IMSD Fellows Application_Letters of Recommendation Instructions-Spring 2013
Instructions for Letters of Recommendation, Mentoring, and Support
Please read the instructions carefully, be sure to submit all letters that apply to you, and
provide your letter writers with the instructions below.
All applicants must submit:
1. Letter of financial commitment from the Department Chair of your graduate
program stating that the department (or your PI) will provide the necessary
funding to supplement tuition/fees and if applicable, to supplement salary to meet
departmental minimum salary guidelines. These supplemental funds CANNOT
be from a federal source (e.g., NSF and NIH). If you have additional questions
please have your Department representative or PI contact Laura Slakey,
Program Manager, lslakey@berkeley.edu (510) 642-6227 for the IMSD
compensation and supplementation packet. Download the example financial
commitment letter from the website: http://imsd.berkeley.edu/graduate.html to
send to your department to fill out.
2. Leadership and service letter from someone who can speak to your
commitment to leadership and service (instructions below). This person does not
necessarily have to be a faculty member.
3. Choose one of the two following letters of recommendations options as it applies
to your situation (3A or 3B).
Option 1: For continuing graduate students and incoming graduate students with
an already confirmed dissertation research lab, you must additionally provide:
3A. Letter of recommendation from your graduate PI/thesis advisor. This must
include a description of how you will be mentored (instructions below).
Option 2: For incoming graduate students coming into departments/programs
with laboratory rotations, you must additionally provide the following letters:
3B. Letter of recommendation from a faculty member with whom you have
done research or are currently doing research. You may use the same letter
used for graduate admissions.
1
IMSD Fellows Application_Letters of Recommendation Instructions-Spring 2013
Please provide the letter instructions below to the appropriate recommender(s).
Instructions for Recommenders
For all recommenders
This student is applying for an IMSD (Initiative for Maximizing Student
Development) Graduate Fellowship. The IMSD Program is funded by the National
Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The goal of the program is to increase the number of students from groups
underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences who complete Ph.D.
degrees in these fields and go on to research careers. The IMSD Graduate Fellows
Program at UC Berkeley aims to diversify the sciences by providing graduate students
with financial support, professional development, advising, and leadership and
mentoring opportunities in order to help the students thrive in graduate school and be
exceptionally well-prepared to become scientific leaders.
Please submit your letters to imsd@berkeley.edu by April 30, 2013 at 11:59pm.
If you have any questions, please contact Rachel Henderson, Ph.D., Program
Coordinator, at rhenderson@berkeley.edu or (510) 643-4746 or Corey Welch, Ph.D.,
Assistant Program Coordinator, coreywelch@berkeley.edu (510) 643-3866.
Letter of recommendation instructions - Graduate Thesis Advisor
1. Please discuss the student’s qualifications to be an IMSD Graduate Fellow,
which can include their research ability, academic preparation, potential as a
future independent scientist, fit for the program goals, and ability to benefit from
the program.
2. Because scholarship extends beyond academic excellence, as prospective future
faculty and scientific leaders, we expect a Fellow should:
a. maintain a high standard of academic performance and commitment
to research
b. maintain the highest ethical standards,
c. understand the culture of the scientific community and how to
successfully navigate professional relationships.
d. have opportunities to develop and refine their communication and
leadership skills.
e. understand the many roles and responsibilities that scientists have in
society and the options that are available to them after they have
completed their graduate degree.
Given these expectations, please describe how you will mentor the student and
assist in her/his development as a scientific leader. Please include any details
such as planned frequency of meetings.
Letter of Recommendation Instructions – Leadership and Service Letter
Scholarship extends beyond academic excellence. Scientific leaders
demonstrate a commitment to service in their disciplines, institutions, and society as a
whole. A commitment to leadership and service is an important component of the IMSD
2
IMSD Fellows Application_Letters of Recommendation Instructions-Spring 2013
program. IMSD Graduate Fellows will have an integral role in further diversifying the
sciences nationally and at Berkeley through mentoring and outreach. In your letter,
please describe the student’s commitment to leadership and service. This does not
necessarily have to be in science – it may be in service to the community or in other
service/leadership roles.
3