Christopher Hill: hello, and welcome we're going to wait a minute or two see if we get more people to join us today, thank you for joining us we'll start the reference writer webinar for the graduate research fellowship program soon.
Christopher Hill: Thank you for joining us here at nsf.
Christopher Hill: Thank you for joining us we're going to wait a minute or two to see if we get some more people to join us participants so welcome to the National Science Foundation webinar for reference writers for the graduate research fellowship program will begin shortly.
Christopher Hill: i'm going to wait about one more minute one or two more minutes and then we'll start the webinar on the graduate research fellowship Program.
Christopher Hill: hints for reference writers National Science Foundation.
Christopher Hill: Thank you for joining us today.
Christopher Hill: Welcome, welcome to the National Science Foundation nsf man, the graduate research fellowship program the rfp.
Christopher Hill: This is a webinar for reference writers for G rfp it's an opportunity to think about graduate research fellowship program from the perspective of writing letters of reference for the applicants.
Christopher Hill: So the plan is to provide you with a overview of geography and a little bit about what the reviewers and the applicants are thinking about in terms of the.
Christopher Hill: graduate research fellowship program and how a person, that is a reference writer might use that information in developing a great letter of reference for somebody that's applying for the Program.
Christopher Hill: The plan is to give this presentation and then there would be an opportunity for some questions and answers and we're delighted to be able to provide you information about to graduate research fellowship program at nsf to rfp.
Christopher Hill: And so let's begin and we'll begin with introducing the presenters the.
Christopher Hill: One of the presenters is me, my name is Christopher Hill i'm a program director at the National Science Foundation and i'm joined today by Dr accretion Norman.
Christopher Hill: And I want to thank Catherine noughts who serves as the executive producer for our presentations our webinars and the team from the Dr P operation Center.
Christopher Hill: brandi Henderson run a and Sam Goodman so thank you for joining us today let's go to.
Christopher Hill: A little bit of information on how to get more resources connected with G rfp or the graduate research fellowship program perhaps the best source of information, including information for reference letter writers, is to go to nsf prp.org so www dot nsf Dr P dot orc.
Christopher Hill: So here's the plan for today, Dr Norman is going to talk a little bit about.
Christopher Hill: nsf and G rfp and provide a little bit of information about review criteria, because it's important for the reference fighters to know what the reviewers are thinking about.
Christopher Hill: In terms of evaluating the applications that's perhaps the best way to approach writing a great letter of support for somebody that's applying to the Program.
Christopher Hill: And then we're going to also talk about.
Christopher Hill: The kinds of information that reviewers are thinking about the strategies that they use and how some of those same principles might be applied.
Christopher Hill: To writing letters of reference and also a little bit about preparing the application statement, which is something that the applicants do.
Christopher Hill: But it's something that can be reinforced by the letters of reference and will end by providing us with own little bit of focused customized information and reminders about.
Christopher Hill: The kinds of things that the reference writers should be thinking about for providing information to nsf connected with the G rfp application so i'd like to introduce Dr Norman who will provide you with a little bit of information about nsf and geography.
Christopher Hill: Dr Norman.
Christopher Hill: Her on your.
Narcrisha Norman: Fire as many times as you do that just have to remember to do.
Narcrisha Norman: The morning everyone a little bit about geography geography, is in itself oldest program in fact it's been around since 1952 there have been over 60,000.
Narcrisha Norman: trs awarded there 44 fellows who have gone on to become Nobel laureates and yeah fellows from every state.
Narcrisha Norman: are also over 40 to 50 fellows have become members of the National Academy of Sciences your IP is open a graduate students who are or will be persona research based masters and doctoral degrees eligible fields of study.
Narcrisha Norman: Looking at the bottom right hand corner of the slide you see the list of major fields of study, keep that in mind that each of those major fields of study also have.
Narcrisha Norman: Numerous sub fields and the best information to get about major fields and southfield is the rfp solicitation which will mention a couple of times today.
Narcrisha Norman: So directly is a five year fellowship period three of those years of our financial support and that financial support includes 34,000 annual stipend and 12,000 cost of education allows there's no post graduate study service requirement and because Dr FP is such a well known and widespread.
Narcrisha Norman: opportunity for fellows we have we had over 500.
Narcrisha Norman: academic institutions represented in our 2020 competition.
Narcrisha Norman: A little bit about review criteria.
Narcrisha Norman: So we Dr P follows as all nsf programs follow the National Science board approved Mary review criteria criteria of intellectual merit and broader impacts.
Narcrisha Norman: By intellectual merit what we mean is, how important is to propose activity to advancing knowledge within his own field across different fields are broader impacts, we mean how well does the proposed activity benefit society or then societal outcomes.
Narcrisha Norman: And then we're going to talk a little bit about reviewer information and strategies.
Narcrisha Norman: So in SF reviewers would you rfp their goal, or the things they do is to help nsf identify students with strong potential to save the future of them, they review applications from individuals, and these are applications and not proposals.
Narcrisha Norman: We accept the reviews do a comprehensive review, let me the application review based on they demonstrated potential for significant achievement and it's them.
Narcrisha Norman: We asked them and use the comprehensive holistic approach to their review and have a balance consideration for all components of the application.
Narcrisha Norman: When you're using that a winner reviews are using that holistic approach in Montana consider all opponent all components, as I mentioned before, and use evidence to support their review.
Narcrisha Norman: The evidence can be found in educational and research record in leadership out we just service activities, when the applicant note notes their individual competencies and their experiences and also in their future plans and other attributes.
Narcrisha Norman: We also want them when they're doing this holistic comprehensive review to look at what the applicant has made available opportunities, because not all applicants have the same opportunities so have applicants being creative for the opportunities that they actually have been provided.
Narcrisha Norman: So a little bit about the application, the application includes of personal information, education.
Narcrisha Norman: The research work experience to propose major field of study any honors awards any publications.
Narcrisha Norman: Personal relevant and background and future goal statement, and this is a three page PDF the graduate research statement which is today's video.
Narcrisha Norman: They also include mandatory transcripts and letters, now the letters made the applicant may provide up to five names for reference letter writers.
Narcrisha Norman: Three of those names are mandatory so in order for the applicant to be process, they have to have three reference letter writer names to have the reference letters most actually come in for the application to recruit.
Narcrisha Norman: A little more detail about intellectual merit and here we, meaning that potential to advance knowledge.
Narcrisha Norman: Evidence examples like some some examples of course not all examples.
Narcrisha Norman: such as the ability to demonstrate intellectual ability and you can see that in our grades, maybe an awards, maybe in presentations their plan and how they conducted any research.
Narcrisha Norman: Their work as members of the teams that work individually, how do they interpret it communicate the research, if they do have that they take initiative solve problems are a persistent.
Narcrisha Norman: The potential of their approach to their major field of study and the research plants advanced knowledge evidence intellectual American be found in all application parts, such as the personal statement research plan, even in letters experienced awards, even in a transcripts and achievements.
Narcrisha Norman: As far as more to impact this will be the potential of this individual and an applicant.
Narcrisha Norman: And or the research on society, why is it important, so we mean societal benefits we include but not limited to, of course, increasing participation of underrepresented groups.
Narcrisha Norman: outreach mentoring improvement education in schools, also how about increasing public scientific literacy increase public engagement.
Narcrisha Norman: Community outreach to clubs blogs, and all kind of creative ways applicants may have found increasing collaboration between academies.
Narcrisha Norman: Industries and so on, so barta impacts can be found in all part of application also thinking about a personal statement, the research plan the ladders experienced the wars and achievements.
Narcrisha Norman: When the reviews are assessing the intellectual merit and broader impacts.
Narcrisha Norman: Of course, as I mentioned before, I look for evidence that all parts of the application so for as far as intellectual merit look at previous research and professional experiences that may be described in a personal statement, how well.
Narcrisha Norman: Written is that graduate research plan the academic performance degrades the wars and so on, and also in a reference letters that might mention some things that the applicant.
Narcrisha Norman: may have been to Charlotte mentioned in broader impacts evidence can be found in their plans you know contributions and achievements experienced.
Narcrisha Norman: A lot of the applicants are very resilient their motivation their prayer accomplishments What about their current activities goals and.
Narcrisha Norman: New steps that they're taking the next step that they're taking also for barda impacts, maybe in their initiative and engagement.
Narcrisha Norman: And their awareness of where they can have impact which is important, their explanation of the research report and is maybe in their reference letters that are honors or their awards that may have also have barney in fact.
Narcrisha Norman: i'm going to turn things back over to Dr hill to talk about reviewing strategies.
Christopher Hill: Thank you, Dr Norman.
Christopher Hill: So some of the messages that Dr Norman mentioned include there are a whole set of components to this application.
Christopher Hill: And one of the major components, is the letters that are sent in by references and these reference letter letters are going to be reviewed.
Christopher Hill: And evidence for either intellectual merit or broader impact can be found in the reference letters.
Christopher Hill: So it is valuable perhaps to understand the strategies that reviewers are past to think about in terms of evaluating.
Christopher Hill: The applications and some of these might also be useful in terms of thinking about the writer, the letters that are written for the applications.
Christopher Hill: So we asked the reviewers to think about the strategies of increase decrease rate and point and what we mean by increase is increase your awareness about unconscious assumption that might impact your evaluation, so we asked to.
Christopher Hill: The reviewers to think about increasing their awareness and as a.
Christopher Hill: Reference letter writer we'd ask you to consider if that would be something value valuable in terms of providing evidence to the reviewers.
Christopher Hill: In terms of evaluating the applications, especially in terms of mental intellectual merit and broader impact.
Christopher Hill: Then there's decreased decreased time pressure and distractions during the reviewing process and something similar to that can be.
Christopher Hill: thought about in terms of writing letters that is give yourself plenty of time to write a great letter that emphasizes intellectual merit and broader impact.
Christopher Hill: Can connected with the particular applicant that you're sending a letter for.
Christopher Hill: And then think about how the reviewer will be rating and pointing rate rating on explicit criteria rather than global judgments, so if you can provide information to the reviewer to help rate on an explicit criteria.
Christopher Hill: that's helpful in terms of the evaluation of that particular application.
Christopher Hill: And then point, point to specific evidence to support comments in the reviews, so the reviewers are supposed to be looking at the entire application all components, including the.
Christopher Hill: Letters of reference and they're supposed to be using this look at provide information on specific evidence to support the comments and the reviews, so a great letter of reference provides specific evidence to help the reviewers with their evaluation.
Christopher Hill: let's talk a little bit about what goes into preparing the personal goals and research statement.
Christopher Hill: This is something as a reference writer, you may want to talk to your the person that you're helping in terms of the the application, so the applicant will need to.
Christopher Hill: prepare a personal goals and research, a personal goal statement and a research tape.
Christopher Hill: And if you have a little bit of background in terms of what is expected or connected with that you may be able to solidify or supplement for support and strengthen.
Christopher Hill: The kinds of things that are being discussed as part of these statements in your letter of reference.
Christopher Hill: So the two statements one's a three page personal relevant and background statement, this is a statement written by the applicant.
Christopher Hill: That really if you think it from their perspective it's the opportunity for the applicant to tell their story and to demonstrate their potential for stem research, so you might think about in terms of the reference letter, how you can also help the person.
Christopher Hill: tell their story and demonstrate their potential for stem research and that could include experiences both personal and professional experiences that have contributed to the applicants motivation and preparation for pursuing.
Christopher Hill: a career in stem so the kinds of things that are part of this statement or could be part of the statement that could also be echoed.
Christopher Hill: or supported in terms of the letter of reference would be information about career aspirations, how the how experiences from by the applicant has shaped their goals.
Christopher Hill: Any experiences they've had in terms of research or professional experience, especially in terms of projects they've been involved in.
Christopher Hill: And how they've contributed to those projects so Those are the kinds of things you could also include in terms of the letter of reference now besides that statement there's a second statement and it's a research statement and.
Christopher Hill: One thing that you can think about in terms of the research statement is it's an opportunity for the applicant to describe a research plan and to communicate their idea their approach that they would use explain the methods what they would.
Christopher Hill: Learn and how they might think that the.
Christopher Hill: The measure the success of the of the project and the research and, just like the person that is writing this application and this person this research statement.
Christopher Hill: You might think about your letter in terms of the reviewers the reviewers are going to be experts in the major field of study within that panel, but they might not have.
Christopher Hill: expertise at a specialty level specialist level so it's good to consider this in terms of preparing the letter of reference.
Christopher Hill: You might want to think about how you can communicate clearly to non specialists and make the contributions of the applicant very clear in terms of.
Christopher Hill: Their research experiences and how what you think about their research plant and please remember that the.
Christopher Hill: reviewers are going to be looking at your reference letter, just like they look at these two statements in terms of addressing the National Science Foundation merit review criteria of intellectual merit and broader impacts.
Christopher Hill: So here's some.
Christopher Hill: Final reminders connected with reference letter writers for Dr P first.
Christopher Hill: there's a deadline connected with it and that deadline is.
Christopher Hill: Five o'clock.
Christopher Hill: Eastern time.
Christopher Hill: And it's in late October I can't remember the date, right now, maybe.
Christopher Hill: let's see, I think it is.
Christopher Hill: Well i'll try to find it by the end of the session how's that if you look at the solicitation 21 dash 602 it provides some basic information for reference letter writers and it's on page nine there's some format.
Christopher Hill: requirements, if possible, if it's available the letter should be on letterhead Okay, and it should you should sign it, it should include your title.
Christopher Hill: The depart your department and your institution there's a two page limit so just like there are limits to the research and personal statements provided by the applicants there's a two page limit connected with.
Christopher Hill: The letter of reference and there are very specific formatting requirements in terms of the size of the page the size of the font the margins and the spacing.
Christopher Hill: So those are all things to remember, and you can find that information again in the National Science Foundation solicitation for Dr P dash 602 now.
Christopher Hill: There are things that are really valuable to think about in terms of the letter of reference, as we've mentioned, and I hope you see we've emphasized that.
Christopher Hill: The reference letter writers should address the nsf merit review criteria and you've heard that those criteria are intellectual merit and broader impacts, so that is something.
Christopher Hill: that's really important to address in in the letters and then you should also explain the nature of the relationship with the applicant, and this also feeds back into the.
Christopher Hill: personal statement and the research plan statement so explain the nature of the relationship, the experiences, you may have had with the applicant.
Christopher Hill: And then you can provide comments on the applicants potential to contribute to a globally and engaged stem workforce their academic potential.
Christopher Hill: And, as I mentioned, their prior research experience you can also include statements about the applicants proposed research and this list is in that solicitation that I mentioned, and.
Christopher Hill: I want to emphasize again that providing information that would aid the reviewers and now you know what the reviewers are looking for in terms of evaluating.
Christopher Hill: These applications in terms of the nsf merit review criteria would be very helpful in terms of things to think about for a letter of reference for dear FP.
Christopher Hill: So that's an overview of the rfp and a little bit of information about the what the reviewers are thinking about and one of the things they're thinking about is the set of letters that are submitted as part of.
Christopher Hill: The application they're not the only thing that's part of the application and the reviewers are looking at the entire application, but an important component.
Christopher Hill: Of the rfp application are these letters of reference and we hope this provide you with a little bit of more information about geography.
Christopher Hill: Sometimes you can get insights on how to write a great letter or how to mentor.
Christopher Hill: Your students who may apply to rfp by serving as a reviewer for the rfp and if you go to nsf Dr p.org, you will see that there is a way to get to a reviewer registration site.
Christopher Hill: And on that site, you can sign up and express your interest in serving for the National Science Foundation and the rfp.
Christopher Hill: The graduate research fellowship program as a reviewer so we hope that this has been useful information about the review process and how it's linked to writing great letters of reference and.
Christopher Hill: we're happy to try to answer some questions about the rfp and provide you with some additional information.
Wren Aye: Thank you, Dr Hill and Dr Norman with a very informative presentation we don't currently have any.
questions.