The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) awards talented students interested in STEM three years of financial support for a five year fellowship. We spoke with an NSF-GRFP reviewer about the application and reviewing process.
- As an experienced NSF Reviewer, what is the most common misconception applicants hold about the NSF-GRFP application and how it is reviewed?
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Applicants often think that they can tell the reviewer all the things they have done and have the reviewer simply accept that this is so. Most reviewers will not be impressed by a simple stating of achievements (“I worked in this lab for 2 years.”, “I did a lot of meaningful work for this community.” It is much better to explain what that research or work was and describe it in enough detail that the reviewer can begin to picture it in their mind. Once they can picture it (at least a little bit), they are far more likely to be impressed.
- How are reviewers matched with submitted applications, in terms of academic discipline?
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Reviewers volunteer to review the NSF GRF and can assign themselves up to 3 academic sub-disciplines. When I was a reviewer, I assigned myself Social Sciences: Archaeology, Social Sciences: Cultural Anthropology, and Social Sciences: Linguistic Anthropology, for instance. The NSF will try hard to get applications that identify with the reviewer’s first self-assignment, but, if there are not enough reviewers, it may go with their second or even third self-assignment. This is why you want to write to a reviewer who is in your general field (i.e. Anthropology, Physics, Industrial Engineering) and not a sub-discipline.
- What kinds of activities or opportunities can aspiring researchers pursue to ensure their research is broadly impactful in society?
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The NSF really cares about you getting your education and research out into the public. They especially care about those in the public who do not already have access to college level science. So, undergraduates are a good, but not ideal population. NSF loves K-12 students. If you can teach your science to a bunch of 5th graders, that is exactly what they are looking for. Think about different communities around where you live and consider if you could approach them to share your science. Think Boy Scouts, senior citizens, museum goers, veteran communities, etc. The NSF also puts extra emphasis on work with under-represented communities.
- How can applicants best structure their essays to be conducive to their reviewers?
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I recommend a chronological narrative that is split between your Intellectual Merit and your Broader Impacts. Chronological is easier for the reviewer to understand. Splitting the two sections makes it easier to stay on topic. I recommend about a half-page intro, where you share something interesting and relevant about yourself and your relationship with science. One page for you Intellectual Merit. One page for your Broader Impacts. A final half-page for your future directions.
- What resources are available at Pitt for undergraduate and graduate students applying to the NSF-GRFP award?
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We have a Canvas page loaded with resources, including advice guides, recorded workshop sessions that do deep dives into how to address things like your Broader Impacts or how to get the best letters of recommendation. The Canvas page also has 99 past successful applications. You can find one in your field and see how successful applicants write and explain themselves and their research.