National Science Foundation
Graduate Research Fellowships
2000 Program Announcement
Deadline for entering the competition:
November 4, 1999
Apply to:
Effective February 1, 2000 the area code changes to 865.
Web Site: www.orau.org/nsf/nsffel.htm
Sponsored by the
GRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS
(Including Women In Engineering And Computer and Information Science Awards)
ACADEMIC YEAR 2000-2001
The National Science Foundation (NSF) aims to ensure the vitality of the human resource base of science, mathematics, and engineering in the United States and to reinforce its diversity. To that end in March 2000, the NSF will award approximately 900 new three-year Graduate Fellowships, including awards offered for women in engineering and computer and information science.1 Continuing a long history of program success, NSF Fellows contribute significantly to research, teaching, and industrial applications in science, mathematics, and engineering. As part of its mission to promote the progress of science, mathematics, and engineering, NSF supports individuals and groups to engage in activities that ensure a technologically literate populace with the understanding and skills needed for the workforce of the twenty-first century as well as fully trained scientists and engineers for the present and the future. In forming its investment strategy for education and human resource development, NSF’s aim is to ensure that all members of society have real opportunity to succeed in science and technology so that the Nation can draw upon the strength and creativity that the diversity in our society has to offer. The Foundation welcomes applications from all qualified science, mathematics, and engineering students and strongly encourages women, minorities, and persons with disabilities to compete fully in this program.Citizenship
NSF Graduate Fellowships are open only to individuals who are, at the time of application, citizens or nationals of the United States2 or permanent resident aliens of the United States. Field and Degree ProgramFellowships are awarded for graduate study leading to research-based master’s or doctoral degrees in the fields of science, mathematics, and engineering supported by the National Science Foundation listed at the end of this Announcement. Awards are also made for work toward a research-based PhD in science education that requires a science competence comparable to that for PhD candidates in scientific disciplines. Research in bioengineering with diagnosis or treatment-related goals that applies engineering principles to problems in biology and medicine while advancing engineering knowledge is eligible for support. Bioengineering research to aid persons with disabilities is also eligible.
Support is not provided for study in clinical, counseling, business, or management fields; in other education programs of any kind; or in history or social work; for work in medical, dental, law, public health, or practice-oriented professional degree programs; or in joint science-professional degree programs such as MD/PhD and JD/PhD programs. Support is not provided for clinical research or for research with disease-related goals, including work on the etiology, diagnosis or treatment of physical or mental disease, abnormality, or malfunction in human beings or animals. Research involving animal models of such conditions or the development or testing of drugs or other procedures for their treatment also is not eligible for support. 1 Funding for these additional awards is provided by the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering, the Directorate for Engineering, and the Directorate for Education and Human Resources. 2 The term "national of the United States"; designates a citizen of the United States or a native resident of a commonwealth or territory of the United States, such as American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands or the Northern Mariana Islands. It does not refer to a citizen of another country who has applied for United States citizenship. Earned Graduate Study NSF Graduate Fellowships are intended for students at or near the beginning of their graduate study in science, mathematics, or engineering. In most cases an individual has two opportunities to apply: during the senior year of college and in the first year of graduate school. Specifically, eligibility is limited to those individuals who, by the beginning of the fall 1999 term, have completed no more than 20 semester hours, 30 quarter hours, or equivalent, of graduate study in the science, mathematics, or engineering fields supported by this program since completion of a baccalaureate degree in science, mathematics, or engineering. One year or more of full-time study in any medical, dental, or veterinary school is considered to be greater than 20 semester or 30 quarter hours of graduate study. "Graduate study" includes course work, research, seminars, and independent study. These guidelines are applied to graduate study completed after October 1, 1989 regardless of purpose or whether credit for that study has been or will be applied toward an advanced degree. Students in four- or five-year joint baccalaureate-master’s degree programs are eligible to apply in their fourth and fifth years; for eligibility purposes, the fifth year is considered graduate study. No individual will be eligible who, at the time of application, has earned after October 1, 1989 an advanced degree in science, mathematics, or engineering. Applicants who have earned any medical degree, such as the MD, DDS, or DVM, are ineligible. Eligibility for the Women in Engineering and Computer and Information Science Awards The Women in Engineering and Computer and Information Science (WECS) awards are limited to women who intend to pursue graduate degrees in one of the fields listed under the headings "Engineering"; or "Computer and Information Science and Engineering"; at the end of this Announcement. Aside from this field restriction, other eligibility criteria are the same as for applicants in other fields.Each applicant’s qualifications will be reviewed by disciplinary panels of scientists, mathematicians, and engineers convened in February 2000 for NSF by Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU). Applications are assigned to panels based on the applicant’s chosen field(s) of study and are evaluated on the basis of all available information. In considering applications, reviewers are asked to address two questions that are the basis of NSF’s merit review criteria: (1) What is the intellectual merit of the applicant? and (2) What are the broader impacts of supporting the individual’s graduate study?
Intellectual Merit Criterion Intellectual merit includes intellectual ability and other accepted requisites for scholarly scientific study, such as the ability (1) to work as a member of a team as well as independently; (2) to communicate; and (3) to plan and conduct research. Panelists are instructed to consider: the strength of the academic record, the proposed plan of research, the description of previous research experience, the appropriateness of the choice of references and the extent to which they indicate merit, Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) General and Subject Tests scores, and the appropriateness of the choice of institution for fellowship tenure relative to the proposed plan of research. Broader Impacts Criterion Broader impacts of supporting an applicant’s graduate study may include contributions to community, both social and scholarly. Consideration is also given to unique characteristics of each applicant’s background, including personal, professional, and educational experiences. As in all NSF programs, valuing diversity and the integration of research and education are important elements of the merit review criteria. Integration of Research and Education One of the principal strategies in support of NSF’s goals is to foster integration of research and education through the programs, projects, and activities it supports at academic and research institutions. These institutions provide abundant opportunities where individuals may concurrently assume responsibilities as researchers, educators, and students and where all can engage in joint efforts that infuse education with the excitement of discovery and enrich research through the diversity of learner perspectives. Applicants should address this issue in their written statement(s) to provide reviewers with the information necessary to respond fully to both NSF merit review criteria. Integrating Diversity into NSF Programs, Projects, and Activities Broadening opportunities and enabling the participation of all citizens—women and men, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities—are essential to the health and vitality of science and engineering. NSF is committed to this principle of diversity and deems it central to the programs, projects, and activities it considers and supports. Applicants should address this issue in their written statement(s) to provide reviewers with the information necessary to respond fully to both NSF merit review criteria.The review panels’ recommendations for fellowships will be further reviewed by NSF staff for conformance with Foundation policy. Awards will be made by the NSF on the basis of merit in accordance with Section 10 of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended. Selection of awardees will be in the merit order established by the review panels; other criteria such as geographical region, discipline, or other factors determined to be consistent with policy and legislative intent will be used to select among applications of substantially equal merit (as determined by the merit review process).
The NSF will publish lists of awardees and Honorable Mention recipients on the Graduate Research Fellowship Program web site at: www.ehr.nsf.gov/ehr/dge/grf.htm in late March 2000. All applicants will be notified by letter of the outcome of their applications. Those applicants who merit receiving Graduate Research Fellowships, but to whom awards cannot be made because funds are not available, will be accorded Honorable Mention. Honorable Mention in the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program is considered a significant academic achievement nationwide. All offers and support levels referenced in this Announcement are subject to availability of funds.All fellowship awards are made subject to the provisions contained in the booklet Information for Graduate Research Fellows, including any subsequent amendments, which is provided to all awardees. Only the most basic information contained in that booklet is presented in this Announcement. Three certifications3 must, by law, be made before the NSF can authorize funds for a fellowship award.
Graduate Programs Fellows may choose any appropriate, accredited, non-profit United States institution or appropriate international institution of higher education offering advanced degrees in science, mathematics, or engineering. Fellows are required to engage in full-time programs leading to graduate degrees in disciplines supported by NSF. Acknowledging the importance of integrating research and education, the NSF permits institutions to assign Fellows to appropriate research and teaching positions that will contribute to the progress of the Fellow toward an advanced degree. Fellows are encouraged to determine policies regarding any such required service before enrolling in any particular institution. After an award is made, a major change in course of study requires prior NSF approval. The availability of the second and third years of a three-year award is contingent upon certification to NSF by the fellowship institution that the Fellow is making satisfactory academic progress toward an advanced degree in the approved field of study.Stipend and Allowances
The NSF fellowship stipend during 2000-2001 will be $15,000 for a 12-month tenure, prorated monthly at $1,250 for lesser periods. There is no dependency allowance. At its discretion, each fellowship institution may supplement a Fellow’s stipend from institutional funds in such amounts as are in accordance with the policies of the fellowship institution.
In addition to the funds for stipend payments, the NSF provides the fellowship institution, on behalf of each Fellow, a cost-of-education allowance of $10,500 per tenure year. During tenure, Fellows will be exempt from paying tuition and fees normally charged to students of similar academic standing, unless such charges are optional or are refundable. 3 These concern: 1) controlled substances; 2) delinquency on Federal debt; and 3) debarment and suspension from certain transactions with Federal, State, or local governments.At international institutions, all tuition and assessed nonrefundable fees will be paid by the Fellow, with reimbursement by the NSF, up to a maximum of $10,500 per fellowship year.
A one-time International Research Travel Allowance of $1,000 is available to Fellows who have arranged to conduct full-time advanced study or research at appropriate international sites for at least three continuous months. The activities must contribute to the Fellow’s advanced degree objectives and must be approved by the Fellow’s institution. Once a Fellow has begun NSF fellowship tenure, this travel allowance may be used at any appropriate time that travel is initiated within the five-year fellowship period. Except for supplementation as explained above, a Fellow may not accept simultaneous remuneration from another major fellowship, assistantship, scholarship or similar award. Under Section 178(a) of Title 38, U.S. Code, educational benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs may be received concurrently with NSF support. Tenure New fellowships to be offered in March 2000 will be for maximum tenure periods of three years usable over a five-year period. Recipients may begin fellowship tenure in the summer of 2000 but must begin tenure not later than the beginning of the 2000 fall term with certain exceptions explained below. Tenure must be completed before the beginning of the 2005 fall term. Normal tenure for a Fellow is 9 to 12 months for each fellowship year; funds for unutilized months are forfeited. No individual will be eligible for more than three years of NSF Graduate Research Fellowship support. The first year of an NSF fellowship cannot be reserved in order to allow an individual to use an alternative means of support to engage in graduate study in the United States. However, with prior NSF approval, Fellows may reserve the first one or two years of NSF fellowship tenure to accept a one- or two-year highly competitive international fellowship, such as the British Marshall or Rhodes Scholarship, for study and travel abroad. Also, with prior Foundation approval, Fellows may reserve the first one or two years of NSF fellowship tenure to engage in activities other than those that would constitute the start or continuation of progress toward an advanced degree in science, mathematics, or engineering. Fellows reserving the first two years of their NSF fellowship must enter tenure no later than the fall of 2002 and must use their NSF fellowship in three consecutive years.All fellowship awardees and Honorable Mention recipients may apply to use the resources at a Partnership for Advanced Computational Infrastructure (PACI) facility.
Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities (FASED) provide funding for special assistance or equipment to enable persons with disabilities (students and faculty) to work on NSF-supported projects. All fellowship awardees and Honorable Mention recipients who have disabilities may apply for assistance by contacting: FASED c/o Graduate Research Fellowship Program, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard - Room 907, Arlington, VA 22230. See the FASED program announcement or contact the program coordinator at (703) 306-1636.Inquiries concerning the application process should be directed to Oak Ridge Associated Universities via e-mail or telephone.
1. Via the Internet a. FastLane: www.fastlane.nsf.gov With Internet access and a supported World Wide Web browser, an applicant can submit an application electronically using the NSF FastLane Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) process. References of applicants who use FastLane can submit a Reference Report Form using FastLane. Security is provided to ensure that both applications and Reference Report Forms can be accessed only by authorized persons. To access the NSF FastLane GRFP process, click on the Graduate Research Fellowships icon on the FastLane Home Page. You will see instructions on how to use the FastLane GRFP process. For questions concerning the FastLane GRFP process, please contact the FastLane Graduate Research Fellowship support staff at electronic mail: felapp@nsf.gov or phone: (703) 306-1142. b. NSF Web Site: www.ehr.nsf.gov/ehr/dge/grfp.htm Via the Internet, you can download the application forms as either a PDF printable blank form or a Microsoft Word 97 (or newer version) on-line form. To view the PDF forms you must have the Adobe Viewer installed, which is a free product and can be downloaded at this site. If your browser does not automatically launch the Microsoft Word 97 on-line form, a message will appear to prompt you to save the Word file to a local disc drive. c. Information via E-Mail: You can have the Announcement and application forms sent to you via electronic mail. Each application form is available in two versions: a PDF printable blank form and a Microsoft Word 97 (or newer version) on-line form. Send an electronic mail message to: getpub@nsf.gov Leave the subject line blank. In the body of the message enter:The information requested on the application materials is solicited under the authority of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended. It will be used in connection with the selection of qualified applicants and may be disclosed to qualified reviewers and staff assistants as part of the review process; to the institution the nominee, applicant, or fellow is attending or is planning to attend or is employed by for the purpose of facilitating review or award decisions, or administering fellowships or awards; to government contractors, experts, volunteers, and researchers and educators as necessary to complete assigned work; to other government agencies needing data regarding applicants or nominees as part of the proposal review process, or in order to coordinate programs; and to another Federal agency, court or party in a court or Federal administrative proceeding if the government is a party. Information from this system may be merged with other computer files to carry out statistical studies the results of which do not identify individuals. Notice of the agency’s decision may be given to nominators, and disclosure may be made of awardees’ names, home institutions, and fields of study for public information purposes. For Fellows or awardees receiving stipends directly from the government, information is transmitted to the Department of the Treasury to make payments. See System of Records, NSF-12, "Fellowships and Other Awards"; 63 Federal Register 265 (January 5, 1998). Submission of the information is voluntary; however, failure to provide full and complete information may reduce the possibility of your receiving an award.
The public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 12 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to: Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer, Information Dissemination Branch, Division of Administrative Services, National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA 22230.The National Science Foundation (NSF) funds research and education in most fields of science, mathematics, and engineering. Grantees are wholly responsible for conducting their project activities and preparing the results for publication. Thus, the Foundation does not assume responsibility for such findings or their interpretation.
NSF welcomes proposals from all qualified scientists, engineers, and educators. The Foundation strongly encourages women, minorities, and persons with disabilities to compete fully in its programs. In accordance with federal statutes, regulations, and NSF policies, no person on grounds of race, color, age, sex, national origin, or disability shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any program or activity receiving financial assistance from the NSF (unless otherwise specified in the eligibility requirements for a particular program). The National Science Foundation has Telephonic Device for the Deaf (TDD) and Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) capabilities that enable individuals with hearing impairments to communicate with the Foundation regarding NSF programs, employment, or general information. TDD may be accessed at (703) 306-0090 or through the FIRS on 1-800-877-8339.In accordance with Important Notice No. 120 dated June 27, 1997, Subject: Year 2000 Computer Problem, NSF awardees are reminded of their responsibility to take appropriate actions to ensure that the NSF activity being supported is not adversely affected by the Year 2000 problem. Potentially affected items include: computer systems, databases, and equipment. The National Science Foundation should be notified if an awardee concludes that the Year 2000 will have a significant impact on his or her ability to carry out an NSF funded activity. Information concerning Year 2000 activities can be found on the NSF web site at http://www.nsf.gov/oirm/y2k/start.htm.
The National Science Foundation is committed to making all of the information we publish easy to understand. If you have a suggestion about how to improve the clarity of this document or other NSF-published materials, please contact us at plainlanguage@nsf.gov. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number for this program is 47.076, Education and Human Resources. OMB 3145-0023
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4530 Animal Behavior