Mathematics/Statistics NSF GRFP Seminar Information Session

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Theodore Copeland
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1 Information Session Purdue University Department of Mathematics October 1, 2015

2 Abstract The National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is perhaps this most prestigious graduate fellowship for those of us in the mathematical sciences. Edray Goins (Associate Professor of Mathematics) and Mark Ward (Associate Professor of Statistics, Associate Director of Actuarial Science, and Undergraduate Chair) will run two seminars to maximize your chances of being awarded this fellowship! During the first of two seminars, well review the specifics of the fellowship. We will cover what needs to go into the application such as a personal statement, curriculum vitae (CV), research statement, and letters of recommendation. We will also give more general information on applying for other graduate fellowships, such as the Hertz Foundation, Ford Foundation, National Physical Science Consortium (NPSC), and National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship (NDSEG). At the seminars, we will have several Purdue staff and students in Mathematics and Statistics who have served on NSF GRFP panels and/or been awarded the fellowships over the years. And Dinner will be served at both sessions!

3 Mark D. Ward Professor of Statistics NSF GRFP Panelist Frederi G. Viens Professor of Statistics NSF GRFP Panelist

4 What is the NSF GRFP? Jamie Weigandt Mathematics Grad Student Joan Ponce Mathematics Grad Student NSF GRFP Awardee ( 09) NSF GRFP Awardee ( 13)

5 Arman Sabbaghi Kyle Bemis Statistics Faculty Statistics Grad Student NSF GRFP Awardee ( 09) NSF GRFP Awardee ( 12)

6 Overview FastLane Selection Process What is the NSF GRFP?

7 Overview FastLane Selection Process The National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is the countrys oldest fellowship program that directly supports graduate students in various STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields. The fellowship stipend is currently $34,000 for a 12-month tenure period. The deadline for the 2016 NSF GRFP Applications in Chemistry, the Mathematical Sciences, and Physics and Astronomy is 8:00 pm Eastern Time on Friday October 30, 2015 Reference Letters must be submitted by 8:00 pm Eastern Time on Thursday, November 5, 2015 The Graduate School will pay $250 for submitting an application. Mathematics and Statistics will pay an additional $100 for submitting an application.

8 Overview FastLane Selection Process Submitting an NSF GRFP proposal

9 Am I Eligible to Apply? Overview FastLane Selection Process Categories of applicants that are ineligible: Those who do not hold United States citizenship, national, or permanent resident status by the application deadline. Those who have completed the requirements for any graduate or professional degree by August 1, 2015, except applicants who have completed a joint baccalaureate-master s (BS/MS) program and have not completed any further graduate study outside the joint program unless the graduate coursework was required to establish or maintain credentials in a profession such as teaching; applicants that have had an interruption in graduate study of at least two consecutive years prior to November 1, 2015 and have completed no additional graduate study as of August 1, 2015.

10 Overview FastLane Selection Process

11 Overview FastLane Selection Process

12 Overview FastLane Selection Process What Do I Need To Get Started?

13 NSF GRFP Overview FastLane Selection Process The following must be submitted through FastLane GRFP Application Module: 1 Personal Information 2 Education, Work and Other Experience 3 Electronic Transcripts 4 Proposed Field(s) of Study 5 Proposed Graduate Study and Graduate School Information 6 Names and addresses of reference letter writers 7 Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals Statement 8 Graduate Research Plan Statement

14 Overview FastLane Selection Process How Does the Selection Process Work?

15 Overview FastLane Selection Process How the NSF GRFP Panel Works applications in the Mathematical Sciences 2 They are divided into two panels: Math I and Math II 3 Each panel has individuals over various disciplines 4 The panel meets for three days and divides applications into three categories: 1 Graduating Seniors The panel is very generous towards 2 First-Year Graduate Students They should have a good idea of the research 3 Second-Year Graduate Students No applications in this area in 2013?

16 Overview FastLane Selection Process How the NSF GRFP Panel Works After giving the applications a score of 1 50, the panel places them into one of three Quality Groups : 1 Quality Group 1: Highly Meritorious (20-40 applications) Applicants placed in QG1 are outstanding and recommended to receive fellowship offers. 2 Quality Group 2: Meritorious (60-80 applications) Of somewhat lower quality than those placed in QG1, and of substantially equal merit within the group. These applicants are considered worthy of NSF fellowship support by the panel. Applicants from QG2 who do not receive Fellowship offers receive Honorable Mention. 3 Quality Group 3: Not Recommended (300 applications) Of lower overall merit than applicants placed in QG1 and QG2. Applicants in QG3 do not receive Fellowship offers or Honorable Mention.

17 Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals Statement Research Statement Broader Impact Letters of Recommendation I m Ready To Apply! Now What?

18 NSF GRFP Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals Statement Research Statement Broader Impact Letters of Recommendation The following are the most important documents! 1 Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals Statement No more than Three Pages This limit includes lists of publications and presentations 2 Graduate Research Plan Statement No more that Two Pages This limit includes references, citations, and images 3 Three Reference Letters Deadline is November 5 Applicants can request up to five reference letters

19 Personal Statement What is the NSF GRFP? Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals Statement Research Statement Broader Impact Letters of Recommendation 1 Why are you fascinated by your research area? 2 What examples of leadership skills and unique characteristics do you bring to your chosen field? 3 What personal and individual strengths do you have that make you a qualified applicant? 4 How will receiving the fellowship contribute to your career goals? 5 What are all of your applicable experiences? 6 For each experience, what were the key questions, methodology, findings, and conclusions? 7 Did you work in a team and/or independently? 8 How did you assist in the analysis of results? 9 How did your activities address the Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts criteria?

20 Graduate Research Plan Statement Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals Statement Research Statement Broader Impact Letters of Recommendation 1 What issues in the scientific community are you most passionate about? 2 Do you possess the technical knowledge and skills necessary for conducting this work, or will you have sufficient mentoring and training to complete the study? 3 Is this plan feasible for the allotted time and institutional resources? 4 How will your research contribute to the big picture outside the academic context? 5 How can you draft a plan using the guidelines presented in the essay instructions? 6 How does your proposed research address the Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts criteria?

21 Graduate Research Plan Statement Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals Statement Research Statement Broader Impact Letters of Recommendation 1 Criterion 1: What is the intellectual merit of the proposed activity? How important is the proposed activity to advancing knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields? How well qualified is the proposer to conduct the project? To what extent does the proposed activity suggest and explore creative and original concepts? How well conceived and organized is the proposed activity? 2 Criterion 2: What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity? 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? 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?

22 What is Broader Impact? Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals Statement Research Statement Broader Impact Letters of Recommendation 1 Innovations in teaching and training 2 Development of curricular materials and pedagogical methods 3 Contributions to the science of learning 4 Development and/or refinement of research tools 5 Computation methodologies, and algorithms for problem-solving 6 Development of databases to support research and education 7 Broadening the participation of groups underrepresented in science, mathematics, engineering and technology 8 Service to the scientific and engineering community outside of the individual s immediate organization 9 Giving talks for the Math Club

23 Letters of Recommendation Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals Statement Research Statement Broader Impact Letters of Recommendation 1 Know the Deadlines NSF: app by October 30 but letters by November 5 Ford: app by November 19 but letters by January 9 2 Choose your references carefully; choose people that can speak to your abilities and potential, rather than someone with a prominent title. 3 Provide referees sufficient time to write a strong letter. Consider at least one month. 4 Discuss the application and share your essays with them. Consider giving a mini-lecture on your research and future plans. 5 Inform them that reference letters should reflect both your Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts. 6 Remind reference writers about deadline a few days before the due date. Ask for a confirmation that it was submitted. 7 Have a backup reference writers!

24 Hertz Foundation Ford Foundation National Physical Science Consortium National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate What Are Some Other Fellowships I Can Apply For?

25 Hertz Foundation Ford Foundation National Physical Science Consortium National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate how-do-i-find-money-for-graduate-school/

26 Hertz Foundation Ford Foundation National Physical Science Consortium National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship National Science Foundation Amount/ Duration $34,000 for 3 years Application Deadline October 30 Web Site org Hertz Foundation $32,000 for 5 years October 30 hertzfoundation.org Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship $24,000 for 3 years November 20 nationalacademies. org/pga/ fordfellowships/ National Physical Science Consortium National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship $20,000 for 6 years $34,000 for 3 years November 30 December org

27 NSF GRFP What is the NSF GRFP? Hertz Foundation Ford Foundation National Physical Science Consortium National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate The National Science Foundation (NSF) is the most prestigious of the graduate school fellowships. Successful applicants receive an $34,000 annual stipend for three years. For those applying in Mathematics, the deadline is October 30.

28 Hertz Foundation Ford Foundation National Physical Science Consortium National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate

29 Hertz Foundation What is the NSF GRFP? Hertz Foundation Ford Foundation National Physical Science Consortium National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate The Hertz Foundation Graduate Fellowship Award gives the most money of the graduate school fellowships. 1 Five Year Hertz: $32,000 annual stipend for 5 years 2 Five-Year Coordinated: $38,000 annual stipend for 5 years Fellows must attend one of the Foundation s currently participating schools. You must be in either Applied Mathematics or Statistics. There is a $5,000 additional annual stipend for Fellows with dependent children. The deadline is October 30.

30 Hertz Foundation Ford Foundation National Physical Science Consortium National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate

31 Ford Foundation What is the NSF GRFP? Hertz Foundation Ford Foundation National Physical Science Consortium National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate The Ford Foundation has a series of fellowships depending on your year of graduate study. 1 If you re just beginning graduate school, there is the Predoctoral Fellowship. 2 If you re well into the program and are a year away from finishing, there s the Dissertation Fellowship. 3 If you ve finished graduate school and are looking for a job, there s the Postdoctoral Fellowship. You must be an underrepresented minority to be eligible for these fellowships. Successful applicants for the Predoctoral Fellowship will receive $24,000 annually for up to three years. The deadline for the Predoctoral Fellowship is November 20.

32 Hertz Foundation Ford Foundation National Physical Science Consortium National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate

33 NPSC What is the NSF GRFP? Hertz Foundation Ford Foundation National Physical Science Consortium National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate The National Physical Science Consortium (NPSC) pays $20,000 a year up to six years to successful applicants. Fellows must work for am employer during the summers which actually translates into extra income for you. The program actively seeks to assist women and underrepresented minorities. The application deadline is November 30. Full disclosure: This is the fellowship I had in graduate school myself!

34 Hertz Foundation Ford Foundation National Physical Science Consortium National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate

35 NDSEG What is the NSF GRFP? Hertz Foundation Ford Foundation National Physical Science Consortium National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate The National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship is offered by the Department of Defense. They offer three years of support, giving $33,500 in the first year; $34,000 in the second year; and $34,500 in the third year. The deadline is December 18.

36 Hertz Foundation Ford Foundation National Physical Science Consortium National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate

37 Hertz Foundation Ford Foundation National Physical Science Consortium National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Good Luck! The deadline for the 2016 NSF GRFP Applications in Chemistry, the Mathematical Sciences, and Physics and Astronomy is 8:00 pm Eastern Time on Friday October 30, 2015 Reference Letters must be submitted by 8:00 pm Eastern Time on Thursday, November 5, 2015 The Graduate School will pay $250 for submitting an application. Mathematics and Statistics will pay an additional $100 for submitting an application. Writing Studio on October 15

Mathematics/Statistics NSF GRFP Seminar Writing Studio

Mathematics/Statistics NSF GRFP Seminar Writing Studio Writing Studio Purdue University Department of Mathematics October 15, 2015 Abstract The National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is perhaps this most prestigious graduate