NSF GRFP

[blah2009]

so...I got very good, very good, and excellent on my intellectual merit. And three goods for broader impacts...sigh. They tell me I need to discuss broader impacts more in my research statement, and potentially do more leadership and educational integration stuff. I spent so much time on broader impacts though. ugh.

[poppinfresh]

Hello all, I got an HM, but the comments were generally positive. Thanks for keeping me entertained!

[Dead Skunk 2]

Apparently math was one of the fields getting a lot of awards. Math had about forty new awards by my count, about 1/7 of all new awards.

[skinkididoo]

Yeah, i think geosciences got a good number of new ones, too

[ucgrad]

Hi all,

I've been following this since page 11 and apparently I fell through the cracks with no email ever being sent. I'm crushed and have no one to share this with but you all this time and just needed to say that. Congrats to those who got the HM and the Fellowships.

You aren't the only one. I also never received any emails.

[confused2009]

Its just so painful. I rather of been given a rejection notice a month ago, since I'm assuming thats whats going to happen.

[Dead Skunk 2]

You aren't the only one. I also never received any emails.

There's an email address to contact on the fastlane page: info@nsfgrfp.org . I'm sure you're sick of waiting and want to know now, and I can't blame you, but I just wanted to make sure you knew about it.

[confused2009]

There's an email address to contact on the fastlane page: info@nsfgrfp.org . I'm sure you're sick of waiting and want to know now, and I can't blame you, but I just wanted to make sure you knew about it.

Thanks, I've already sent an email. I'm guessing I won't get a reply until tomorrow.

[confused2009]

Well technically I mean later today.

[mijin]

I feel into the NSF crevice myself. A traumatic experience indeed. For those of you who feel through the cracks you can get your rating sheet to see how you did. The link was posted earlier.

[shuette]

WHOOO!!!!! HM! YES!!!!!

[Hekog]

HM! But with odd rating sheet results:

I got VG/VG/E and VG/VG/E. The only remotely negative comment I have is "Although there are some bumpy spots in his transcript" (referring to a slump I had sophomore year), "the applicant has shown that he has improved and matured". And that was from the guy that gave me the E!

So all in all I have no idea what I should focus on differently for next year. Maybe that "bumpy spot" (which isn't even THAT bumpy.. a few B's and a C) is going to ruin me forever.

[hartshorneBoy]

By the way, if anyone is wondering about the proportionality, the first wave had 22 mathematicians, and now there are 63. Definitely not proportional.

Also, G/E, E/VG, E/VG in math got me a fellowship. (I was first wave too)

[sterculus]

I got it!

[egosumliber]

OK, I'm going to complain for a second. I got the NDSEG, so it's a little hard for me to complain about anything; I got HM just now, which by itself I'm not so bothered about, but my comments are a little disturbing (if I had more legitimate comments and still got HM, I wouldn't feel so bad).

I got an E/G, E/VG, and E/G; my broader impacts comments essentially consisted of them asking why I didn't mention how I would involve K-12 activities (which I don't believe was required in the Broader Impacts), in addition to saying I could consider all the broader impact criterions to further strengthen my application. Though they mentioned how I gave the broader impacts of my undergraduate career (Tau Beta Pi, an engineering workshop for K-12 students, the impact of my research on society...).

I'm really just not quite sure how the comments on my Broader Impacts are relevant? It seems like they acknowledged how I talked about the broader impacts of my previous work and my planned work, but I didn't address every single broader impacts topic possible (which I doubt any NSF applicant did or should?).

Again, I'm not trying to complain that I got HM (though it certainly would have been nice to do better), it just seems like all my reviewer comments on the broader impacts section are almost not relevant or important.

[NSFuckinA]

For those who have noted that there are no awards in your field, what were your reviews like?

Mine were a bit harsh, and I'm wondering if the reviewers in a given field have a tendency to shoot themselves in the feet if they review proposals too intensely (in comparison to other fields).

[Dead Skunk 2]

By the way, if anyone is wondering about the proportionality, the first wave had 22 mathematicians, and now there are 63. Definitely not proportional.

Also, G/E, E/VG, E/VG in math got me a fellowship. (I was first wave too)

Interesting. I was second wave, but I can't see my ratings sheets. For what it's worth there are only 14 mathematicians with HM, so they definitely decided to fund a very high percentage of the mathematicians that were deemed worth funding.

[kdilks]

Apparently math was one of the fields getting a lot of awards. Math had about forty new awards by my count, about 1/7 of all new awards.

No complaints here. :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

[Dead Skunk 2]

No complaints here. :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

I can't complain either, but I'm really surprised. I thought ARRA was supposed to be a green stimulus bill, and I expected this to be reflected in the fields of the winners.

[math123]

mathematics. got nothing with vg/g and e/e

i hate nsf and the people on these panels. they are so inconsistent in what they say they are looking for.

[liatris]

HM for me. Congrats to all, hope everyone who really needed it got it so they can keep doing great science and that everyone else will keep doing great science anyway.

[snowblossom2]

Thanks to everyone - this forum has kept me insane.

I am pleased to say that I was selected!

Good luck to everyone next year! (This was my second time applying)

[scienceteacher7]

I got an HM for the second year (after correcting what they told me to correct last year). My ratings were VG/VG, VG/E, and E/E...higher than my ratings last year but no award They gave out more awards, but I didn't get one.

I emailed a bunch of my friends how sad I was and, to make matters worse, one told me to be careful who I complained to because science was small and I would get labeled as crazy, bitter, or resentful and then wouldn't get anything ever and my career would be over before it started, etc. etc.

I propose that we all make some resolutions if we ever get into a position of power...

1. thou shalt not take an additional 6 weeks to publish results of the NSF

2. thou shalt not give an award to one applicant with a lower rating, whilst giving an HM to an applicant with a higher rating, thus confusing all applicants

3. thou shalt retain dignity, fairness, transparency, and honesty thoughout thine academic career

4. thou shalt remember to behave once thou acquires power

[nsfhopeful]

HM. My field only got 4 additional awards this round. 44 HM total. My reviews were all the same: E/VG I needed to more specifically address broader impacts of my study, even though I "did a good job" addressing broader impacts...

[mtlve]

Congrats to everyone that got the award. I am glad the wait is over!

Question for 2nd years who applied:

If you took time off before grad school (to do something in your field), were you actually told you were ineligible? The Director, Bill Hahn, told me that this time counts as grad school and I would not be eligible my second year. This review process is not very formal, so I am wondering if there is a way to get by this. Has anyone actually done this?

Thanks