denidzo Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 @Higgins, others in terribad situations I've been reading through plenty of peoples trials and tribulations and your fiasco prompted me to finally register. Here's mine. :::snip::: I'm down to an interview I have this morning in another department for a TA, a USDA proposal we're submitting in June that I doubt will get funded, and the NSF GRF. All in all, you tend to persevere because... well... you have to. It's just shocking because you hear about these stories, but you never, ever think that it could happen to you. Welcome to the boards, rojo. It's amazing that, when you talk to folks outside grad school, they seem to think that everyone is funded, everyone has a nice easy life and we all live in an ivory tower. We aren't, we don't, and all of us are proof of that. Forge ahead, everyone, this will work out somehow. Luck to all of us, whether we hear today, tomorrow or whenever! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Higgins_the_Brave Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 Rojo's condition sucks even harder than mine. Really sorry man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liatris Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 I'm placing my bet for # of additional fellowships: number of pages in this forum @ time of announcement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Higgins_the_Brave Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 Somebody want to call them? I just really want to know if fastlane HAS the numbers or if people at GRFP HQ are still putting the list together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denidzo Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 Somebody want to call them? I just really want to know if fastlane HAS the numbers or if people at GRFP HQ are still putting the list together. I just called. The woman at GRFP said that the list is together, the NSF is working on getting the required folks to sign off on it. She said it would be by the end of the week, and I said that's what they told us last week ... and the week before that ... She said it would be sooner rather than later, with no guess as to date. Do we know anything more? Yes. Is it useful? No. Argh!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Higgins_the_Brave Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 Thanks for doing that. Well, that answers my question - it won't be today so I'm off to try and get all the cards I need for a new wallet (I lost mine last week). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denidzo Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 Well, since we are still on groundhog day, has anyone checked out wolframalpha.com yet? It went live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scienceteacher7 Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 By the end of this week?????? I was hoping it would be over today or tomorrow. This is eating a hole in my stomach. I was already an HM last year and I fixed the things that they commented on...reapplied...got put in this limbo and have been checking more and more...probably only to get an HM again like last year. I'm not in school right now and I will be a TA in the fall (I was a teacher so I like teaching)...but, I would love to get one fancy award once instead of being this HM/finalist/alternate thing and never ever getting bumped up. Actually, I think the non-ivory tower world is pretty rough. I worked the last three years and I think that the non-academic world isn't so easy either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liatris Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 I just called. The woman at GRFP said that the list is together, the NSF is working on getting the required folks to sign off on it. She said it would be by the end of the week, and I said that's what they told us last week ... and the week before that ... She said it would be sooner rather than later, with no guess as to date. ] One week is always one week away, why is that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denidzo Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 One week is always one week away, why is that? Interesting question, and one I hope I made clear to the woman on the phone that I am tired of seeing. A few days, at first, wasn't it? The it was two weeks, two weeks, two weeks, one week, one week. It's been 5 weeks, going on 6. If it's any indication, the folks who applied for straight NSF grants for research just found out they were approved or not at the end of last week. I think their deadline was the beginning of April. wasn't ours originally the middle of March? I forget, it's been so long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Higgins_the_Brave Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 email from info: "Unfortunately, for a number of reasons it is not possible for us to provide a specific date for notifications. We changed the message from approximately two weeks to approximately one week to signal that the notifications are getting closer. At this time we believe notifications will hopefully be forthcoming within the week, but this year's award process has been subject to so many atypical scenarios already, so we appreciate your understanding that we cannot provide applicants with a concrete notification date. We will, however, send the notices as soon as possible, as we are very much aware how anxiously many people are waiting for this information." No, I do NOT understand why information cannot be provided. I DO understand that there are many delays, that they are frustrated and that they are not sure when the notices will be sent. But why can't they keep us updated with information? Why can't they post "We have chosen awardees but the list has not been approved yet" on their website, so people know that things are happening? And why do they make us feel bad when we ask them what is going on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denidzo Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 email from info: "Unfortunately, for a number of reasons it is not possible for us to provide a specific date for notifications. We changed the message from approximately two weeks to approximately one week to signal that the notifications are getting closer. At this time we believe notifications will hopefully be forthcoming within the week, but this year's award process has been subject to so many atypical scenarios already, so we appreciate your understanding that we cannot provide applicants with a concrete notification date. We will, however, send the notices as soon as possible, as we are very much aware how anxiously many people are waiting for this information." No, I do NOT understand why information cannot be provided. I DO understand that there are many delays, that they are frustrated and that they are not sure when the notices will be sent. But why can't they keep us updated with information? Why can't they post "We have chosen awardees but the list has not been approved yet" on their website, so people know that things are happening? And why do they make us feel bad when we ask them what is going on? Give US the stupid list and let us pick the winners. I can work a computer, and can post them online somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdilks Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 The thing is, we're not asking for a specific date of release. We're asking for an estimate that isn't wrong by an order of magnitude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Higgins_the_Brave Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 I really do believe that the horribly wrong estimates aren't the fault of whomever answers the phones and emails at info@nsfgrfp.org. I think they really did believe it would be two weeks at first, and I think they are refusing to communicate with us now because they don't ;want that to happen to them again, and have to endure the backlash. But it does really bother me that they think the grad students can't tell the difference between their fault and not their fault: we can! Just talk to us already and we promise not to get mad at you; I at least would be extremely grateful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
self-assemble Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 I think this just elucidates how bureaucratic government funded grants can be. There is a lot more to this award than articulation of a sound scientific proposal. Before the names are released they are likely to assemble particular information on who was granted an award, because if any disparities arise people will cry foul. Or rather if other disparities are not observed people will also cry foul. It is a total crapshoot with unfortunate prestige and many who need this funding to continue their work. It is incorrect for us to expect that this process follow a rational course with such irrational, subjective, undefined judgment criteria. This being said - just release the damn list! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liatris Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 ...No, I do NOT understand why information cannot be provided. I DO understand that there are many delays, that they are frustrated and that they are not sure when the notices will be sent. But why can't they keep us updated with information? Why can't they post "We have chosen awardees but the list has not been approved yet" on their website, so people know that things are happening? And why do they make us feel bad when we ask them what is going on? Ditto. Especially since they are always saying that they are giving us all the information they have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
self-assemble Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 I am certain that the wait and lack of dissemination has something to do with meetings. They are having quite a few a day where little is accomplished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liatris Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 Meetings are those things where you talk about doing stuff instead of actually doing it, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hekog Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 No, I do NOT understand why information cannot be provided. I DO understand that there are many delays, that they are frustrated and that they are not sure when the notices will be sent. But why can't they keep us updated with information? Why can't they post "We have chosen awardees but the list has not been approved yet" on their website, so people know that things are happening? And why do they make us feel bad when we ask them what is going on? I'm not sure I agree with you here entirely. Even if they did update us with minute details about their progress, we'd still be sitting here waiting. I'm sure there are a few people here who might be getting haggled by their advisors for updates, but I really doubt the vast majority of us really have any practical reason for knowing whether they are on "Step 2: List is finalized. Need signature." or "Step 3: Signature received. Waiting for mailman." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Higgins_the_Brave Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 I'm not sure I agree with you here entirely. Even if they did update us with minute details about their progress, we'd still be sitting here waiting. I'm sure there are a few people here who might be getting haggled by their advisors for updates, but I really doubt the vast majority of us really have any practical reason for knowing whether they are on "Step 2: List is finalized. Need signature." or "Step 3: Signature received. Waiting for mailman." You're right, I suppose, that we would just use that information as a proxy for a timeline estimate, which they refuse to give us outright. If they refuse to give it to us I guess it's weird to ask for information so we can try to reconstruct it ourselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scienceteacher7 Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 I think this just elucidates how bureaucratic government funded grants can be. There is a lot more to this award than articulation of a sound scientific proposal. Before the names are released they are likely to assemble particular information on who was granted an award, because if any disparities arise people will cry foul. Or rather if other disparities are not observed people will also cry foul. It is a total crapshoot with unfortunate prestige and many who need this funding to continue their work. It is incorrect for us to expect that this process follow a rational course with such irrational, subjective, undefined judgment criteria. This being said - just release the damn list! I CANNOT AGREE WITH YOU MORE. RIGHT ON THE MONEY. THIS IS WHY I DON'T AUTOMATICALLY RESPECT TITLES...I JUDGE SOMEONE BASED ON WHAT THEY DID AND WHAT THEY DO, NOT WHO GAVE THEM AN AWARD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dudeblight Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 I judge people based on grammar, syntax, and haircut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mechEgirl Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 I feel like asking for them to update us with information on the timeline is a little too much to ask. . . seeing as how they never ACTUALLY informed us that we are in fact in limbo. They just left it for you to figure out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdilks Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 I'm not sure I agree with you here entirely. Even if they did update us with minute details about their progress, we'd still be sitting here waiting. I'm sure there are a few people here who might be getting haggled by their advisors for updates, but I really doubt the vast majority of us really have any practical reason for knowing whether they are on "Step 2: List is finalized. Need signature." or "Step 3: Signature received. Waiting for mailman." We were told "one more week" about 3 weeks ago. Without status updates, we've been forced to presume that the results coming out is imminent for about 2 weeks straight. If they would put something useful on the site like "Update, May 10th: Release of the results has been delayed at least an additional week due to whatever", everybody's life would be much happier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mijin Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 This is just too much now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now