Federal Funding Opportunities for Graduate School

1. Federal Funding Opportunities for Graduate School 2011Sponsored Programs Enhancement Dr. Jodi Lehman

2. Vice President for Research Sponsored Programs Enhancement Work: 906-487-2875 jglehman@mtu.edu 3rd Floor Lakeshore Center http://www.mtu.edu/research/

3. Seminars and Workshops 9/8 4-5 Overview of Funding Opportunities Peninsula Rm 9/15 12-1 Writing the Personal Essay and References Peninsula Rm 9/22 12-1 TIPS from Real Panel Reviewers Ballrm B3 10/6 4-5 Writing Research Essays Peninsula Rm 10/13 4-5 Peer Review WorkshopPeninsula Rm 10/20 12-1 Peer Review Workshop Ballrm A-2

4. Vocabulary • Federal Agencies • NSF – National Science Foundation • Fastlane: application tool • DOD – Department of Defense • Grants.gov • EPA - Environmental Protection Agency • DOE – Department of Energy

5. Vocabulary - STEM • Science • Technology • Engineering • Math Some slides courtesy of NSF resources

6. STEM @ Michigan Tech SustainabilityAdvanced Power Systems Health Science Statistical GeneticsSatellitePropulsion Rail Transportation Industrial ArcheologyEcology DNAAstronomyEnergyNanotechnologySecuritySustainable Environmental Transportation Cancer Spinal Molecular AerospaceComputational Science Ion Space Propulsion Fish Astrophysics PhotonicsBiomedicalWolves Bears Moose Biology Biochemistry Forest Management Water Bugs Atmospheric Biotechnology VolcanologyTechnologiesStructures Climate Change ConcreteEnvironmental Outreach Atmospheric Science Carbon Technology Fluid Dynamics Wind AirRhizotronSensing & Imaging Multi-scaleResources Systems • Chemistry • Computer Sciences • Engineering • Geology • Forestry • Biology • Mathematical Sciences • Physics • Human Factors • Social Sciences

7. Solicitation • Call for applications • Rule book • Checklist Some slides courtesy of NSF resources

8. From Application to Award • Applications become available mid-August • Deadlines: late October/early November • Awards: March-June

9. Why Apply • Other award applications • Job applications, job security • Writing publications • Professional connections • Learn to ask for $$$

10. Proposal Incentive Award Program (PIAP) • Michigan Tech’s Graduate School • Pays you up to $100 up to two times per year • Work with me • Fill out PIAP form when you submit the proposal. Funds aren’t available for proposals already submitted. • Award added to your student account

11. Benefits :Up to $225,000 annually • Tuition • Stipend - $20,000-$50,000 • Travel funds • Research expenses • Internships • International experience • PRESTIGE

12. General Eligibility • Senior • 1st or 2nd year Graduate Student • Citizen, permanent resident • STEM field

13. “All applicants are technically marvelous” • GPA 3.5 or above • Conference presentations, submissions, poster sessions, publications • An adviser that is committed to seeing you succeed • Research experience

14. How to stick out from the best of the best • Show passion for science but not • “…ever since I played with my first electronics set when I was 6.” • Insteadshow how your work and interests relate to, and will ultimately impact, what other people are doing in the field, across disciplines, and in the local community. Write through examples of mentoring, teaching, inspiring, working with research colleagues, and leading or playing a key role in teamwork • Show you are a transformative thinker • Demonstrate ability to write

15. Federal Fellowship Programs • National Science Foundation • GRFP • EAPSI • Department of Defense • Department of Energy • NASA • Environmental Protection Agency • National Institute of Health

16. National Science Foundation: GRFP

17. Application Material • Personal Statement Essay (9/15) • Three Letters of Reference (9/15) • Previous Research Experience Essay (10/6) • Proposed Plan of Research Essay (10/6) • Transcripts • GRE- no longer required for NSF

18. Intellectual Merit 1) How important is the proposed activity to advancing knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields? 2) How well qualified is the proposer (individual or team) to conduct the project? (If appropriate, the reviewer will comment on the quality of prior work.) 3) To what extent does the proposed activity suggest and explore creative, original, or potentially transformative concepts? 4) How well conceived and organized is the proposed activity? 5) Is there sufficient access to resources? 6) If international activities are proposed, are the proposed activities relevant and do they benefit the applicant? Some slides courtesy of NSF resources

19. Where to emphasize IM 1) academic record, 2) proposed plan of research 3) description of previous research experience 4) publication/presentations, references, 5) appropriateness of the choice of institution relative to the proposed plan for graduate education and research. Some slides courtesy of NSF resources

20. Broader Impacts • How well does the activity advance discovery and understanding while promoting teaching, training, and learning? • How well does the proposed activity broaden the participation of underrepresented groups (e.g., gender, ethnicity, disability, geographic, etc.)? • To what extent will it enhance the infrastructure for research and education, such as, facilities, instrumentation, networks, and partnerships? • Will the results be disseminated broadly to enhance scientific and technological understanding? • What may be the benefits of the proposed activity to society? Some slides courtesy of NSF resources

21. MindTrekkers Steve PatchinDirector shpatchi@mtu.edu Cody KangasAssistant Director ckangas@mtu.edu mindtrekkers@mtu.edu Check out MindTrekkers: www.mindtrekkers.mtu.edu

22. School/Community Education Programs http://wupcenter.mtu.edu/about.html

23. Society of Women Engineers • Big Mac Program (4-6 Grade) The Big Mac program is always a highlight for 4th-6th grade students. Students learn about engineering, teamwork, and efficiency by creating an assembly line to assemble Big Mac orders with felt burger pieces. • Girl Scout Workshop (Ages 5-12) SWE has coordinated various girl scout badge workshops for girls of all ages. These workshops introduce girls to different careers in engineering in a fun and hands-on way. • Michigan Tech-Sponsored Activities SWE also partners with various Michigan Tech programs to introduce engineering to middle school and high school students. SWE is involved in the Get WiSE (Women in Science and Engineering) program and Engineering Olympics, among other programs. http://swe.students.mtu.edu/outreach/

24. The East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes (EAPSI) • Research setting • International collaboration • Host universities/laboratories in Australia, China, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan • 6 weeks (except Japan is 8)

25. Other International Programs • Boren: Institute of International Education • International and language component to their educations • Locations important to national security • Fulbright: US Dept of State • International exchange • English as a Second Language • Research/study • NSF GRFP supplement • EPA: Marshall Scholarships – study in UK

26. Department of Defense

27. Different From NSF • Service Requirement • Sponsoring facilities – labs • GRE • Highly educated civilian scientists, engineers, and mathematicians

28. DOD Sponsoring Facilities Some slides courtesy of NSF resources

29. Ask Adviser About Labs

30. SMART Scholars Receive: • $25,000 - $41,000 stipend • Full tuition and related education expenses • Health Insurance reimbursement allowance • Book allowance • Summer Internships (multi-year participants) • Post-Graduation Career Opportunities • PAID Orientation in Washington DC -

31. Environmental Protection Agency • STAR: Science to Achieve Results • GRO: Greater Research Opportunities • Funding delayed this year for awards, solicitation still not available

32. Environmental Study

33. STAR Benefits • Master's level students may receive support for a maximum of two years. • Doctoral students may be supported for a maximum of three years, usable over a period of five years. • The fellowship program provides up to $42,000 per year of support per fellowship.

34. Department of Energy • Advance science and serve society. • Physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, engineering, and environmental and computer sciences • $50,500 stipend • Last year funding was cut, solicitation pending

35. DOE Partner Organizations • Internships and Scholarships • renewable energies such as solar and fuel cells, energy efficiency, atmospheric sciences, ecology, global carbon cycles, climatology, and more. • Policy-making in energy efficiency and renewable energy • JETS: Junior Engineering Technical Society$5,000 scholarships for students engineering • Scholarship Opportunities for American Indians and Alaska Natives

36. COS: fundingopps.cos.com

37. Grants.gov

38. Michigan Tech Graduate School

39. To do list:1. Sign up for Fastlane • Sign up for Fastlane: http://www.nsfgrfp.org Some slides courtesy of NSF resources

40. 2. Browse • NSF GRFP: http://www.nsfgrfp.org/ • DOD SMART: http://smart.asee.org/ • DOE: http://scgf.orau.gov/ • EPA: http://www.epa.gov/ncer/fellow/

41. 3. Read Tips with a critical eye “I have added three volunteer activities (volunteer at science museum, women in science mentor to two 8th grade girls, and I organize a seminar series for my program that's designed to help the first years navigate grad school).” “I am going to be very explicit in stating "The broader impacts of my research..." "The broader impacts of the community involvement..." "The intellectual merit of my proposed research.." etc. “I'm going to use bolding and italics to emphasize main points through the application.” “I'm going to be more specific about the dissemination of my research in my previous research experience section. In every section I will have a sentence or two like "this project was written in my honors thesis… was presented at…. And manuscript is in preparation for….”” • Federal sites • The names of DOE awardees can be found here. • University sites • http://biology.nd.edu/assets/31027/comments_on_nsf_fellowship_applications.pdf • Individual sites: • http://www.stanford.edu/~pgbovine/fellowship-tips.htm

42. 4. Contact me Email me: jglehman@mtu.edu Idenitfy: What agency you are planning to submit, what year (senior, 1st or 2nd year of graduate school) you are currently in, what your research interest is, and alert me if you are resubmitting Ask: Any questions/concerns you may have, that others may also have (or you just have).

43. 5. Start writing • Personal Statement Important questions to ask yourself before starting the essay: • Why are you fascinated by your research area? • What examples of leadership skills and unique characteristics do you bring to your chosen field? • What personal and individual strengths do you have that make you a qualified applicant? • How will receiving the fellowship contribute to your career goals? • How does the information in your Personal Statement address the Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts criteria? For more information visit: http://www.nsfgrfp.org/how_to_apply/application_materials#statement