SSHRC apps if you're unsuccessful) and ensure that they're not funding the same project twice so to speak. As in, if you got an MA SSHRC/OGS/other tri-council award for your MA thesis and your PhD thesis isn't much difference, what's the point in giving you more money to repeat the same research. So as long as you avoid that and make it clear that your new research is original, you'll be fine.

Also, I just want to add to help counter our anxiety that there's really no magic formula to getting these awards. I got an MA SSHRC for the worst proposal/mediocre grades/probably not very good references for instance. By contrast, highly successful, smart, accomplished people miss out on these awards just as frequently as less deserving people do. I know it's so hard to believe this when we're all broke but getting these awards is genuinely not a test of any worthiness. Deciding between proposals is, ultimately, an arbitrary process couched in the guise of other "credentials" to distinguish between applicants. It's a crap shoot, but all you can do is improve your odds by writing strong proposals, knocking the socks off your references and being active in your field. And pray/hope. Lots and lots of praying/hoping.

All of your logic, be silenced! For ye now dwelleth in the pits of bureaucracy, and Lo, no light of reason shall penetrate this chasm.

All of your logic, be silenced! For ye now dwelleth in the pits of bureaucracy, and Lo, no light of reason shall penetrate this chasm.

All of your logic, be silenced! For ye now dwelleth in the pits of bureaucracy, and Lo, no light of reason shall penetrate this chasm.

All of your logic, be silenced! For ye now dwelleth in the pits of bureaucracy, and Lo, no light of reason shall penetrate this chasm.

Yeah, it's kind of frustrating that they're releasing them on different days. I know a couple of days more of waiting after half a year isn't outrageous, but nerves are running high and WE JUST WANT TO FRIKKIN' KNOW, OKAY!? OKAY!?

Ahem..... sorry...

But when, specifically, in May? The 2nd? The 4th, but only after 2:51PM? Are they waiting for a specific star formation to be seen before knowing that it is the Right Time to release the results?

I'mma email them every three hours to ask.

But when, specifically, in May? The 2nd? The 4th, but only after 2:51PM? Are they waiting for a specific star formation to be seen before knowing that it is the Right Time to release the results?

I'mma email them every three hours to ask.

It begiiiiiiiiiiiins!

(Sorry, just having a bit of fun. And, no, I haven't called.)

It begiiiiiiiiiiiins!

(Sorry, just having a bit of fun. And, no, I haven't called.)

The reason NSERC is not answering is because they are working! Thousands of applicants, 50-100 Canadian schools and the budget was released Thrusday afternoon. I would tell my staff to ignore the phones until the letters have been sent if I were a boss.

Perhaps it is time to contact S. Harper or Elizabeth II? I check this forum for updates on the NSERC but everyday there are 5 new pages of people complaining about time and saying they are calling/emailing NSERC. Chill out, be patient, and wait. You will know ASAP. Stop bogging them down and over-posting this forum!

Stop being a bitch. Nobody likes a show-off, and you do it everywhere on this forum. It's tiring.

I'm actually kind of laughing about it now. I sort of picture a round table in a dark room, shadowy figures filing in quietly.

"Shall we finally release the results for the Masters scholarships?"
"Yes, I believe we shall..."
"Very well. How should I go about preparing the..."
"-BUT!... We will do this on the Friday before the May long weekend! And we will tell people the day before, so that they might inundate their department chairs and coordinators, only to be met by the isolation of unanswered phone lines and the harsh sting of out-of-the-office auto responses to the messages they have so lovingly crafted, spirits brimming with the hope that our silence has finally cracked."
"But, sir, is that not rather..."
"SILENCE. Do you not remember the purpose of our gathering?"
"..."
"So I thought. And one more thing... We will not actually release the results for two more weeks. This meeting is adjourned."

The camera leaves the room backwards, revealing a piece of paper taped to the door reading "Grad student torment committee meeting today. Refreshments following."

House lights up, crowd leaves theatre. Trash... everywhere.

I suppose that this clip would be appropriate right now, then.