For those who got the award as second years, is it true that it's pretty much impossible to be awarded without a strong publication record? Also, can our research proposal be the same as our thesis project (which would also fall under research experience), or does it have to be something different?
Don't work for Denmark if you go to UIUC. He's a slavedriver who makes his students sign hours contracts. And after giving up your life for 5 years, there's no guarantee you'll get a job in Pharma with the way the industry is headed.