withoutwords Posted March 22, 2013 Posted March 22, 2013 Buzzkill Last week current EPA STAR Fellows received an email from the EPA stating that the federal budget sequestration would be affecting existing grant and fellowship agreements. The EPA has taken a siginificant hit to its budget due to the sequester, and this will likely affect new grant and fellowship awards as well. Current fellows have still not received any details as to how the sequester will affect us -- only a generalized letter promising a later follow-up. I have contacted my project officer, but have heard nothing. In my own research, I located a letter from Lisa Jackson to Congress regarding probable impacts of the sequester on the EPA budget and programs. The letter is dated February 6, 2013 and can be found online by googling "EPA sequester Jackson." In it, she states that the EPA would, under sequestration, reduce the number of STAR and GRO fellowships, "thus eliminating any new fellowships." Last year STAR Fellows were notified at the end of April -- rejections were sent out earlier that month. Given the current budget crisis, I would anticipate a lengthier wait this year as well as the possibility of a reduction in the number of new awards. I think it's also a very real possibility that there may not be new awards granted this year if Congress doesn't pass a budget and the sequestration remains in place through the end of the fiscal year (September.)
zhanger Posted March 24, 2013 Posted March 24, 2013 The U.S. Government's Fiscal Year 2013 ends on September 30, 2013. Does this mean the 2013 EPA Star fellowship awardees would be funded based on 2014 budget?? How does it work ?
SensLu Posted March 30, 2013 Posted March 30, 2013 So this thread is dead but is there anyone out there excited to know the results? I believe I read we'll know before may 1st
dcfryxell Posted March 30, 2013 Posted March 30, 2013 Sounds like the EPA is usually late in replying to many people. The whole thing seems rather unorganized. "A written evaluation provided by the external peer review will be provided to each applicant with an award or declination letter. If recommended to receive a fellowship, you should be contacted no later than May 1, 2013 and should subsequently receive your official notification of award in the late summer of 2013, for the fall term. Please note that this schedule may be changed without notification due to factors that were not anticipated at the time of announcement. The earliest anticipated start date for these awards is September 1, 2013."
SensLu Posted March 31, 2013 Posted March 31, 2013 Actually I just remembered my undergraduate mentor who sat on the panel several times told me that they have sometime made decisions early to certain groups and not announce all at once. So I guess there's not an exact date. And a PhD student who didn't win the award told me I'd know by June. Also I went back and read the email they sent all applicants sent in December and it said, "Review and evaluation will take approximately 6 months". Sort of contradicts the May 1st date. So I guess that's why this thread hasn't been active Lol.
GarbageNerdUCF Posted March 31, 2013 Posted March 31, 2013 My rejection letter from 2011 was dated 4/6. I know they already had the panel since my professor mentioned it in class.
ec1122 Posted April 1, 2013 Posted April 1, 2013 I am so anxious to find out. Last year the first set of rejection letters were dated 4/12. So it really could be any time now! Good luck everyone!!
ughgradschool! Posted April 2, 2013 Posted April 2, 2013 Yeah, those dates are very fluid. I also got last year's rejection in June...so it can take awhile. And I didn't even make the first cut - so its not like I got it late because I was one of the last contenders. It can just take awhile for them to get the paperwork out. So if you don't get a phone call when you hear other people are - I think you can assume you were not a winner. Like last year, even though I didn't get my actual rejection letter until mid-June, I think all of the decisions were made much earlier (April/early May). So yes the sequestration could delay the whole process, but keep in mind - if a lot of time (like a month) goes by from when other's start getting calls and you don't - its probably not the sequestration, you probably just didn't make the cut. I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer! I just don't want any first-time applicants to get their hopes up through mid-June like...ahem....some people did last year! Good luck everyone who is not in my FON! Just kidding - good luck EVERYONE!!
SensLu Posted April 2, 2013 Posted April 2, 2013 I decided if I did get it, I would decline the award. I already have the NSF GRFP fellowship and from my knowledge if I want to go into a PhD program, I can't apply for the NSF grant but I would at least have a second chance to apply for the EPA Star grant. So I'm going to use my reviews this year and hopefully make big improvements to apply for my PhD. With that said, my mentor who sat on the panel for a few years said they are more inclined to give the award to masters students when narrowing down the most qualified candidates. I don't know all the years he sat on the panel but I know he did in 2010 and 2011.
ec1122 Posted April 3, 2013 Posted April 3, 2013 So I'm guessing everyone is stalking this page like I am, or I hope so at least. So I thought I'd ask what's everyone's FON and what is your project on? I'm C2 - Nanotechnology, and I want to look at remediation of metal toxins on iron oxides in high ionic strength waters; sea water, brines, etc. Any other C2's?
GarbageNerdUCF Posted April 4, 2013 Posted April 4, 2013 EPA-F2013-STAR-A1 Emerging Environmental Approaches & Challenges (A1)
zhang22 Posted April 4, 2013 Posted April 4, 2013 So I'm guessing everyone is stalking this page like I am, or I hope so at least. So I thought I'd ask what's everyone's FON and what is your project on? I'm C2 - Nanotechnology, and I want to look at remediation of metal toxins on iron oxides in high ionic strength waters; sea water, brines, etc. Any other C2's? I applied for E3 because I'm working in subsurface remediation, but I kind of regret not choosing C2 since it's also relevant to my project. I decided if I did get it, I would decline the award. I already have the NSF GRFP fellowship and from my knowledge if I want to go into a PhD program, I can't apply for the NSF grant but I would at least have a second chance to apply for the EPA Star grant. So I'm going to use my reviews this year and hopefully make big improvements to apply for my PhD. With that said, my mentor who sat on the panel for a few years said they are more inclined to give the award to masters students when narrowing down the most qualified candidates. I don't know all the years he sat on the panel but I know he did in 2010 and 2011. That's what I was worried about. I came into my current program with a Master's degree in hand, and had the feeling that I had a higher chance of being cut while going for a PhD. Got rejected last year, and despite writing what I feel was a much better proposal than last years, I won't be too shocked if the big envelope of doom arrives in my mailbox.
ec1122 Posted April 4, 2013 Posted April 4, 2013 I applied for E3 because I'm working in subsurface remediation, but I kind of regret not choosing C2 since it's also relevant to my project. I was also between either E2 and E3 and the one I chose, mostly because my PI thought that one would be better.
dubstep:drop da NaOH Posted April 4, 2013 Posted April 4, 2013 I applied to E1. Has anyone else heard back from this category yet (or any other category)? I read the letter to Ms.Jackson on the EPA sequester cuts. It looks like they have only eliminated new awards for one category, sustainable and healthy communities. The safe and sustainable water resources section hasn't mentioned any star cuts...so maybe I can stay hopeful?
withoutwords Posted April 4, 2013 Posted April 4, 2013 I applied to E1. Has anyone else heard back from this category yet (or any other category)? I read the letter to Ms.Jackson on the EPA sequester cuts. It looks like they have only eliminated new awards for one category, sustainable and healthy communities. The safe and sustainable water resources section hasn't mentioned any star cuts...so maybe I can stay hopeful? Yeah I read this letter http://op.bna.com/env.nsf/id/fwhe-94wsd3/$File/EPALetter.pdf also and it's interesting how they only mention the fellowships under "The Sustinainable and Healthy Communities" section, but the fellowships are mentioned anywhere else. They say 45 fellowships will be reduced, I think between both the STAR and GRO (I think the under graduate research), I wonder how many are awarded to GRO vs. STAR, but that is a pretty significant chunk for just one section, as they only award about 80 fellowships a year
ecologist1234 Posted April 4, 2013 Posted April 4, 2013 can somebody link me to the EPA letter re: cutting The Sustinainable and Healthy Communities fellowships? The last post's link doesn't work.
gustyfoo Posted April 4, 2013 Posted April 4, 2013 can somebody link me to the EPA letter re: cutting The Sustinainable and Healthy Communities fellowships? The last post's link doesn't work. Just remove the "also" from the link
ecologist1234 Posted April 4, 2013 Posted April 4, 2013 Ah. Thanks. There goes my fellowship. So be it.
igresqc Posted April 4, 2013 Posted April 4, 2013 I applied under B3: Green Energy/Natural Resources Production & Use.
dcfryxell Posted April 4, 2013 Posted April 4, 2013 Has anyone talked with one of the EPA STAR staff lately about this?
MochaMocha Posted April 8, 2013 Posted April 8, 2013 I just want to point out that there are no EPA star FONs that are "Sustainable and Healthy Communities". I would also hope that the EPA would not just cut funding or a single group of applicants, since that just seems arbitrary. Additionally, if you look at the letter, there are other funding classes under the "Sustainable and Healthy Communities" that are not linked to FONs that have "sustainable and healthy communities" in the name. It looks like this letter might indicate that ALL "new fellowships" might be cut this year. It may also just mean they will award less overall (by 45). Either way, it seems like the subsection of this letter does not literally refer to a group of STAR FON categories. http://www.epa.gov/ncer/rfa/2013/2013_star_gradfellow.html http://op.bna.com/env.nsf/id/fwhe-94wsd3/$File/EPALetter.pdf
iowaguy Posted April 8, 2013 Posted April 8, 2013 http://op.bna.com/env.nsf/id/fwhe-94wsd3/$File/EPALetter.pdf Under the Sustainable & Healthy Communities: "thus eliminating any new fellowships" sounds like no more EPA Star fellows in that category, no? (maybe she meant to write "Safe & Healthy Communities?) Interesting that no other category mentions a reduction in the number of fellowships? I'm with you, I can't imagine they would just eliminate one category... Will be interesting to see if there are any STAR fellowships at all offered next round...
ughgradschool! Posted April 8, 2013 Posted April 8, 2013 Has anyone had the cojones to bug the contact people? I can't get myself to do it - because I don't want to hear what is likely bad news!
dcfryxell Posted April 8, 2013 Posted April 8, 2013 I emailed them a while ago with no response (its been 2 weeks). I'm sure the STAR staff is just as (and definitely more) upset that all their work went to waste if they did lose funding. I'm sure theyre busy figuring out what to do. Unlike the NSF, the EPA STAR staff don't have phone numbers posted so it is near impossible to get a hold of them
withoutwords Posted April 9, 2013 Posted April 9, 2013 NSF ended up being not effected for their fellowships, hopefully EPA won't as well!
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