Information Sessions - SUMMER & FALL 2023
Fellowships 101: Introduction to External Funding for Graduate School
Fellowships allow you to receive a salary and tuition, set your own research agenda, earn prestige and develop career networks. In this session we’ll cover the basics, including where to search for funding and what goes into a successful application. Learn about opportunities to work in national and international labs. External funding is not just for US citizens! We’ll discuss options for international students as well.
You may view a recording of the Fall 2023 information session HERE. Registration for Spring 2024 sessions will be available here once they are scheduled.
email Betty madige@rpi.edu for more information
Information Session: Students interested in the NSF GRFP, which provides 3 years of tuition and salary to graduate students in 30 STEM disciplines, are encouraged to view this introduction to the program. We discussed the benefits, eligibility, and the selection criteria for strong candidates. Each year, Rensselaer students successfully earn this award. U.S. citizenship or permanent residency required. View the FAll 2023 information session HERE For info: madige@rpi.edu
Summer Bootcamp: 1st and 2nd year graduate students and rising seniors are encouraged to register for this proven 5 week virtual program (no classes required) to develop strong applications to the NSF GRFP. This asynchronous online virtual program will take place in summer of 2024. Check back here and watch Morning Mail for registration information in the spring.
Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation Scholarship Program: Information Session Wednesday, September 27, 10:00AM Virtual: Register HERE The Department of Defense SMART program offers a generous stipend, tuition, and the opportunity to work in DoD laboratories doing work in your field/discipline during summers and post graduation. Guaranteed work in your field after graduation. For information: madige@rpi.edu (United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or United Kingdom citizens are eligible)
National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship: The information session recording can be viewed HERE. The NDSEG provides 3 years of stipend and tuition for students that are doing work in areas that meet specific needs of the military as indicated in Broad Agency Announcements. This session will discuss eligibility, benefits, and approaches to creating a strong application. (United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or United Kingdom citizens are eligible)
Graduate students and rising seniors applying to competitive fellowships participated in a virtual week long writing retreat August 2023. The program will be offered again summer of 2024. Look for announcements in Morning Mail spring 2024.
An evening with current and former fellows who generously answered questions about applying to these large and multi-year programs. Reviewers for major programs will also be joining the discussion.
View Recording of September 13th, 2022 Presentation
Fulbright is a U.S. State Dept. program that offers Americans with a bachelor’s degree (but not a PhD) grants to engage with others in ~140 countries in multiple ways:
Research Study/Awards Design your own projects, affiliate with, or take classes at an academic or research institution. Many students do thesis or dissertation research abroad. Special grants are available in the arts, journal and communications, business, STEM, and public health advocates. Consider the Fulbright- National Geographic Storytelling Fellowship.
Teach English Abroad Spend a year teaching English at the elementary, high school, or post-secondary school level.
Earn a Graduate Degree Below is a sample of the many opportunities available:
Masters in Creative Industrial Design OR Energy Engineering in Taiwan
Masters in many fields in Israel
Architecture study in Milano Italy
PhD in: cancer, neurologic and psychiatric disorders, population health, biomaterials and
regenerative medicine, or vascular biology in Ireland
Students seeking to travel during the 2025- 2026 academic year should expect to complete the required RPI application process in August of 2024. Contact your Fulbright Advisor for details by spring of 2024. Email madige@rpi.edu
The Office of Graduate Education helps students find and compete for external fellowships and grants. Workshops that introduce the funding search process and target specific awards are offered on an ongoing basis. One-on-one writing consultations are available to support students in crafting clear, concise, and compelling proposals.
Application Advising
Individual consultations for selecting and applying to fellowships are available by email and Webex. The office is part of a national fellowship advisor support network that can provide information and support for application to most programs. Additionally we will review and provide feedback of your application personal and research statements via email; madige@rpi.edu.
Always discuss your research proposal with your advisor before seeking additional feedback.
Additional writing assistance is available at the Center for Global Communication+Design.
Application Writing Resources
This slide presentation is an interactive self-paced workshop designed to assist you in planning and editing strong application statements for external funding programs. Use the lower right arrow button to advance through the slides. Use the home button to return to the main menu at any time.
There are a number of brief exercises embedded in the presentation. Please take your time to think carefully about your responses to each question. The entire presentation can take 30-90 minutes depending on the effort you put into the exercises. You may skip sections, jump around, or complete sections in different sittings. The first two sections are relevant to BOTH personal statements and research statements. The last three slides may be printed as a checklist.
For personal assistance please email your statement, your questions, or a request for a Webex meeting to madige@rpi.edu. Applications that are sent at least one week before the due date will receive feedback in a timely fashion.
LEADERSHIP LAB: The Craft of Writing Effectively All graduate students and post-docs can improve their writing for publication and grant/fellowship applications. This presentation by Larry McEnerny, Director of the University of Chicago’s Writing Program, is highly recommended.
Writing in the Sciences Stanford University (free self-paced online course) This course covers everything from sentence-level issues like wordiness and verb choice to formatting a manuscript and communicating science to a non-technical audience. It is highly recommended by graduate students and faculty alike.
Writing Resources and Publications: Improve your writing with these guides and books recommended by the National Association of Fellowship Advisors. Many are available through the RPI library or can be purchased online.
- C.V. Tips and Tricks Do's and Don'ts for creating professional and effective C.V.s
- Resumes and Cover Letters for PhD Students Guide provided by Harvard University Office of Career Services. Many excellent examples.
- Find more writing resources, attend a workshop, or schedule a consultation on any communication project at the Center for Global Communication+Design.
