1. Tips for NSF GRF Applicants Matt Williams Barry M. Goldwater Scholar (2004-05) NSF Graduate Research Fellow (2005-08) October 13, 2010

2. Evaluation Criteria Intellectual Merit Demonstrate intellectual ability –Plan and conduct research –Work in team or independently –Interpret and communicate research Broader Impacts Contributions that –Integrate research and education –Make learning exciting –Broadly communicate findings –Encourage diversity (women, minorities, people with disabilities) –Benefit society 10/13/10Matt Williams (mdwilli@ufl.edu) 2/9

3. 10/12/09Matt Williams (mdwilli@ufl.edu) 3/9 Essay Tips: General Essays will make or break you Follow essay prompt and target evaluation criteria –Address “Intellectual Merit” and “Broader Impacts” in all essays! Be memorable Express excitement and be positive –Never “I hope”; always “I will ” Revise, revise, revise... –… then have others read it and revise some more. From the Reviewer’s Mouth… “… did not go in depth on outreach activities or his personal perspectives and plans to translate the technical research into societal impact…” “… uses I quite a lot to demonstrate accomplishments rather than team’s…” “As a weekend volunteer in our GatorTRAX program, I have had the pleasure of teaching grade-school students basic concepts of math, science and engineering.” “I participated in the UF sponsored GatorTRAX program designed to reverse the decline of graduating engineers in the United States. I spent Saturday mornings teaching …” “It is commendable that you are thinking about the declining graduate trends in the US…”

4. 10/12/09Matt Williams (mdwilli@ufl.edu) 4/9 Essay Tips: Research Proposal Clearly “place” your proposed research within your field –Novelty? Impact? Support –Expertise, courses, equipment Don’t be too technical –Best essays are accessible –Limit jargon and acronyms –Diagrams/pictures –Don’t let your professor write it for you From the Reviewer’s Mouth… “… consider the kinds of facilities available and how they might contribute to the success of the project.” “... is familiar with available resources at proposed graduate school.” “… the plan should address explicitly the novelties of the proposed approach.” “Focus on improving crop yield and agricultural development has potential broader impact.”

5. 10/12/09Matt Williams (mdwilli@ufl.edu) 5/9 Essay Tips: Personal Statement Open up –What are you about? –What makes you tick? Childhood wonderment is tired Past outreach activities –Use to support future plans/ideas “… I feel that I can successfully serve as a mentor to young women because of my experience as a residential advisor. Sophomore year, I …” “I can feel the drone of the aircraft engine pulsing through my chest almost as strongly as my quickly beating heart.” “As far back as I am able to remember, I have been intrigued at the thought of flight.”

6. Essay Tips: Prior Research Show technical competence Highlight… –Valuable contributions –Achievements –Leadership –Communication of results 10/13/10Matt Williams (mdwilli@ufl.edu) 6/9 From the Reviewer’s Mouth… “… currently working on paper to be published…” “… research findings have been presented to the sponsor; student participated…” “… encourage you to have faculty or grad students mentor you on writing a publication, even to a student conference…”

7. 10/12/09Matt Williams (mdwilli@ufl.edu) 7/9 Thanks for Listening!

8. Evaluation Criteria Intellectual Merit –Demonstrated intellectual ability and other accepted requisites for scholarly scientific study, such as the ability to Plan and conduct research Work as a member of a team as well as independently Interpret and communicate research findings 10/12/09Matt Williams (mdwilli@ufl.edu) 8/9

9. Evaluation Criteria (cont’d) Broader Impacts –Contributions that Effectively integrate research and education at all levels, infuse learning with the excitement of discovery, and assure the findings and methods of research are communicated in a broad context to a large audience Encourage diversity, broaden opportunities, and enable the participation of all citizens—women and men, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities—in science and research Enhance scientific and technical understanding Benefit society 10/12/09Matt Williams (mdwilli@ufl.edu) 9/9

10. 10/12/09Matt Williams (mdwilli@ufl.edu) 10/9 Recommendation Letters Pick writers who have something interesting to say about you… –…or at least give them something to say. Prepare your letter writers –NSF Evaluation Criteria –Memory-jogging notes –Notes on effective letter writing –Resume Arrange a middleman for letter review –Honors College? Library?