MegSz

Sounds like you are doing everything right! That makes me wonder how much weight the selection committee puts on experience and how much is put into the actual proposal content - i.e. what they consider exciting research.

For sure! I had one first author pub at the time of applying, another first author ms submitted, and a second author ms submitted (first authors were my undergrad mentees). I had received a few small scholarships/award ($500-800) through local organizations like native plant societies. I had already completed at MSc, which definitely helps to line up the publications.

I received my acceptance for the CGS-D yesterday! I had applied directly to NSERC in Ecology & Evolution, and my last name starts with S. I am also doing my doctorate in the US so I'll have to accept the PGS-D instead