EPA Star Fellowship 2013

[texasfight]

For those who received awards, what category were you in?

[Lumidee]

FON/Title: EPA-F2013-STAR-E3 – Safe and Sustainable Water resources: Water Quality-Hydrogeology and Surface Water

[guscrea]

Got my notice early this morning on the West Coast, too. Congrats to all the awardees, and thanks all for the collective effort to keep each other in the loop!  Keeping my fingers crossed that awards that have to be declined shift to other folks who didn't get an email!

 

For those who received awards, what category were you in?

texasfight, I am EPA-F2013-STAR-A1 Emerging Environmental Approaches & Challenges: Environmental Innovation (A1)

[dbg6ydr]

EPA-F2013-STAR-B2. Air, Climate & Energy: Global Change

[bigredoggy]

EPA-F2013-STAR-D2

Human Health Risk Assessment: Risk Assessment and Risk Management (D2)

[CCA-B2]

EPA-F2013-STAR-B2: Air, Climate & Energy: Global Change (B2)

[StanfordMonkey]

I'm EPA-F2013-STAR-B2: Air, Climate & Energy: Global Change (B2)

[Blue Gopher]

EPA-F2013-STAR-B2

Edited May 1, 2014 by Blue Gopher

[Benthon]

EPA-F2013-STAR-F1: SAFE AND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES: ECOSYSTEM SERVICES—AQUATIC SYSTEMS ECOLOGY.

 

For those of you who got an email, it seems like the new contact people are pretty much as unhelpful as the last, so if you have any questions about the survey I recommend you email them now. I know I had a lot of questions. It worries me how the survey is worded to talk about things happening in Fall 2012, especially since the last time I took a survey and assumed something, I almost lost out at my chance to receive the fellowship. Here are the questions I asked, in case you have them too. I will share the responses when I get them.

 

"The instructions for the sponsor letter refer to the fellowship beginning in Fall 2012 multiple times. Should my advisor use the same language, or should she refer to Fall 2014, when the fellowship will actually begin?

Also, I am having trouble deciding on which graduation date to write down on the Form 5770. I am projected to graduate in May 2016. However, if the EPA STAR fellowship must last for the entire year (i.e. cannot be prorated), and I start in September 2014, should I project my graduation date as August or September 2016 instead? I will need to ask for an extension in my degree program, but I would prefer this to forfeiting the fellowship for the 2015/2016 school year."

[jht]

Hello everyone and congrats to all winners! Thanks everyone for keeping this forum going for so long! I finally got my congratulatory email yesterday morning as well and I've decided to join in the forum since I am also having many questions about how to complete the necessary paperwork now. I was EPA-F2013-STAR-A1 Emerging Environmental Approaches & Challenges: Environmental Innovation (A1). 

 

Does anyone know where to upload form 5770? I think it needs to go in the files section of the FII, but it doesn't seem to have any specific upload section like the CV and media forms do .... and I'm also wondering if we scan and upload our own official transcripts because technically if the envelope they're in is opened then they aren't official anymore. If no one has these answers I'll go ahead and ask and let you all know what I find out

[withoutwords]

Do you guys know who your project officer is? It sounds like the person that emailed you that you got the award, so for me that is brandon jones. Do you guys have different POs? Or did you all get an email from brandon?

 

he Project Officer (PO) is located in NCER. This is probably the person who notified you that you were a fellowship finalist.

Edited May 1, 2014 by withoutwords

[Blue Gopher]

Hello everyone and congrats to all winners! Thanks everyone for keeping this forum going for so long! I finally got my congratulatory email yesterday morning as well and I've decided to join in the forum since I am also having many questions about how to complete the necessary paperwork now. I was EPA-F2013-STAR-A1 Emerging Environmental Approaches & Challenges: Environmental Innovation (A1). 

 

Does anyone know where to upload form 5770? I think it needs to go in the files section of the FII, but it doesn't seem to have any specific upload section like the CV and media forms do .... and I'm also wondering if we scan and upload our own official transcripts because technically if the envelope they're in is opened then they aren't official anymore. If no one has these answers I'll go ahead and ask and let you all know what I find out

Under the Fellowship Information Inventory there are a number of different tabs that are all part of the "questionnaire" that we have to complete. One of these tabs is named "files". You can upload any necessary documentation here. As far as the official transcript goes, my university (and many others I presume) has a system setup where you can receive official transcripts via email. I simply ordered one for myself, and then uploaded it with the other necessary documents. Under the instructions regarding the official transcript it says:

 

OFFICIAL COPY OF CURRENT TRANSCRIPT (REQUIRED; you will need to upload it into the questionnaire)

 

The fact that we will need to upload the document ourselves suggests that we're going to have to "handle" it in some way. If your institution doesn't offer an official pdf version, it may be that you will have to upload a scanned version of a hard copy...? 

Edited May 1, 2014 by Blue Gopher

[Blue Gopher]

Do you guys know who your project officer is? It sounds like the person that emailed you that you got the award, so for me that is brandon jones. Do you guys have different POs? Or did you all get an email from brandon?

 

he Project Officer (PO) is located in NCER. This is probably the person who notified you that you were a fellowship finalist.

to find out who your project officer is, you need to click on the tab entitled "programmatic" on the Fellowship Information Inventory. 

[malonzo]

Hi everyone --

 

Long time listener first time caller. Congrats to all on the successful wait.

 

I have received a little info from Brittany Gibau that is not the most critical stuff in the world but may be useful to some:

1. There is no EPA STAR conference in 2014. So for those of us who applied for 2 years of funding and ended up with 1 because of the delay we may not end up attending a conference at all (unless they take "alumni" in Sept of 2015)

2. The filling out of the International Travel Request Form: It was unclear to me whether we needed to fill this out if we were traveling internationally for a conference in the next 6 months but did NOT intend to use EPA funds. The answer, sensibly, is no, you do not need to fill this out.

 

Re: official transcript:  I have an email out with this question and I'll let y'all know if I hear anything.

 

Mike

[tayloria]

Hi everyone,

 

Been following along for a while, just now chiming in. Also waiting to hear about the transcript conundrum. Are we going to lose one year of our funding because of the delay? I didn't read anything about that and am a little confused based on the previous post. Anyone else have an idea? Thanks.

Edited May 1, 2014 by tayloria

[Blue Gopher]

Hi everyone,

 

Been following along for a while, just now chiming in. Also waiting to hear about the transcript conundrum. Are we going to lose one year of our funding because of the delay? I didn't read anything about that and am a little confused based on the previous post. Anyone else have an idea? Thanks.

I haven't heard anything about this either, and assumed that those of us that were funded were funded for the amount requested... ?

[malonzo]

Hi everyone,

 

Been following along for a while, just now chiming in. Also waiting to hear about the transcript conundrum. Are we going to lose one year of our funding because of the delay? I didn't read anything about that and am a little confused based on the previous post. Anyone else have an idea? Thanks.

 

Re: duration of funding ---  Just thinking about the funding from my very own perspective. I will graduate in one year so I assume I will only get one year of funding. Didn't mean to imply anything for others.

[jht]

Hi everyone --

 

Long time listener first time caller. Congrats to all on the successful wait.

 

I have received a little info from Brittany Gibau that is not the most critical stuff in the world but may be useful to some:

1. There is no EPA STAR conference in 2014. So for those of us who applied for 2 years of funding and ended up with 1 because of the delay we may not end up attending a conference at all (unless they take "alumni" in Sept of 2015)

2. The filling out of the International Travel Request Form: It was unclear to me whether we needed to fill this out if we were traveling internationally for a conference in the next 6 months but did NOT intend to use EPA funds. The answer, sensibly, is no, you do not need to fill this out.

 

Re: official transcript:  I have an email out with this question and I'll let y'all know if I hear anything.

 

Mike

Thanks, Mike! very helpful, let me know what you hear

[jht]

Under the Fellowship Information Inventory there are a number of different tabs that are all part of the "questionnaire" that we have to complete. One of these tabs is named "files". You can upload any necessary documentation here. As far as the official transcript goes, my university (and many others I presume) has a system setup where you can receive official transcripts via email. I simply ordered one for myself, and then uploaded it with the other necessary documents. Under the instructions regarding the official transcript it says:

 

OFFICIAL COPY OF CURRENT TRANSCRIPT (REQUIRED; you will need to upload it into the questionnaire)

 

The fact that we will need to upload the document ourselves suggests that we're going to have to "handle" it in some way. If your institution doesn't offer an official pdf version, it may be that you will have to upload a scanned version of a hard copy...? 

Thanks! I am trying to get my school to do the official transcript via PDF but I'm not sure if they'll budge on it. Otherwise, I guess we will just scan and upload if no other option available, and/or send by snail mail if that's preferred

[Solanox]

1) That's sad to hear that there's no 2014 conference .

 

2) I got an email from Brandon with the award notification first followed by an email with the same information from Andre Porter who I assume will be my main contact for questions regarding fund processing.

 

3) EPA-F2013-STAR-A3 Emerging Environmental Approaches & Challenges: Synthetic Biology for Environmental Purposes (A3)

[Lumidee]

I am getting really confused with all these paper work

[tayloria]

Bad news guys. I just got this email from Brandon:

 

The Fellowship period is independent of your academic schedule. Brittany is correct, because of the 2013 Sequester, original funding amounts will be 'less one year'. This is why we asked specific academic year questions in the survey you responded to in March. 
M. Brandon Jones, PhD 

 

Also, from Brittany in regards to official transcripts:

You should mail your official transcript to:   USEPA-ORD-NCER

                                                                                                2777 Crystal Drive (One Potomac Yard-South Building)

Room S-11323

Arlington, VA  22202

[malonzo]

Regarding transcripts, from Brandon this morning:

 

"Unofficial will suffice for now. 
M. Brandon Jones, PhD "

 

Mike

[StanfordMonkey]

Does anyone have information on the starting date of the award? Is it different for different awardees/schools? In the handbook it states: 

 

"The Project Period and the Budget Period indicate the start of the project and budget periods of your fellowship. Both periods have the same start and end dates for your Fellowship Agreement. For example, Jill Smith’s project period begins on September 14, 2008, and ends on September 14, 2010. This is an example based on a 2-year program. The Award Activation Notice determines the start date of the Project and Budget Periods."

 

I am wondering how to interpret this. 

[withoutwords]

Woah, Woah, woah, so we are only getting 2 years, 24 months of funding for 2014/2015 and 2015/2016? Or does he mean we just aren't getting money retroactively for 2012/2013, and we still will get funded for 2014/2015, 2015/2016, 2016/2017 for a total of 36 months?

 

Bad news guys. I just got this email from Brandon:

 

The Fellowship period is independent of your academic schedule. Brittany is correct, because of the 2013 Sequester, original funding amounts will be 'less one year'. This is why we asked specific academic year questions in the survey you responded to in March. 
M. Brandon Jones, PhD 

 

Also, from Brittany in regards to official transcripts:

You should mail your official transcript to:   USEPA-ORD-NCER

                                                                                                2777 Crystal Drive (One Potomac Yard-South Building)

Room S-11323

Arlington, VA  22202