Grantee Research Project Results
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development
National Center for Environmental Research
(STAR) Fellowships for Graduate Environmental Study
CLOSED - FOR REFERENCES PURPOSES ONLY
1998 Science To Achieve Results (STAR) Fellowships for Graduate Environmental Study
Opening Date: August 15, 1997
Closing Date: November 14, 1997
ABSTRACT
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program, is offering Graduate Fellowships for masters and doctoral level students in environmentally-related fields of study. The deadline for receipt of pre-applications is November 14, 1997. Subject to availability of funding, the Agency plans to award approximately 100 new fellowships. Masters level students may receive support for up to two years. Doctoral students may be supported for a maximum of three years. The fellowship program provides up to $34,000 per year of support, depending on the number of months covered by the student's enrollment. This amount covers a $17,000 annual stipend and $5,000 for authorized expenses, and up to $12,000 for tuition and fees paid directly to the institution.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PROGRAM
Introduction
The EPA invites pre-applications for graduate fellowships in academic disciplines relating to environmental management including physical, biological, and social sciences; mathematics and computer science; engineering; and environmental law. A pre-application provides the information needed for the merit review. Top ranked applications from merit review will be required to submit a brief formal application for assistance.
These fellowships are intended to help defray costs associated with advanced environmentally oriented study leading to the masters or doctoral degree. Instructions for completing and submitting pre-applications are found in the sections that follow. Instructions must be followed exactly or the submission will not be reviewed.
Purpose of the Program
The purpose of the fellowship program is to encourage promising students to obtain advanced degrees and pursue careers in environmentally related fields. This goal is consistent with the mission of EPA, which is to provide leadership in the nation's environmental science, research, education, assessment, restoration, and preservation efforts. Both the public and private sectors will need a steady stream of well-trained environmental specialists if our society is to meet the environmental challenges of the future.
Eligibility
Applicants must be citizens of the United States or its territories or possessions, or lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence. Resident aliens must include their green card number in their pre-application. This number will be verified with the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
Students do not need to be enrolled in or formally accepted in a full-time graduate program at the time they apply for a fellowship, but proof of enrollment or acceptance must be produced prior to the award of the fellowship. Students must attend a fully accredited U.S. college or university. Students must be pursuing a masters or doctoral degree in an environmentally related field of specialization (see fields of specialization below). Students who have been enrolled for more than two years in the masters program or four years in the doctoral program are not eligible.
The research may be conducted outside the United States. However, EPA allows only $5,000 for all expenses, including travel. See "Stipends and Allowances" for details.
Employees of the U.S. government must be able to prove separation before accepting this fellowship.
Acceptance of this fellowship does not necessarily preclude acceptance of other scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, or grant aid. However, this fellowship may not be awarded to anyone who will simultaneously be receiving other federal assistance.
Eligible women, minorities, and disabled students are strongly encouraged to apply.
Tenure
The term of a graduate fellowship is negotiated with students and ordinarily covers a period of 9 to 12 months for each fellowship year. Funds for unused months are forfeited. Students seeking a masters degree may be supported for a maximum of two years. Students seeking doctoral degrees may receive support for up to three years.
Stipend and Allowances
The fellowship provides up to $34,000 per year of support. A maximum of $68,000 will be provided for masters fellows (two years) and up to $102,000 (three years) will be
provided to doctoral students. The $34,000 annual support covers stipend, tuition, and expenses as follows:
- Stipends during 1998-1999 will be $17,000 for 12-month tenures and prorated monthly at a maximum of $1,417 for shorter periods. Stipends are paid directly to the Fellow. At its discretion, each fellowship institution may supplement a Fellows stipend from institutional funds in accordance with the supplementation policy of the institution.
- An expense allowance of up to $5,000 will be provided in a lump sum to the university to pay for items and activities for the direct benefit of the student's education, such as for health insurance, books, supplies, equipment, and travel to technical meetings.
- Support for tuition and academic fees, up to $12,000 per year, will be paid directly to the institution.
Criteria for Evaluation and Selection
Each student will be evaluated in terms of his or her potential for successful graduate study, as evidenced by academic records, recommendations, and career goals and objectives. Students at each educational level will be evaluated further according to the criteria described below under "Mandatory Format for Submission of Pre-Applications".
Pre-applications and letters of recommendation will be reviewed by experts from the appropriate degree fields. Students applying for fellowships must select a field of specialization from the table attached. Reviewers are recruited based on the specialty fields represented by the pre-applications. Pre-applications from all specialties are judged within the following four categories:
- 1. Entering masters students -- not matriculated
2. Continuing masters students
3. Entering doctoral students -- not matriculated
4. Continuing doctoral students
Reviewers will recommend the best students from each of these four categories. Finalists will be selected based on the merit evaluations, program goals, and availability of funds. Only finalists will be required to submit the following:
- 1. EPA Form 5770-2, "Fellowship Application"
2. EPA Form 5700-49, "Certificate Regarding Debarment,
Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters"
3. Sealed official transcripts from all institutions (if so instructed by EPA)
EPA will provide the necessary forms to finalists.
WHERE AND WHEN TO SUBMIT
Pre-applications must be received at the contact point no later than 4:00 p.m., EST, on November 14, 1997. Pre-applications may be submitted by regular mail, express mail, or uniformed courier services. If using regular mail, allow sufficient time for delivery since applications MUST be at the contact point by 4:00 p.m. EST on November 14, 1997.
If sending by regular or priority U.S. mail,send the original AND SIX (6) COPIES of all required materials to:
STAR Fellowships
NCER -- (8725R) Use this address ONLY for U.S. mail!
US EPA
401 M Street, SW
Washington, DC 20460
If sending by courier,deliver the original AND SIX (6) COPIES of all required materials to:
STAR Fellowships
NCER Use this address ONLY for courier mail!
Room B-10105
US EPA - Ronald Reagan Building
1300 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20004
A telephone contact number is necessary for most courier deliveries. You may use 202/564-6939 for that purpose. NOTE: This is not an appropriate contact number for other information.
NOTIFICATION AND AWARD DATES
If you comply with the requirement to include a stamped, self-addressed postcard with your pre-application, you will be notified when we receive your package. Periodic updates of review status will be posted on the NCER Home Page (/ncer/). Subject to the availability of funding, awards should be made by June 30, 1998 for the fall term.
PAGE LIMITATION
Typeface must be 12 point or equivalent, with one-inch margins all around. Limitations for individual components of the pre-application are specified in the "Format for Submission of Proposals" which follows. Do not exceed these limits or the proposal will be ineligible. Do not reduce materials. Do not submit materials bound or in ring binders.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
MANDATORY FORMAT
FOR PRE-APPLICATIONS
All pre-applications must be submitted in the exact format described below. All necessary information is provided. To clarify the instructions, a sample pre-application appears at the end of this announcement. Pre-applications must include three letters of reference in individually sealed envelopes, as described below.
Items 1 through 5 should comprise the first page.
Item 1.a. PERSONAL DATA -- provide your full name (last name first), current address, permanent address, and home and work telephone numbers. If you can be reached by fax or e-mail, include that information as well. (Optional -- for statistical reporting purposes only, we ask you to include your gender and race, e.g., black, white, Hispanic, native American.)
Item 1.b. CITIZENSHIP STATUS -- state whether you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. If you are a citizen, give the city of your birth. If you are a nonresident alien, provide your green card number. EPA may choose to verify this information.
Item 2. DEGREE SOUGHT -- state either masters or doctoral (or MS, MA, PhD, etc). Include the month and year the degree is expected.
Item 3. PRE-APPLICATION CATEGORY -- entering masters, continuing masters, entering doctoral, or continuing doctoral
Item 4.a. FIELD OF SPECIALIZATION CODE -- from list below. You MUST choose only one. Your pre-application will be reviewed by individuals from the field you select.
Item 4.b. NAME OF SPECIALIZATION -- from list below.
Item 5.a. CURRENT SCHOOL AND DEPARTMENT -- Name and location of your current university, school and department.
Item 5.b. NAME AND ADDRESS OF GRADUATE ADVISOR -- If you have a graduate advisor, give his or her name, address, and telecommunications data, including phone, fax, and e-mail, if available. If you do not yet have an advisor, write "N/A".
Item 6a. TRANSCRIPT INFORMATION -- Provide, in tabular form, the following information taken from your transcripts. Identify the institutions at which the credits were earned, dates, names and catalog numbers of courses taken, credit hours, grades received, and cumulative GPA for all courses taken at each degree level. If possible, course titles should not exceed the space available. Abbreviations are allowed. If courses were audited or not completed, note this information. If any institution you attended had a grading system different from the traditional "A, B, C..." system, explain the system in a succinct footnote to Item 6. Do not leave anything out. Include data from your entire college career. DO NOT INCLUDE COPIES OF YOUR TRANSCRIPTS. Fellowship winners will be required to submit official copies of transcripts for validation prior to the award of the fellowship.
Item 6b. GRE OR EQUIVALENT TEST SCORES -- List score and date for all general and specific tests taken.
ITEM 6 may take as much space as necessary. ITEM 7a. must be completed on one page. If you have room, you may include ITEM 8 on the same page as Item 7a (or 7b, if applicable), but ITEM 8 must not exceed one page.
Item 7a. EXPERIENCE -- List specifically relevant experience, including paid employment, military service, internships, residencies, special studies, volunteer work, etc. Give dates and a short description of your duties in each position, listing most recent first. Give names and addresses of employers. List only relevant experience.
Item 7b. PUBLICATIONS -- If you have published in the technical literature, provide a bibliography here. If you have not yet published, write "NA".
Item 8. STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES -- Explain your academic and career goals and how your proposed course of study or research will help you to achieve these goals. Include any background information you believe is pertinent and provide insight into why you have chosen the goals you are pursuing. You will be evaluated on the seriousness of your dedication to your studies and to an environmentally oriented career. This statement will also provide insight into your organizational, analytical, and written communication skills.
Item 9. NARRATIVE STATEMENT -- The narrative statement will differ slightly at each academic level. All students must include a description of the scientific and, if appropriate, societal importance of their field of study. At the various levels, reviewers will be looking for answers to the following questions:
ENTERING MASTERS STUDENTS:What are the degree requirements in your program? What is your planned course of study during the period of the fellowship? Do you know if you will be undertaking a special project? If so, describe it briefly. If you do not know, what project would you like to propose? Why would it be important?
CONTINUING MASTERS STUDENTS: What are the degree requirements in your program? How will your planned curriculum build on what you have already taken? Are there any research projects or work-study assignments that you plan to do this year as part of your curriculum? How will it be relevant to your academic and career goals?
ENTERING DOCTORAL STUDENTS: Why do you want a doctoral degree? What are the degree requirements in your program? How does this program build on your former education? If you could get involved in a research project this year, what would it be? Why is it important? How will it advance your academic and career goals?
CONTINUING DOCTORAL STUDENTS: Provide a scope of work for your research project. The scope of work must be structured as follows:
A. Goal of research -- Introduce the problem. What is your hypothesis?
B. Rationale -- What is the technical or social need for this research? What other published work has been done on this subject and how do these results relate to your project?
C. Approach and Expected Results -- How will you test your hypotheses? What scientific or other benefits are expected from this work?
Each academic level will have specific evaluation criteria pertaining to the narrative statement, as described in the section above. The page limitations for each educational level are as follows
-
-
- Entering Masters Students -- 2 pages
Continuing Masters Students -- 2 pages
Entering Doctoral Students -- 2 pages
Continuing Doctoral Students -- 5 pages
- Entering Masters Students -- 2 pages
-
>These page limitations include all figures, and tables. References may be on a separate page or pages.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT REFERENCE LETTERS
1. Each pre-application MUST include three reference letters from individuals who are knowledgeable about your academic record. If you have a sponsor or advisor in the program, one of these letters should come from that individual.
2. EPA is bound by regulations to require three letters. If the pre-application does not include three letters, it will not be reviewed.
3. The original letters and six (6) copies must be contained in individual envelopes sealed by the writer and must be included in the pre-application package. We will not accept reference letters sent separately.
Self Addressed, Stamped Post Card: Include this in your package so that we can notify you that we received your pre-application.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
For additional information or assistance in preparing your pre-application, first consult the "Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)" on the NCER Home Page (/ncer/). EPA also maintains a toll-free Help Line which is available Monday-Friday, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, EST. For Help Line assistance, dial 1-800 490-9194.
FIELD OF SPECIALIZATION CODES
A1 Civil/Environmental Engineering
B1 Agricultural Engineering
B2 Chemical Engineering
B3 Mechanical Engineering
B4 Risk Management
B5 Applied Math and Statistics
C1 Chemistry and Materials Science
D1 Oceanography (includes physical, chemical, and biological systems)
E1 Geology (includes geochemistry and geophysics)
F1 Geography
F2 Atmospheric Sciences
G1 Economics and Business
H1 Sociology
H2 Anthropology
H3 Psychology
H4 Risk Communication
K1 Ecology and Ecosystems
J1 Environmental Law
J2 Environmental History
L1 Toxicology
M1 Zoology
M2 Forestry
M3 Entomology
M4 Ecological Risk Assessment
M5 Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Bioengineering
N1 Pathology
N2 Microbiology
N3 Molecular Biology/Genetics
N4 Health Risk Assessment
P1 Urban and Regional Planning
SAMPLE PRE-APPLICATION
The pages that follow constitute a sample pre-application for graduate fellowship.
NOTE!!!! Smart as he or she is, this hypothetical student probably would NOT get an EPA fellowship because his or her curriculum has no obvious relationship to environmental concerns. His or her only chance would be if his or her narrative statement clearly made that connection. The purpose of this sample is to demonstrate format, not content.
Page 1 of x |
BECKETT, SAMUEL JOHN
-
- PRE-APPLICATION FOR GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP
1.a. Name, Addresses, and Telecommunications Data:
BECKETT, Samuel JohnHome Phone: ###/###-####
Current Address:Work Phone: ###/###-####
68 Dane AvenueFax: ###/###-####
Somerville, MA 02899E-mail: xxxxx@yyy.com
Permanent Address:
c/o John BeckettPhone: ###/###-####
RR 2, Box 98
Elk Ridge, Indiana 54096White male
1.b. Citizenship Status: U.S. Citizen, born in Elk Ridge, Indiana
(Note: if this student were a permanent resident alien, he would indicate his green card number here.)
2. Degree Applying For: Doctoral degree (or PhD, ScD, etc.), expected 6/98
3. Level of Education at Start of Fellowship: continuing doctoral
4.a. Field of Specialization Code: 10
4.b. Name of Specialization: mathematics
5.a. Current School and Department: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Mathematics and Physics, Department of Theoretical Mathematics, Cambridge, MA
5.b. Name and Address of Graduate Advisor (Sponsor):
J. C. Armstrong
Chairman, Department of Theoretical Mathematics
464-82
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA 02899
Office Phone: ###/###-#### Fax: ###/###-####
E-mail: Xxxxxxx@mit.edu
Page 2 of x |
BECKETT, SAMUEL JOHN
6a. Transcript Data
Institution Year Course #TitleCredit HrsGrade
Current GPA: 4.0 (4 point scale)
MIT 1996 744Special Project 5In progress
" " 740Topology 5 In progress
" " 735Number Theory 4 In progress
" " 722Adv. Topics in Chaos 4In progress
" " 719Special Project 5 A
" " 716Transfinite Math 5 A
" " 715Fuzzy Logic 4 A
" " 712Chaotic Systems 4 A
Caltech12/95 MS in Physics Awarded (Summa cum Laude) GPA: 4.0 (4 point scale)
" 1995 Ph-96Individual Study in Physics 8 A
" " Ph-85Quantum Logic III 4 A
" " R-66Technical Russian II 4 P
" " Ph-96Individual Study in Physics 8 A
" " Ph-83Quantum Logic II 4 A
" " R-65 Technical Russian I4Audit
" 1994 Ph-96Individual Study in Physics 8 A
" " Ph-80Quantum Logic I 4 A
" " R-66 Technical Russian 4 P
" " Ph-77Unification Theories 4 A
" " Ph-69Cosmology 4 A
" " Ph-80Quantum Logic I 4Incomplete
" " Ph-96Individual Study in Physics6 A
" " Ph-66Advanced Electromagnetism 4A
U. of Indiana 12/93 B.S. Degree Awarded (Summa cum Laude) GPA: 4.0 (4 point scale)
" 1993 620Advanced Study in Math. 4 A
" " 300Religion, Science & Philos. 4 A
etc. (List all academic courses at all academic institutions for which you can
produce transcripts. DO NOT LEAVE ANYTHING OUT.)
6.b. GRE General Exam Scores: (All tests taken 10/93)
Verbal: 725 Quantitative: 800 Analytical: 800
GRE Mathematics Test: 800
Page v of z |
BECKETT, SAMUEL JOHN
7a. Other Relevant Experience:
1/96 to PresentTeaching AssistantMIT, Department of Mathematics
Philip LoNicro, 617/###-####
11/95 - 1/96Invented a plasma energy drive system
Patent Number 876GB5F457YD
etc. Limited to one page.
Page x of z |
BECKETT, SAMUEL JOHN
7.b. Publications -- List all publications on which you are an author. Use a generally acceptable bibliographic format. This listing can be as long as it must to accommodate all publications which are relevant to the area in which you are applying.
Page y of z |
BECKETT, SAMUEL JOHN
8. Statement of Objectives (Do NOT exceed one page)
(This is a written account of your academic and environmental career goals, in which you relate your past accomplishments and future plans, and describe how your proposed plan of study or research will tie these together. This section is a key criterion for review, so be as articulate and thorough as possible.)
Page z1 of z |
BECKETT, SAMUEL JOHN
9. Narrative Statement (Text and page number requirements differ for different educational levels. Be certain you follow instructions for this section exactly. It is a key review section.)
Sam Beckett, our hypothetical candidate, must provide a detailed scope of work for his proposed research, because he is a continuing PhD student. He may not exceed five pages in describing the goals, rationale, approach, and references for his project.
ENCLOSURES
1. (Mandatory!)
Three recommendation letters -- each original letter, plus 6 copies,must be in a separate sealed envelope within the application package. If you have an advisor, one letter should come from your advisor.
2. Stamped self-addressed postcard -- if you do not include the postcard, you will not be notified that we received your package.
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.