Virtual 2021 Summer National Science Foundation
Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP) Application Development Program
Program dates: May 17th,-21st,
Application deadline: Friday May 7th (by midnight)
The Office of National Scholarships and Fellowships (ONSF) is conducting a workshop series that will present NSF GRFP information and provide structured practice to create a competitive GRFP application. In this workshop, graduate students from NSF eligible fields will participate in a 5-part series that will include an overview of the GRFP and application process, first-hand advice from GRFP recent awardees and interactive sessions to review and revise their application documents. The workshop will also provide a timeline and guidance for requesting recommendation letters. In addition to preparing a more competitive GRFP application, workshop participants will gain experience drafting a research outline and conveying their research to broad audiences. Please note that participation is limited to 20 students. Acceptance is based on minimum criteria outlined in the application and the quality of the submitted application. If there are any questions, please contact Rowena Grainger, STEM Fellowships Advisor, at rowena.grainger@uconn.edu.
Workshop Details (subject to change)
Workshop 1 – May 17th. 10am-noon EST
Developing Confidence in the Writing Process (facilitated by Billy Bowden, Graduate Teaching Fellow, University of Rhode Island)
This workshop, hosted by URI's Graduate Writing Center will focus on building confidence in one's writing. Almost all graduate students experience feelings of anxiety and frustration when it comes to writing. How can you distinguish your words and ideas from previously published scholars? How can you develop confidence in your own insights and perspectives, and express those ideas in writing? GWC Tutor and English PhD candidate Billy Bowden will lead this workshop on overcoming writing anxiety and developing confidence in your writing process.
Workshop 2 – May 18th. 10am-noon EST
This session will provide an overview of the GRFP award and the benefits. In addition, the session will provide a hands-on personal statement writing opportunity for preparation for fellowship applications.
Workshop 3 – May 19th. 10am-noon EST
The third session will go into more detail about the GRFP award and the required application documents. In addition, the session will walk through the application timeline, how to request letters of recommendation, advice for the research statement, and practice activities to prepare the participants to start their GRFP application.
Workshop 4- May 20th. 10am-noon EST
The fourth session in this series will be a panel of current GRFP Fellows. The panelists will share their advice on what makes competitive applications and answer questions. The panel will cover all aspects of the application but will pay particular attention to the personal statement of the application package.
Workshop 5- May 21st. 10am-noon
The first hour of this session will be an opportunity for workshop participants to receive feedback on their statements from fellow participants. Workshop facilitators will start each session with an overview of how to review an application and reminders of the review criteria. Workshop participants will then be free to review and provide feedback to each other.
The final hour of the series will be focused on representing your experiences in more concise formats (i.e. resumes and CVs). We will also explore the various resources on campus available to help you on your professional journey as a graduate student. Special guest: Kay Gruder, Assistant Director, Graduate Student Career Programs and Services, Center for Career Development (CCD).
*Please note that writing tasks will be assigned outside of these hours. The time commitment for this program is estimated to be around 20 hours (2 hours virtual workshop session and 2 hours of writing per day)
APPLY HERE
For more information, contact: Rowena Grainger at rowena.grainger@uconn.edu