DOE SCGF

[iLikeTrees]

Anybody out there know anything about the DOE SCGF that was new last year?

I keep checking the website to see if it is continuing to be funded or anything changed from last year and it doesn't look like it's been updated recently. Last year the deadline was Nov. 30, so if I'm going to apply, I really should start working on it now, but don't want to waste my time if it's not being funded.

[kkompiles]

I was wondering the same thing. I've been checking it every day... Last year it opened Sept 30th. It's now over 2 weeks past....

I know they were based on the ARRA funding (American Recovery R..? Act)....

[kmh0277]

It worries me also; my guess is that it will open November 1st, but we should be getting some information in the next week or so. Are you both applying for the NSF fellowship as well?

On the plus side, the DOE fellowship will be a lot less competitive if it falls after the NSF deadlines for acceptance because most of the really strong applications will be accepted within the 1,000+ spots for NSF. I doubt anyone is going to turn down the NSF with hopes that they get the DOE (150-200 fellows) a month later. This is where I swoop in with my revised application, lol.

[iLikeTrees]

I already did a masters and am not eligible for the NSF anymore, so I'm not currently working on a similar grant that I can just re-hash and don't want to waste my time if there's no funding. :-/ As for the acceptances, last year the notifications were made around the same time, so I don't think anybody was forced to respond before they got both notifications.

I emailed the address listed on the website at the end of last week... so far no response. At this point I think I might just forget about applying for grants this year and focus on getting my MS research published instead. It'll mean there's a few things I won't be able to apply for anymore, but at least it'll be easier on my sanity.

[kmh0277]

I emailed the same address a little over a week ago and they responded...

"Please check the SCGF web site periodically for announcement of the opening of the fellowship program for FY2011. The web address is http://scgf.orau.gov/"

I wouldn't spend too much time working on essays because I think the format is likely to change. I'm pretty sure the DOE fellowship essays were taken directly from the NSF essay format, and the NSF format changed this year. It is possible that the DOE format will change to again match the NSF. So if you want to work on your application and you are not applying for the NSF, I would highly recommend that you work mainly on your Proposed Research Plan essay because they are almost identical between NSF and DOE. This way, if they do change the format, you wouldn't have wasted any time. Also, this is usually the hardest essay and takes the longest amount of time to write anyway.

[kmh0277]

I emailed the same address a little over a week ago and they responded...

"Please check the SCGF web site periodically for announcement of the opening of the fellowship program for FY2011. The web address is http://scgf.orau.gov/"

[kkompiles]

I emailed the same address a little over a week ago and they responded...

"Please check the SCGF web site periodically for announcement of the opening of the fellowship program for FY2011. The web address is http://scgf.orau.gov/"

Wow, congrats on them actually responding to your email! I had no such luck.

I am still beginning to think they are "vaporware". Why would you delay the opening of an application if you have the infrastructure from last year and the funding allegedly allocated.... Sketchy....

[kmh0277]

The website has been updated... slightly....

"The FY 2011 application period is currently pending final FY 2011 federal appropriations decisions. Please stay tuned. Application materials cannot be accepted until the application period opens."

So we can probably expect more fellows for this year! The "Application Information" section has been removed, so they might be modifying the application; my guess the required essays.

[kkompiles]

Application materials cannot be accepted until the application period opens."

The "Application Information" section has been removed,

They probably removed the "application info" (& address) because of jerks like me pre-emptively sending transcripts.

[kkompiles]

Ok. It's Nov 10th. I'm officially not applying. I am so sick of recommendation letters, and the thought of asking for another round just isn't worth it.

[kmh0277]

Ok. It's Nov 10th. I'm officially not applying. I am so sick of recommendation letters, and the thought of asking for another round just isn't worth it.

I know how you feel; just finished the last essay for NSF and don't care if the DOE opens anymore...

[acornrawr]

I'm confused. Is the DOE SCGF (http://scgf.orau.gov/) the same as the DOE SSGF (http://www.krellinst.org/ssgf/). Is there any word out when the SCGF will be open for applications or approximately when they'll be due?

Thanks!

[kmh0277]

"A new cohort of 170 Fellows will be funded in FY 2011, joining the first cohort of 80 from FY 2010 and 80 supported by the Recovery Act." This is from the Budget proposal to Congress submitted by DOE and is not actually backed by funding...

"The House Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee drafted a $34.7 billion FY 2011 funding bill that allocates $1.5 billion or 5.6 percent less than the Administration requested for the Department of Energy. The subcommittee's bill would essentially freeze the budget for the Office of Science in FY 2011."

So, I guess that we can expect a maximum of 170 fellows for FY 2011 given that the department is currently sorting out a $1.5 billion deficit.

[kkompiles]

I'm confused. Is the DOE SCGF (http://scgf.orau.gov/) the same as the DOE SSGF (http://www.krellinst.org/ssgf/). Is there any word out when the SCGF will be open for applications or approximately when they'll be due?

Thanks!

These are two different things.

The SSGF has been around for a while. You owe some sort of internship, and are expected to at least look for DOE employment afterwards. I think it's renewable for 4 years. You have to maintain a Plan of Study with the DOE throughout your graduate career. (I'm assuming because this one is older and more established, its budget was allocated far in advance.)

The SCGF one was brand new last year. It's for 3 years, and you don't owe any committment/internships. It's funded by some of the Recovery money. However....it appears to not be happening any time soon. One could speculate that it won't be due less than 6 weeks after it opens (so Jan/February-ish)...assuming it ever opens...

[caulfieldh]

Any news? Did anyone call to ask what's going on?

I already have NSF but an extra 10k never hurts.

[kmh0277]

I don't think they will release information before posting it on their website.

Caulfieldh, can you still apply given that you're already funded by NSF?

I do know that the SCGF was funded by the American Recovery Act for the first year only, so they had to switch to another source that apparently didn't pan out for this year. I don't know if they are in the process of requesting funds from another source or not, but I'm under the assumption they are given that the website still says "Please Stay Tuned." Normally, if they had a soul, they would just remove the application tab completely and note that they wouldn't have funding for 2011.

I'll try to find out more...

[Krypton]

What was the application like last year? Was the research proposal basically similar to the one you wrote for NSF?

[kmh0277]

What was the application like last year? Was the research proposal basically similar to the one you wrote for NSF?

I didn't apply for the first year of the DOE, but everything was left up on the site until November last year and it was basically the same. NSF has a page limit of 2 pages while the DOE had a word limit of 1,200, I think. Shouldn't take much work to modify an NSF proposal for the DOE if it ever opens.