EPA STAR Fellowship

[frenchpress]

To those who applied for the EPA STAR fellowship: Have you heard anything yet?

I know of one poster on the board who was notified of their acceptance already.

I haven't heard anything yet. Not sure if that's good or bad or neutral.

[Botanista]

I got a phone call yesterday, but it was very cryptic. The woman said I would get an email and a packet of paperwork, and that once I sent back the paperwork they could send me an official award. I think it means that I got one, but am holding off on celebrating until I get something more concrete.

[frenchpress]

Yeah, I'd say you scored on that, botanista! That's fantastic news: congrats!

[UnlikelyGrad]

I haven't heard anything either.

[frenchpress]

Unlikely grad. what FON did you apply under? I'm under the Surface Water Quality: Hydrogeology one. Maybe they're issuing awards by FON or something and they just haven't gotten to ours yet?

[UnlikelyGrad]

Unlikely grad. what FON did you apply under? I'm under the Surface Water Quality: Hydrogeology one. Maybe they're issuing awards by FON or something and they just haven't gotten to ours yet?

I don't remember the name but it was one of the last ones on the list.

Personally, I think I'll have a better shot at this thing 2 years from now. The 'no pubs' thing is really coming back to bite me.

[LockeOak]

My experience was the same as Botanista's. Technically, those that have been picked aren't allowed to tell anyone (at least officially) for legal reasons, don't ask me why. That said, I received a phone call yesterday morning notifying me that I would be receiving the award and to expect paperwork soon.

Edit: I applied under the Global Change FON.

Edited April 8, 2010 by LockeOak

[anir-dendroica]

I applied under the Energy FON and was notified yesterday morning at 9 am PST. My call was from Jose, an (the?) EPA Fellowships Project Officer, and he was very clear that I had been selected but that I need to tell them by the 13th whether I will accept the award, at which point they will send more information. Jose did, at my request, send me an e-mail with contact information so I could see some notification "in writing." I didn't hear the "don't tell anyone" thing...

Rejected by NSF, no call yet from the DOE SCGF and with only a 5% award rate I am assuming rejection. I will wait for NDSEG announcements tomorrow, but even in the unlikely event that I get that one (with a significantly higher stipend) I might choose the STAR because it provides research funding and ideologically I would prefer to be funded by the EPA rather than the DOD.

The STAR was by far the most difficult and involving application, and right now I'm feeling glad that I stuck it out.

[LockeOak]

I applied under the Energy FON and was notified yesterday morning at 9 am PST. My call was from Jose, an (the?) EPA Fellowships Project Officer, and he was very clear that I had been selected but that I need to tell them by the 13th whether I will accept the award, at which point they will send more information. Jose did, at my request, send me an e-mail with contact information so I could see some notification "in writing." I didn't hear the "don't tell anyone" thing...

Rejected by NSF, no call yet from the DOE SCGF and with only a 5% award rate I am assuming rejection. I will wait for NDSEG announcements tomorrow, but even in the unlikely event that I get that one (with a significantly higher stipend) I might choose the STAR because it provides research funding and ideologically I would prefer to be funded by the EPA rather than the DOD.

The STAR was by far the most difficult and involving application, and right now I'm feeling glad that I stuck it out.

I had a different Project Officer. He mentioned the "don't tell people" rule (it's also mentioned in the handbook), but I took it to mean that you shouldn't have your school/department make any official announcements until the paperwork was complete. This can apparently take a while. I committed to accept it immediately since the only other fellowship I applied for this year was the NOAA Nancy Foster. I just received a rejection email from that 5 minutes ago, but who cares? I only need one

[UnlikelyGrad]

The STAR was by far the most difficult and involving application

Yeah, it sure was!!

OK, I checked the FON listing, and I think I applied under Land Protection. (My proposal is on a USB drive in my desk drawer at school, so I can't actually look it up right now.)

[science time]

"EEP! I got the call! I gave a cautious "woo hoo!" Does anyone know who official this unofficial phone call is? i.e do people ever not receive the fellowship once they've made it to this point, as the handbook calls it the "finalist" stage?

[Botanista]

That is my question too. I am trying really hard not to get excited about this until I receive something more official than the phone call. I am worried that there is still some other review stage and that I won't really get the fellowship. Has anyone gotten an email or something in the mail?

[LockeOak]

Yeah, I'm trying not to get super excited, but I was explicitly told by a project officer to read the handbook, the first page of which reads: "Congratulations! Welcome to the EPA competitive graduate fellowship programs." I also asked him "Are there any more review processes?" to which he responded "No." Therefore, I'm assuming I have the fellowship... so open a beer or a bottle of wine

[Brittney1styear]

Just to be clear, those who have gotten notification about receiving the fellowship are senior undergraduates? Has anyone received a phone call that is currently in grad school?? Thanks =)

[Botanista]

I am already enrolled in a program and I got the phone call.

[Brittney1styear]

=( Crud. I guess that's it then, if you haven't received a call by now than it's a no-go? Why do you suppose that they asked you to commit by the 13th?

[marshymarsh]

Hey guys. I also applied to global change and i haven't heard either... Feel like it's not a great thing. Has anyone been officially rejected yet?

[seaside]

I applied under the "green materials" FON, and also have not heard anything as of yet. I'm wondering if they are waiting to hear how many students accept their initial round of offers (in lieu of other fellowships), and then moving down an internal waitlist until all of the fellowships have been disbursed.

[frenchpress]

I applied under the "green materials" FON, and also have not heard anything as of yet. I'm wondering if they are waiting to hear how many students accept their initial round of offers (in lieu of other fellowships), and then moving down an internal waitlist until all of the fellowships have been disbursed.

That sounds likely.

I called earlier this week and they are either very disorganized or being mum. They said that rejections were going out "soon," probably starting April 15. They demurred when I mentioned that other people seem to have received offers already, but they did say it could be as late as May 30 to find out if you've won.

From what we know here, they seem to be making offers in rounds, calling people on Mondays.

[seaside]

With the small sample size here, it is hard to get a grasp of whether or not offers have been made to all of the FON's. Could it also be possible that they are being sent out as decisions are made within each FON?

[LockeOak]

I found out that another grad student in another department at my university got a phone call last week as well. I don't know to which FON they applied. My impression from an email exchange with a program officer is that they are finalizing the list, weeding out those that are taking other fellowships, etc. All of my contact with them has been strangely cagey... if the CIA had a fellowship program, this would be it.

[frenchpress]

Anyone hear anything new? Radio silence over here.

[seaside]

Nothing new to report, unfortunately.

[kona]

any rejection notices yet?

[LockeOak]

The number of people at my university that have been contacted, including myself, is up to three.