EPA STAR 2015

[kbolya1]

Just wanted to start a thread about this fellowship. I applied and am wondering if anyone knows more specifics on how many people apply every year/how competitive compared to NSF, considering it is only open to environmental students and was only open for a month.

[Beweaver36]

Who knows?

 

Its tough to say. It seems to be a fairly popular fellowship in the past years with lots of applications and only a few awards. This year it says 55 awards, which isn't many. This year is weird for a number of reasons though...

 

1.) Its a weird time for a fellowship application cycle and atypical even for this one (which I think is generally a November one)

2.) It wasn't offered last year at all. So perhaps people don't know about it or assumed it went away? Based on discussion threads here doesn't seem to be as much activity or interest this year but again that is just speculation.

3.) Seems you have to pretty on top of it to be aware that its out there. I only found out because I had signed up for EPA notifications. If you aren't up on it, and you're busy you may well have missed it.

4.)Its been open only for a month and literally during the busiest time of year for graduate students trying to finish everything up, study for finals, make summer plans, etc.

 

Anyway seriously your guess is as good as mine. In 2013 looks like there was 1356 applications and only a little over 100 awards but I doubt that many people applied this go around for the above reasons.

 

I tend to speculate that probably not that many people applied this go around. Good luck and let me know when you hear anything.

[kbolya1]

Thank you! Everything you discussed above was what I was thinking as well. Perhaps the chances are more in my favor. I received all goods and a very good from NSF before I revised my proposal following my proposal defense, so maybe my chances are better now. Did you apply? Thanks for the info.

[Beweaver36]

I did apply and do feel good about our chances for the reasons I listed above and the fact that I heard back well from NSF reviewers similarly to you.

 

I guess what one could do if you feel ambitious is dig around on EPA website and correlate activity on Gradcafe STAR Fellowship threads to actual applicants. Last open cycle which was 2013 the thread had 563 posts and over 100,000 views compared to just us two here now. There was some activity at the end of the 2013 thread about the 2015 announcement from applicants who were ineligible or the opening timeline didn't work for them so perhaps some of our suspicions are confirmed?

[Beweaver36]

Looks like past years where data is available there are between 1350 and 1500 or so applications but there are also threads here with hundreds of of posts and at the very least tens of thousands of views. If we make predictions based on the post this years thread it looks like less than 10 people applied

[kbolya1]

Hahaha. Oh my god you're the best. Fingers crossed for us both. I applied under surface water quality/hydrogeology. What did you apply under? Maybe I shouldn't have posted anything about it! Lol

[lucygoosey]

I also applied for this, found out last minute so it was very rushed writing. I applied for public health.

 

BTW, anyone find an example application online? Wasn't sure about certain aspects.

[Row_klahoma13]

Hi guys, I've applied and like y'all I found out last minute! Hopefully not as many people apply, but who knows, especially if underfunded candidates have been sitting around on their projects waiting to apply again. Wonder if I should've used my current address for contact info and request to change it later instead of putting my expected address in Austin where I plan on being by the time reviews come out? Let the over analyzing begin. Awkward timing for a RFP, am I right?

 

I'm B3 but also an entering masters, so no idea regarding my chances.

Edited May 23, 2015 by Row_klahoma13

[Row_klahoma13]

Knock on wood that this round goes more smoothly than the round of the sequester, good grief.

Edited May 23, 2015 by Row_klahoma13

[coffee_grad]

I'm in agreement with the bizarre timing and fast turnaround -- for both applications and expected reviews. Luckily, I found out on the day of the solicitation posting. I applied for E1 as an ED. I'm hoping the review process and awards goes ahead as suggested by the solicitation, because this was quite a bit of effort during a busy time for all of us. I'm not holding my breath though because I've heard some less than satisfying news from my colleagues who applied in the past and even a professor who was awarded one as a grad student but was never funded due to budget cuts. Good luck everyone!

[coffee_grad]

Oh, also wanted to check with someone else who applied -- 

 

The last email I have is the one from grants.gov saying the grantor agency has assigned a tracking number to my application. The solicitation says the "critical" email is the one one from NCER acknowledging receipt, which could take weeks. I'm assuming that my application is in the right hands. It's still unsettling to know that we may not get the "critical" email until weeks after the application is due...

[Staubsauger]

I submitted this morning (F1) and received 2 emails from grants.gov. The first says a tracking number has been assigned, and the second says the application has been validated and is being prepared for Grantor agency retrieval. I'm not sure if there's another one coming after this... I think if you've gotten both of those emails you're probably good. At least, I hope so! :-) 

[Staubsauger]

Just kidding. Just got a third email that implies there's at least one more email coming... 

[coffee_grad]

Yeah. I submitted last week and it's total email overload. This is what I've received so far (in order, all from grants.gov):

 

1. application received and is being validated

2. application received and validated, prepared for agency retrieval

3. received by grantor agency

4. grantor agency assigned tracking number (with no where to check status using that new tracking no.)

 

I suppose that means it's fine, but the whole thing is kind of convoluted. Emails 3&4 took about a day to show up for me just FYI

[atlremix]

I applied for F1 too (Urban Planning field). Good luck everyone!

[kbolya1]

has anyone received confirmation e-mail(s) for recommendation letters? I know one will be sent in today, but my other two writers should've sent them in by now and I haven't received anything. 

 

Under "Guidelines for Writers"

 

1. Letter writers should go to the url sent by the applicant to receive submission instructions using the applicant’s unique ID number.  Submission instructions for letter writers are also provided below. Letters of Recommendation must be submitted in PDF format only (no zip files).  Both the letter writer and the applicant should receive confirmation emails once the letter has been submitted.

Edited May 26, 2015 by kbolya1

[Staubsauger]

Kbolya1--Yes! You would have received confirmation emails if they were submitted. Check your spam folder. If it's not there, then I would get in touch with your letter writers right away and kindly ask them to submit your letter before the deadline tonight. 

[kbolya1]

ahhhhhh

[kbolya1]

got all three letters in! woof! good luck everyone

[Staubsauger]

Woo! Glad to hear it! Let the breath holding begin...

[kbolya1]

It looks like once this grant is closed for long enough, the posts will be updated with a "No. of applications received", as most of the older closed opportunities have under their individual listings:

 

http://www.epa.gov/ogd/competition/closed_awards.htm

 

Perhaps around July we'll have a better idea of how many people applied under which topics.

[atlremix]

Thanks for posting this! I will definitely be following the page for updates.

[curlydoc17]

Hey!

I applied too under F2...

The turn around was extremely quick on this one.  I agree that they will probably have fewer numbers because of it.

Best of Luck to all!

[newenglandgrad]

I applied under F1. Can't remember where I read it but something said we may hear in August. Is that right?

[atlremix]

I believe that the application stated we should know for certain by August 1st, but I think that finalists may be contacted sooner in order to submit official transcripts and to complete other documentation. I am also an applicant under the F1 category, and super anxious to hear back already!

Edited June 17, 2015 by atlremix