NSF GRFP 2014-2015

[Monochrome Spring]

Is anyone else who is currently in a graduate program participating in a course that is specifically working on the NSF GRFP research proposal?

[Munashi]

Is anyone else who is currently in a graduate program participating in a course that is specifically working on the NSF GRFP research proposal?

 

*Raises hand*

[Monochrome Spring]

*Raises hand*

 

Are you finding it helpful? Mine is a course for proposals in general, but we have a small working group for GRFP applicants. We have our prospectus due this week, but it has been helpful to hear what professors who have been on these panels think is important.

[Munashi]

I'm finding it helpful so far.  This course is specifically geared towards NSF, and the prof has been a reviewer before so they have some helpful insight.  We get feedback from the prof and also from our peers.  At this stage, we've gotten feedback on a first draft of the research statement and a first draft of the personal statement.  Draft 2 is coming up soon.  Essentially it's just a lot of refining, but again - the prof has some great insights.  It's been worth the effort so far.

When you say prospectus, how much detail do they want you to go into?

[Monochrome Spring]

I'm finding it helpful so far.  This course is specifically geared towards NSF, and the prof has been a reviewer before so they have some helpful insight.  We get feedback from the prof and also from our peers.  At this stage, we've gotten feedback on a first draft of the research statement and a first draft of the personal statement.  Draft 2 is coming up soon.  Essentially it's just a lot of refining, but again - the prof has some great insights.  It's been worth the effort so far.

When you say prospectus, how much detail do they want you to go into?

 

The prospectus is our 2 page research proposal. The course requires a 5 page final proposal. So the prospectus is essentially our GRFP application. I don't think we're getting feedback on the personal statement.

[Munashi]

As I understand it, the research statement is the most important piece anyway so I doubt you're missing much in that respect.

[Cookie]

As I understand it, the research statement is the most important piece anyway so I doubt you're missing much in that respect.

 

This fellowship funds the person, not the project. Both essays are equally important.

[juilletmercredi]

Do you guys know how strict the disease related rule is? I do research in biophysical modeling but the specific current application has been related to a medical issue. I could apply our methods to a large number of different things but the current application is a pretty big issue right now that is getting a lot of attention and I know I could write a great proposal about it. Do you know if a situation like this is ok? Do you they just want to avoid someone doing a drug development sort of project or do you think my project would be pushing it and I should change it a bit?

 

I made a post about that directly above yours.  Basically, I have no idea on a more general level - it kind of depends on your individual study section/panel of reviewers, I would imagine.  I do disease related research and I still managed to get an NSF, but in my proposal I "stepped back" and made the proposal more about the basic-ish science behind my work.  (Not too basic, as I am an applied scientist by nature!)  In my paragraph about the applications/implications of the research I did briefly mention that it could be applied to HIV prevention interventions within public health.  My project was also about tracking substance use in a vulnerable population, so it was pretty health-related if not exactly disease-related, but I still got the NSF.

 

Since your research has an application to a medical issue but can be applied more widely, I would focus the majority of your statement on the modeling research you do itself.  When you have a paragraph about the broader impacts/applications of your work, you can mention the medical application as one of the potential benefits to doing your work.  I think the NSF is concerned that you are not doing specifically disease-oriented work, but not necessarily about whether your work is applied to solve disease-related problems.  They just want to fund people who are doing more basic scientific work instead of developing cures or interventions, I think.

[hb19]

This fellowship funds the person, not the project. Both essays are equally important.

 

Great point. It's common for people to say that their project/proposal wasn't funded, but the GRFP doesn't fund any projects--only people. My reviewers (Award Offered, 2014) had plenty to say about personal details.

[Cookie]

My reviewers (Award Offered, 2014) had plenty to say about personal details.

 

Same here. I also want to add that my school has multiple workshop series for NSF-GRFP to target both personal statement+research proposal. The director of grants & fellowships stressed many times that its not possible to win with just one good essay.

Edited September 24, 2014 by Cookie

[DSYIII]

Hi everyone. I have a question about recommendation letter writers. I know that one of my letters will be coming from my graduate advisor, but I am uncertain of who to turn to for the others. I did not do research as an undergrad, and as a result there isn't really anyone from that institution who could write a compelling letter about me personally. I have spent the past 15 months volunteering in the lab that I am now a 1st year grad student in, and the people who can convincingly attest to my merits as a thinker/researcher are all currently contained within my research group. I have worked closely with 2 postdocs during my time in the lab, and they could likely write detailed and compelling letters about my research and outreach. Are letters from postdocs so devalued by the committee that I would be better off going with a PI from another lab at my current institution who is only somewhat aware of my research, and almost entirely unaware of me as an individual? Any insight would be appreciated!

[Monochrome Spring]

Hi everyone. I have a question about recommendation letter writers. I know that one of my letters will be coming from my graduate advisor, but I am uncertain of who to turn to for the others. I did not do research as an undergrad, and as a result there isn't really anyone from that institution who could write a compelling letter about me personally. I have spent the past 15 months volunteering in the lab that I am now a 1st year grad student in, and the people who can convincingly attest to my merits as a thinker/researcher are all currently contained within my research group. I have worked closely with 2 postdocs during my time in the lab, and they could likely write detailed and compelling letters about my research and outreach. Are letters from postdocs so devalued by the committee that I would be better off going with a PI from another lab at my current institution who is only somewhat aware of my research, and almost entirely unaware of me as an individual? Any insight would be appreciated!

 

A compelling letter from a postdoc is better than a bland letter from a professor. It would hurt your application more to have a bad letter (a bland letter can be considered bad).

[luke8ball]

Hi Everyone! I have a quick question. 

 

In the solicitation, it says that we should include separate statements that address each of the merit criterion within our essays. I'm a bit confused. Does that mean that we must structure our writing with headings for each? Or - on the other hand - would it be acceptable to mention these criterion  within our essay via directly addressing it or using a superscript?

[Monochrome Spring]

Hi Everyone! I have a quick question. 

 

In the solicitation, it says that we should include separate statements that address each of the merit criterion within our essays. I'm a bit confused. Does that mean that we must structure our writing with headings for each? Or - on the other hand - would it be acceptable to mention these criterion  within our essay via directly addressing it or using a superscript?

 

You can do either. Some people use explicit headings for IM and BI, and others don't. Regardless, you'll have them interwoven into multiple places within your statements. The headings simply make those sections more obvious to reviewers (who may not notice anyway).

Edited September 28, 2014 by Monochrome Spring

[Powerup McMisterpants]

Hi guys,

 

Just wanted to throw in my two cents of advice. I was lucky enough to get the award last year (in the ecology section). A few thoughts for you going through the process:

 

1. I used IM and BI headings and I think it was helpful. Reviewers read a ton of these. It's as much about making their life easy as anything else. 

2. Write your personal statement as a story, but use IM and BI headings. Stories are memorable. A bunch of good-sounding sentences are not.

3. Obsessively study past winner essays, then write essays better than the ones you read. Google "Alex Lang NSF GRFP". His site is the best resource out there.

4. If you don't have excellent LORs, you are wasting your time. Harsh, but true. They should be from profs or scientists when possible. Mine were 3 profs.

5. If you don't have BI, you are wasting your time. You need to demonstrate that you are a leader and that you impact society. If you can't do that, you will not get the Excellents that you need in BI.

6. Your documents must be perfect. No mistakes. Lucid writing. Edit them about a million times. Bounce them off your advisor. Have your friend who is an English major read them. Twice.

7. You must sell yourself. Everyone who applies is smart and ambitious. You must have a story that stands out. Make it a package. This is why the LORs are so important. You must stand out as a package, not just have a good idea.

8. I'd suggest writing a longer document, then cutting it down to the best. My original research proposal was 4 pages. It was nearly impossible to get it to 2, but when I did, it was all the good stuff.

9. I probably put 80-100 hours into my application, the majority on the research proposal (reading papers and writing).

 

Good luck to all! Go Google Alex Lang now!

[devneuro18]

Two more questions for the group, thanks in advance!

 

1. If I have a hiccup in the my academic record in terms of low grades for a semester. Basically, in undergrad my grades were F: great, S: good, J: terrible, S: great (fresh, soph, etc). One of my letter writers will speak about this time, and will touch on how I overcame it with help from the lab/him.

 

For graduate school applications, there was usually a field where you could discuss any anomalies. I mentioned this briefly, but always talked about what I learned from the experience and how it has made me far more resilient. I took 2 years after undergrad to do some coursework and published 2 first author papers to prove myself a bit before grad school. (Papers weren't even published for grad school apps, they were published recently).

 

Should this be mentioned anywhere in the application? 

 

2. One of the ways I helped remedy that terrible academic performance was by taking some coursework during my "time off". How does this factor into my eligibility? To be clear, I took undergraduate coursework, this was not graduate coursework.

 

Thanks!

[loginofpscl]

Two more questions for the group, thanks in advance!

 

1. If I have a hiccup in the my academic record in terms of low grades for a semester. Basically, in undergrad my grades were F: great, S: good, J: terrible, S: great (fresh, soph, etc). One of my letter writers will speak about this time, and will touch on how I overcame it with help from the lab/him.

 

For graduate school applications, there was usually a field where you could discuss any anomalies. I mentioned this briefly, but always talked about what I learned from the experience and how it has made me far more resilient. I took 2 years after undergrad to do some coursework and published 2 first author papers to prove myself a bit before grad school. (Papers weren't even published for grad school apps, they were published recently).

 

Should this be mentioned anywhere in the application? 

 

2. One of the ways I helped remedy that terrible academic performance was by taking some coursework during my "time off". How does this factor into my eligibility? To be clear, I took undergraduate coursework, this was not graduate coursework.

 

Thanks!

 

I personally think it would be best to not address it in your SoP. Saying that you overcame something because you did x can sometimes come off as tooting your own horn, in a hard to substantiate way. Let your writers do that for you, if it makes you worry.

 

Re: #2, it doesn't. NSF counts graduate-level study exclusively. The relevant part of section IV:

 

• All post-baccalaureate, graduate-level study is counted toward the allowed 12 months of completed graduate study. This includes all master's and doctoral programs.

Edited September 29, 2014 by loginofpscl

[alion]

Apologies, I haven't read through this entire topic. But is my understanding correct that the general GRE is optional? Are you completely shooting yourself in the foot if you apply without your GRE scores (taking the exam late).

 

Thanks!

[guttata]

Apologies, I haven't read through this entire topic. But is my understanding correct that the general GRE is optional? Are you completely shooting yourself in the foot if you apply without your GRE scores (taking the exam late).

 

Thanks!

 

There is no option to include your GRE scores. They are no longer considered and haven't been for several years.

[alion]

*face palm @ my own ignorance* Thanks for clarifying!!

[smg]

There is no option to include your GRE scores. They are no longer considered and haven't been for several years.

 

FUCK YEAH!

[smg]

Anyone else in the social sciences applying for this bad boy?  Are all the applicants competing in a battle royale or only with other apps in the same discipline? Anyone else think they don't have a chance in hell but are going through with it anyway?

[Generis]

Does anyone have experience with the NSF GRFP in the field of STEM Education? Everything I've been able to find so far has been for the physical sciences, and I was really hoping to find an example of a successful statement for STEM edu.

 

And ditto, smg.

[geographyrocks]

I can't believe that I am once again having trouble with a recommender.  This time, it is for these grants.  I have my other two recommenders lined up to write me fantastic references.  And then there is my undergrad adviser (actually he was my second adviser).  I chose him instead of my first adviser because his title holds some credit and because my current adviser advised me to do so.  Well, it's been a week and I haven't heard jack.  This wasn't uncommon in undergrad so I'm not that surprised.  I am a little angry through.  It is part of his job to complete these requests (of which he doesn't get many because the department is small). 

So, what say the board? 

Should I wait it out a couple more days? (I sent my request on Sunday.)

Should I send a follow up email? (He's notorious for losing emails)

Or should I just send a request to my first adviser?  The reason I didn't choose him to begin with is because he's at the end of his career and hasn't really contributed publications for a decade or so.  But he is more reliable and was absolutely thrilled with my undergrad work.

Arg...

[geographyrocks]

Does anyone have experience with the NSF GRFP in the field of STEM Education? Everything I've been able to find so far has been for the physical sciences, and I was really hoping to find an example of a successful statement for STEM edu.

 

And ditto, smg.

Have you looked at the DDRI?  I think that one is more education based.