Effective Communication for Graduate Funding
Richelle Thomas, Ph.D.
Jennifer Patterson, Ph.D.
WE14, October 25, 2014
Richelle Thomas, PhD
Jennifer Patterson, PhD
• Advanced Engineer at
Owens Corning Science &
Technology
• PhD Chemical Engineering
• Awards
• Assistant Professor at KU
Leuven
• PhD Boengineering,
• Awards
US Student Fulbright
GEM Fellowship
Ernest & Virginia Cockrell
Fellowship in Engineering
AIChE, BMES Student Travel
Fellowships
SWE Student Scholarship
ACS Award
Whitaker International Scholarship
(post-doctoral fellowship)
National Science Foundation
Graduate Fellowship
Sigma Xi Grant-in-Aid-of-Research
BMES Student Travel Award
What skills do you need/learn along your
chosen career pathway?
The Academic Pathway
Bachelor student
Master student
PhD student
Postdoc
Professor
•
•
Plus
• Writing
• Planning
• Presenting
Plus
• Generating
ideas
• Mentoring
others
Plus
• Asking for
funding
Plus
• Teaching
evaluating
Information
Hands-on
experimental
skills
Industry
• Completing assigned tasks, writing reports
• Managing a team
• Making decisions (based on economics)
Why apply for fellowships?
In many cases, you may be able to be paid as a research assistant, a teaching
assistant, etc.
An Honor and a Skill
• Useful for building your C.V. or résumé
• Helps get additional fellowships for funding
• Demonstrates ability to write a proposal
Flexibility
• May allow you to work for a professor who otherwise couldn’t fund you
• Generally have more independence in your research project
• May allow you to have other unique experiences, like study abroad
Better Pay
• Fellowship stipends can often be higher than RA or TA salary
• Departments may supplement fellowship awards
When to apply for fellowships?
Think about it all throughout your education
Before starting a graduate program/post-doc
• Can help you get a position (particularly for post-doctoral positions)
• Gives you flexibility from the beginning
• Many fellowships are targeted to “early” studies
During a graduate program/post-doc
• A fellowship is almost always a good thing to have
• If you are further along in your research, you should be able to write a stronger
proposal
Smaller grants along the way
• Often have less involved applications
• Can allow you to pursue a side project, get extra research supplies, travel to a
conference, etc.
How to choose what programs to apply to
Be realistic
Larger Fellowship Programs
• More prestigious
• More competitive
Smaller Fellowship Programs
• May have more defined application criteria
• In many cases, may have a better percentage of acceptance
Talk to your advisor or academic counselor
• How competitive you are as a candidate
If you don’t get a fellowship on your first try, keep applying!
Setting a timeline to apply for fellowships
Find application deadlines
• Can be 6 months to a year before fellowship starts
• NSF Graduate Fellowship deadline at the beginning of November
• NDSEG Fellowship deadline in January
Choose what fellowships to apply to
• Again, be realistic!
• Choose the fellowships that are the best match
Start work early
• Proposals take time
• Ask for letters of recommendation well in advance
• Many are now submitted online and can be saved and revised until submitted
Key components of a fellowship proposal
Curriculum vitae (C.V.) or résumé
Statement of previous research/relevant experiences
Proposal of research plan/project
Non-technical aspects
Reference letters
Curriculum Vitae (C.V.) or Résumé
A C.V. is like an extended résumé
• More detail
• Not necessarily limited in length
Important sections
• Education
• Thesis titles, advisor names, relevant courses
• Awards and Honors (like fellowships!)
• Research/Work Experience
• Include short description of research findings or skills learned
• Teaching/Mentoring Experience (for academic post-doc positions)
• Memberships in Professional Organizations (outreach, community involvement)
• Publications (name in bold)
• Patents
• Conference Presentations (note oral presentations)
Statement of Previous Research/Relevant
Experience
Demonstrate you are qualified to conduct the research you propose
If you have previous research (lab) experience
• During graduate studies or research experience as an undergraduate
• Two basic approaches
• Abstract for each project
• Single statement linking different projects
• Organization: focus on most relevant experiences (demonstrate expertise)
If you do not have lab experience
• Do you have internship or other work experience?
• Did you take advanced electives or design courses that provided you with relevant skills?
Proposal of Research Plan/Project
Grant proposal style
• Introduction or problem statement
• Hypothesis
• Specific aims, objectives, or goals
• Description how you would approach those aims or goals (methodology)
Essay or statement style
• Interest in a specific field but not necessarily a defined problem
• Discuss the types of questions that interest you
Tips
• If you know who you want to work with, get their comments, suggestions, advice
• Reference your previous experience but don’t restate it in detail
• Include references to the literature if appropriate
• Make sure it is well organized and clearly written
Tips for Writing Objectives
Answer the following questions
• What is the problem you are addressing (broadly, specifically)?
• How are you addressing that problem? What is the concept/main idea of your
project?
• What do you consider to be a successful outcome of your project (scientifically,
technically)?
• What are the main steps you will take in your project?
Some words to use
• Socio-economical problem
• Limitations in the state of the art
• Goal
• Hypothesis
• Objectives
Non-Technical Aspects
What are “non-technical” aspects of a fellowship application
• Personal statements
• Long-term goals
• Benefits to society
• Questions that relate to the goals of the fellowship program
Approach
• Don’t neglect these aspects
• Spend the time to write an appropriate response
• Be reflective
• Be honest!
General Writing Tips
Start from an outline
• Organization!
• Ensures all information is there
Writing style
• A paragraph should contain a main idea and its supporting information
• Usually the first sentence of a paragraph contains the main idea
• Consider transitions from one paragraph to the next
• Paragraphs should be several sentences long
Know Your Subject
Define Your Message
• Answer the question asked
• Organize your material to be clear
Organize Your Knowledge
• You are telling a story – think about the timing and order of your information
• Include a background statement to orient the reader
• Clearly state the hypothesis or purpose statement you are discussing
• Make a compelling argument
• Gather necessary information to support argument
Know Your Subject
Make your claim!
• Find evidence/examples for each
• Think about the sequence – refer to your outline
• Structure argument from known to new
• Use your proven track record of success to substantiate your proposal
• Evaluate the skills and qualities you already have
Know Your Purpose
Subject v Purpose
• Subject: concise statement of content
• Purpose: what is gained or accomplished
• Define the purpose of your proposal
Define success
• Clearly state the desired outcome of the work
• Outline how this project/proposal leads to the desired outcome
Know Your Audience
Who is the funding agency
• What is the organization’s mission?
• What target population do they serve?
• What are their funding goals? (Why are they giving money?)
Reviewers
• What is their background?
• What questions would they ask – answer them!
• Get ALL the reviewers on your side
• Write for the generalist and the specialist
Know Your Relevance
Make the connection - topic
• Don’t make the reviewer have to think
• Articulate the relevance of the work to the agency’s mission
• Highlight the novelty of the project/proposal
• Give the significance of your work
Make the connection - self
• Make yourself the clear choice
• Clearly outline why you are the best candidate
Know Your Relevance
Why should YOU be selected?
• What makes you special
• Why are you the best fit for this award
• Why should they want to fund you
• What skills and traits do you have that stand out
• Show commitment to the organization’s goals
• Show confidence
• Present yourself as a sound investment
• BE AUTHENTIC
Know Your Limits
Be clear & concise
• Be specific and clear
• Avoid being vague
• Avoid using jargon, use clear language
• If it does not fit, cut it out
Get to the point
• Avoid being overly verbose
• Don’t bore reviewers with mundane details
Structure
Outline
• Keep a single theme throughout your documents
• Check outline for chronological order
• Insert transitions where appropriate
• Use visual or sensory words to captivate the reader
• Show commitment to the organization’s goals
Reference Letters
Don’t wait until the last minute
• Ask for reference letters well in advance
Who to ask
• Professors or supervisors (their title counts!)
• People who know you well
• People who can comment on your work
What to give someone you ask to write a reference letter
• The appropriate forms or online instructions and the DEADLINE
• At minimum, a copy of your C.V. or résumé
• A copy of your proposal or application
• Specific items to write about or comment on (remind them of details)
• Send a reminder a week or two before the deadline
Some Final Tips for Preparing Your
Application
Don’t wait until the last minute
• Can’t say this enough times!
Make sure to include everything that was asked for
• If sending in a paper application, leave a day or two to print and assemble
everything
• Tailor statements, essays, proposals to specific application instructions
Check spelling and grammar
• Have someone proofread your application
• Do not exceed page or word limits
Richelle Thomas
• we15 Graduate Programming Coordinator
• richelle.thomas@owenscorning.com
Jennifer Patterson
• SWE WIA Committee Chair
• jennifer.patterson@mtm.kuleuven.be