The following statements were submitted to the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) for the Program Year of 2017. Some information has been redacted for confidentiality.
Written in Fall 2017
Present an original research topic that you would like to pursue in graduate school. Describe the research idea, your general approach, as well as any unique resources that may be needed for accomplishing the research goal (i.e., access to national facilities or collections, collaborations, overseas work, etc.) You may choose to include important literature citations. Address the potential of the research to advance knowledge and understanding within science as well as the potential for broader impacts on society. The research discussed must be in a field listed in the Solicitation (Section X, Fields of Study).
Please outline your educational and professional development plans and career goals. How do you envision graduate school preparing you for a career that allows you to contribute to expanding scientific understanding as well as broadly benefit society?
Describe your personal, educational and/or professional experiences that motivate your decision to pursue advanced study in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM). Include specific examples of any research and/or professional activities in which you have participated. Present a concise description of the activities, highlight the results and discuss how these activities have prepared you to seek a graduate degree. Specify your role in the activity including the extent to which you worked independently and/or as part of a team. Describe the contributions of your activity to advancing knowledge in STEM fields as well as the potential for broader societal impacts (See Solicitation, Section VI, for more information about Broader Impacts).
NSF Fellows are expected to become globally engaged knowledge experts and leaders who can contribute significantly to research, education, and innovations in science and engineering. The purpose of this essay is to demonstrate your potential to satisfy this requirement. Your ideas and examples do not have to be confined necessarily to the discipline that you have chosen to pursue.
Reviewer | Intellectual Merit | Broader Impacts | Summary Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Very Good | Very Good | The applicant aims to study hormonal regulation of ketone bodies in northern elephant seal pups. The proposed project exhibits creativity and integrates IM and BI aspects of the proposal effectively. The intellectual merit and BI aspects of this project are are extremely strong. Letters are are highly enthusiastic and attest to the applicant's high potential. Overall, this applicant has a very bright future in her chosen field. |
2 | Excellent | Very Good | The applicant's research proposal will monitor metabolic responses of Northern Elephant Seal pups during their post-weaning fast.. Intellectual merit is excellent and broader impact is very good. Letters of recommendation show a promising student, researcher and citizen. |
3 | Excellent | Excellent | A strong combination of intellectual merit, demonstrated commitment to broader impacts, and excellent reference letters support a competitive candidate for a graduate research fellowship. |