The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
The NSF GRFP is a highly competitive fellowship offered by the National Science Foundation. Receiving the NSF GRFP would mean being able to attend any research program I wanted. As part of the GRFP, I would receive $32,000/year stipend during graduate school and a tuition waver at my graduate institution for my first three years of study. The goal of the GRFP is to create well-rounded researchers, not to fund a specific research project. Therefore, it was up to me through a 3 page personal statement and a 2 page research plan to show my stuff!
The Research Plan
I joked with one of my mentors that choosing a graduate program was almost as big a commitment as marriage. Choosing to spend years of your life on a research topic IS a big commitment. However, choosing your own research project is like being able to design the perfect spouse, you just have to know what you like. Writing my research plan was a pretty exciting experience. I was basically unlimited in options and I found it grand to get to choose my own project.
Once I had a topic in mind, I then reached the challenge of describing my project, working out the major kinks and explaining it to someone who could have no background in the subject whatsoever. I also had to work to defend why my project was worth studying. The GRFP is big on exploring the broader impacts and intellectual merit of a subject, and I had to calibrate everything around those two themes. See my Research Plan below
Once I had a topic in mind, I then reached the challenge of describing my project, working out the major kinks and explaining it to someone who could have no background in the subject whatsoever. I also had to work to defend why my project was worth studying. The GRFP is big on exploring the broader impacts and intellectual merit of a subject, and I had to calibrate everything around those two themes. See my Research Plan below
Guise Research Plan |
The Personal Statement
Writing a personal statement is tough. It's difficult to effectively fit yourself into three pages of paper. Your experiences, your thoughts, your abilities, your merit...all of it in just three pages. It was rather intimidating, but it seemed the only way to get there was to just jump in and try! The experience itself was rather self-investigative. I had to reflect on me, what I wanted, what I was interested in, and what was important to me. I think I learned a lot about myself through writing this personal statement. It also gave me practice in writing about me, and I really struggled through that at first. See my Personal Statement below.
Guise Personal Statement |
Overall Experience
The GRFP was the first of probably many NSF grants I'll apply for in my lifetime. The writing experience was definitely a challenge to my grant writing skills and has only bettered them for the future. Even if I don't receive the GRFP, by applying, I will receive feedback that will help me with my research project development and with applying for NSF grants in the future. Applying has furthered skills I will need for my future career as a researcher.
I was very nervous applying for the GRFP. There are always stronger candidates to compare yourself to, and I struggled somewhat with keeping a positive mindset. I had to work to convince myself that it was still worth applying, despite being up against stronger candidates, even if I don't get it. It's a terrible habit to fall into, and I will not let it limit my opportunities. Dr. Wirgau, the director of the OURS office reminded me that there's only about a 10% fund rate for grant proposals, so everyone has been "rejected", and that's okay. A grant proposal is a way to better your skills, your project, or a sign to pick a new project. I do believe in timing and reason. I believe that what is meant to happen will, one way or another, but nothing will stop me from trying!
I was very nervous applying for the GRFP. There are always stronger candidates to compare yourself to, and I struggled somewhat with keeping a positive mindset. I had to work to convince myself that it was still worth applying, despite being up against stronger candidates, even if I don't get it. It's a terrible habit to fall into, and I will not let it limit my opportunities. Dr. Wirgau, the director of the OURS office reminded me that there's only about a 10% fund rate for grant proposals, so everyone has been "rejected", and that's okay. A grant proposal is a way to better your skills, your project, or a sign to pick a new project. I do believe in timing and reason. I believe that what is meant to happen will, one way or another, but nothing will stop me from trying!