EPA Star Fellowship 2013

[Heat_her_bee]

From the looks of things (based on the 2014 budget proposal) the EPA funding will be cut more and the NSF funding will increase a bit. I assume this translates to bad news for EPA STAR and sustained funding for the GRFP. Hard to say.

http://apps.washingtonpost.com/g/page/politics/president-obamas-2014-budget-proposal/94/

 

[ekpfeil]

Stumbled upon this today:

 

http://www.scgcorp.com/fellowship/

 

I am an F3 and I still have not heard anything yet.

[withoutwords]

I got this email from Bronda today saying the same thing:

 

 

I was waiting on the official language to share with those who had contacted me, but the official language just maintains the holding pattern for STAR fellowships.  I'll paste it below, but it can also be found in the "Special Announcements" box at http://www.epa.gov/ncer/fellow/.

 

EPA Fellowship Program Updates as of May 2013:

GRO
EPA intends to award new GRO Fellowships resulting from the Fall 2013 EPA Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Fellowships For Undergraduate Environmental Study RFA, subject to the availability of funds.

STAR
EPA intends to satisfy our commitments to fund existing STAR Fellowships awarded in 2012 and prior years, subject to the availability of funds. No decisions have been made regarding the Fall 2013 EPA Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Fellowships for Graduate Environmental Study RFA.

When we receive language regarding actions, I hope to have time to dig through e-mails and let all of you know.  I'm sorry you're dealing with an unusual year for the program.

 

Bronda

[MonocerosRhinoceros]

It kind of makes you feel bad for the people like Bronda who have to field all our questions without knowing much more than us.  I suppose everyone is just waiting for word from the top.

 

At least it seems like they won't be defunding current fellows (except they did leave a way out on that one: "subject to the availability of funds"). I know applying and having this year's program cut is painful, but imagine having the security of a 3 year fellowship pulled out from under your feet.  Scary stuff.

[Lumidee]

Who else got the Email from Brandon Jones?

[Heat_her_bee]

Yep. I got the email too. 

So crazy that they are taking so long to figure this out. 

 

 

[MonocerosRhinoceros]

And that the email was, as far as I could tell, taken verbatim from the announcement on the website.  No small, personal touch for those who are left hanging for months?  For shame.

 

Seriously though, what are the chances of them pulling this off at this point?  It's almost July.

[withoutwords]

And that the email was, as far as I could tell, taken verbatim from the announcement on the website.  No small, personal touch for those who are left hanging for months?  For shame.

 

Seriously though, what are the chances of them pulling this off at this point?  It's almost July.

Yeah I feel like it's more likely than not since it is so late in the game, but they were late in the past with a lot of stuff too, like paying fellows so this sort of thing (being months late) may not be totally out of the ordinary and they may just be like "okay we'll just figure this out in 3 months after the deadline"

[Heat_her_bee]

Oddly I heard that a colleague got a rejection in the mail this week... Maybe they are sending out another round? She's in GA.

[CCA-B2]

Oddly I heard that a colleague got a rejection in the mail this week... Maybe they are sending out another round? She's in GA.

 

That's interesting. Did this colleague offer more details other than just receiving a letter?

[Heat_her_bee]

No details really. Though I found out the rejection package went to a VA address (not GA) so maybe we can expect something early this week? Who knows.

 

 

[CCA-B2]

No details really. Though I found out the rejection package went to a VA address (not GA) so maybe we can expect something early this week? Who knows.

 

 

That seems fragmented...did she use an incorrect address and her letter was delayed or what this a rejection letter from the internal review? I'm not sure if I can glean anything from just the fact that she received a letter.

 

Thanks for the update, though.  

[Heat_her_bee]

Not incorrect address. Postmarked last week.

[CCA-B2]

Okay. Thanks. 

[sone461]

Odd.  No one else has received anything?  I can't decide whether or not to further increase my anxiety level again .

[CCA-B2]

I cannot believe that it is July and there is still no response. It is hard to speculate what the outcomes would be at this point. Anything new? 

[Heat_her_bee]

Emailed Brandon again today and he said, "There has been no change in the information." 

Apparently the late rejection letter was a fluke? 
Crazy. 

 

[withoutwords]

I know its like just give us something like, "Highly unlikely there will be funds" or "We are waiting until this date for a budget to pass"? 

[sone461]

I hate to be the group pessimist, but my understanding is that these fellowships do hinge on approval of a budget, and some experts are anticipating that once again, that is unlikely to happen until (at least) the 11th hour at the end of the fiscal year--September 30th.  Isn't particularly encouraging that cuts to scienctific research are mentioned in the second sentence of this article:

 

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/06/sequestration-budget-cuts-economy-93252.html

[withoutwords]

We should start making predictions about when we will hear back, I think the last week of this month.

[marshymarsh]

We should start making predictions about when we will hear back, I think the last week of this month.

 

Hi there. Based on what? Is something budget/policy-relevant happening at the end of this month? I thought that the end of September was the most likely, and thus our applications for this year are probably already moot at this point.

 

What I would love is if they would still 'award' the people who would have gotten it, even without the money. Better to have something to put on your CV versus the whole thing being a total waste.

[CCA-B2]

Sources: AAAS, Center for Biological Diversity, ClimateWire, Department of =
Agriculture, Department of Energy, Energy and Environment Daily, E&E News P=
M, Environmental Protection Agency, Greenwire, the Hill, House Appropriatio=
ns Committee, House Science, Space and Technology Committee, National Wildl=
ife Federation, US Fish and Wildlife Service, the White House

APPROPRIATIONS: HOUSE CJS BILL CUTS SCIENCE INVESTMENT

On July 9, the House Appropriations Committee released its Commerce, Justic=
e and Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of Fiscal Year (FY) 2=
014, which includes funding for the Department of Justice, Department of Co=
mmerce and several key science agencies for the coming fiscal year.

In total, the CJS bill includes $47.4 billion for FY 2014, $2.8 billion bel=
ow the FY 2013 enacted level and $350 million below FY 2013 when accounting=
 for implementation of sequestration. House Republicans have been drafting =
legislation under the assumption that sequestration will continue through F=
iscal Year 2014. Coupled with the fact that they are simultaneously seeking=
 to boost Department of Defense spending, non-defense discretionary spendin=
g programs are set to undergo even further spending declines if their bills=
 are enacted.

For the first time in years, the National Science Foundation (NSF) would se=
e a significant reduction in funding under the bill compare to the enacted =
level in the previous fiscal year. NSF would receive $7 billion in FY 2014,=
 $259 million below the enacted level in 2013 pre-sequestration and $631 mi=
llion below the president's budget request.  Other key science agencies und=
er the jurisdiction of the bill include:

* National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: $4.9 billion, $89 millio=
n below the FY 2013 enacted level.
* National Aeronautics and Space Administration: $16.6 billion, $928 millio=
n below the FY 2013 enacted level.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration cut of $89 million is n=
ine percent below the FY 2013 enacted amount. Funding would be maintained f=
or the agency's weather and satellite programs. The Joint Polar Satellite S=
ystem would receive $824 million in FY 2014 and the Geostationary Operation=
al Environmental Satellite program would receive $955 million. Research and=
 fisheries management programs are expected to bear the burden of the cuts.

For additional information on the bill, click here:

http://appropriations.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=341771

Edited July 15, 2013 by CCA-B2

[MonocerosRhinoceros]

Good lord.  Thanks for sharing that info.  It doesn't look particularly positive for us at the moment, does it?  And with NOAA getting the axe such as they are, I wonder how the Nancy Foster Scholarship will be affected...

 

Grim times, my friends.  Soldier on.  (Department of Defense spending is to be boosted, so soldiering may still be profitable)

Edited July 15, 2013 by MonocerosRhinoceros

[withoutwords]

Hi there. Based on what? Is something budget/policy-relevant happening at the end of this month? I thought that the end of September was the most likely, and thus our applications for this year are probably already moot at this point.

 

What I would love is if they would still 'award' the people who would have gotten it, even without the money. Better to have something to put on your CV versus the whole thing being a total waste.

we should all ask them to do that, give an award without the money, it really shouldn't take them too much time you would think

[CCA-B2]

This may seem like a reach, but maybe we will hear something soon, given the Senate confirmed the new EPA Administrator yesterday. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/07/18/senate-confirms-gina-mccarthy-as-next-epa-administrator-in-59-to-40-vote/