Category: Funding Opportunities

Opportunities for funding graduate education.

National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program

NSF National Science Foundation
Graduate Research Fellowship Program
The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) helps ensure the vitality of the human resource base of science and engineering in the United States and reinforces its diversity. The program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited United States institutions.

Fellows share in the prestige and opportunities that become available when they are selected.  Fellows benefit from a three-year annual stipend of $30,000 along with a $10,500 cost of education allowance for tuition and fees, opportunities for international research and professional development, and the freedom to conduct their own research at any accredited U.S. institution of graduate education they choose.

To be eligible for the NSF GRFP, you must:

  • be a US citizen, US national, or permanent resident
  • be in a research-focused Master’s or Ph.D. program in an NSF-supported field
  • be enrolled in an eligible program at an accredited United States graduate institution by Fall 2012
  • have completed no more than twelve months of full-time graduate study (or the equivalent)
  • meet all other eligibility requirements as set forth in the current Program Solicitation

The “no more than twelve months” limit applies to your entire post-baccalaureate career, not just your current program. If you have completed less than twelve months of your Ph.D. but have previously completed a Master’s degree, you would not be eligible for the GRFP.

More information available:  http://www.nsfgrfp.org/

Contact Jodi Lehman at jglehman@mtu.edu if eligible and interest in applying.

NSF SBE Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants

Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences (BCS)
Archaeology, Cultural Anthropology, Geography and Spatial Sciences
Linguistics, Physical Anthropology, Science of Science and Innovation Policy
Division of Social and Economic Sciences (SES)
Decision, Risk & Management Science
Economics
Law & Social Science
Methodology, Measurement, and Statistics
Political Science
Science of Science and Innovation Policy
Science, Technology, and Society
Sociology
Division of Science Resources Statistics (SRS)
Research on Science and Technology Surveys and Statistics Program Science of Science and Innovation Policy

Solicitation and deadlines: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=13453

Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards in Studying Complex Systems

James S. McDonnell Foundation
Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards in Studying Complex Systems

Note: The program provides selected pre-doctoral students with “letters of intent to fund” which students in the final phase of graduate school can use in negotiations with potential postdoctoral training institutions.
The Complex Systems program supports scholarship and research directed toward the development of theoretical and mathematical tools that can be applied to the study of complex, adaptive, nonlinear systems. It is anticipated that research funded in this program will address issues in fields such as biology, biodiversity, climate, demography, epidemiology, technological change, economic development, governance, or computation.
-Applicants should not currently have a Ph.D. and should not receive a Ph.D. on or before June 15, 2012.
-Ph.D. student applicants should have theoretical and/or experimental training in Complex Systems Science.
-Applicants should expect to complete coursework and dissertation sometime in 2013.
-Ph.D. students that have already identified a postdoctoral position and postdoctoral research mentor should not apply. Support for such positions is readily available through traditional funding mechanisms
Deadline: June 15, 2012
Guidelines:
http://www.jsmf.org/apply/fellowship/

Ford Foundation Ford Foundation

For those who have demonstrated superior academic achievement, are committed to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level, show promise of future achievement as scholars and teachers, and are well prepared to use diversity as a resource for enriching the education of all students.
Pre-doctoral Fellowship
The predoctoral fellowships provide three years of support for individuals engaged in graduate study leading to a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) degree.
Dissertation Fellowships
The dissertation fellowships provide one year of support for individuals working to complete a dissertation leading to a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) degree.
Deadline: Nov. TBA
Guidelines:
http://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/FordFellowships/PGA_048001

Collegiate Inventors Competition

The invention, a reduced-to-practice idea or working prototype, must be the work of a student or team of students with his or her university advisor. If it is a machine, it must be operable. If it is a chemical, it must be complete with evidence of successful application of the idea. If it is a new plant, color photographs or slides must be included in the submission. If a new or original ornamental design for an article of manufacture is submitted, the entire design must be included in the application. In addition, the invention should be capable of being reproduced.
$15,000 top prize (graduate student); $12,500 prize (undergraduate); The student’s advisor wins a cash prize as well.
Deadline: June 15, 2012
http://www.invent.org/collegiate/index.html
To view additional requirements and to enter: http://www.invent.org/collegiate/enter.html

DOE and EERE Postdoctoral Research Awards

The DOE-EERE Postdoctoral Research Awards support innovative research in energy efficiency and renewable energy by offering recent Ph.D. recipients the opportunity to conduct applied research at universities, national laboratories, and other research facilities. The objective of these awards is to create the next generation of scientific leaders in energy efficiency and renewable energy by attracting the best scientists and engineers to pursue breakthrough technologies. The research programs supporting these awards include:

  • Energy Efficiency
    • Buildings Technologies Program
    • Vehicles Technologies Program
  • Renewable Energy
    • Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Program
    • Geothermal Technologies Program
    • SunShot Initiative
    • Water Power Program

Each award will provide an annual stipend, allowances for health insurance and research-related expenses, and limited reimbursement for relocation expenses. An Annual Research Meeting for participants will be organized and hosted by EERE. The application deadline is May 1, 2012.  More information and application materials can be found at http://www1.eere.energy.gov/education/postdoctoral/

Student Employees Sought at Process Improvement

The Office of Process Improvement is hiring two student process improvement coordinators. Direct your undergraduate and graduate students to this opportunity.

The start date for the year-round position is April. The hours are flexible but the students must be available for the summer.

See the details at NACElink. You must login using an ISO username and password.

For more information, contact Wendy Davis, manager of Process Improvement, at 487-3180 or at wmdavis@mtu.edu .

Published in Tech Today