**NSF Graduate Research Fellowships**

# **1999 Program Announcement**

**Deadline for entering the competition:**

**November 5, 1998**

**Apply to:**

**NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program**

# **Oak Ridge Associated Universities**

**P.O. Box 3010**

**Oak Ridge, TN 37831‑3010**

### Telephone: (423) 241‑4300

**Fax: (423) 241-4513**

### Internet Mail: nsfgrfp@orau.gov

**Sponsored by**

#### National Science Foundation NSF 98-143

**Directorate for Education and Human Resources (Replaces NSF 97‑133)**

**NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION**

**GRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS**

**(Including Women in Engineering**

**and Computer and Information Science Awards)**

**ACADEMIC YEAR 1999-2000**

The National Science Foundation (NSF) aims to ensure the vitality of the
human resource base of science, mathematics, and engineering in the
United States and to reinforce its diversity. To that end in March 1999,
the NSF will award approximately 1,000 new three‑year Graduate
Fellowships, including awards offered for women in engineering and
computer and information science.[^1]

Continuing a long history of program success, NSF Fellows are expected
to contribute significantly to research, teaching, and industrial
applications in science, mathematics, and engineering. Traditional
measures of success include Fellows\' completion of the PhD; reputation
of the PhD‑granting institution or employing department; attainment of
postdoctoral appointments and research grants; and awarding of various
prizes and honors. As the nature of scientific and technological inquiry
evolves, and as the environments for such work change and diversify, NSF
will continue to identify other appropriate measures of achievement of
program goals that reflect excellence of scientific and engineering work
and research outside traditional academic settings.

The Foundation welcomes applications from all qualified science,
mathematics, or engineering students and strongly encourages women,
minorities, and persons with disabilities to compete fully in this
program.

######## ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES

##### *Citizenship*

NSF Graduate Fellowships are open only to individuals who are, at the
time of application, citizens or nationals[^2] of the United States or
permanent resident aliens of the United States.

######### Field and Degree Program 

Fellowships are awarded for graduate study leading to research‑based
master\'s or doctoral degrees in the fields of science, mathematics, and
engineering supported by the National Science Foundation listed on page
6 of this *Announcement*. Awards are also made for work toward a
research‑based PhD in science education that requires a science
competence comparable to that for PhD candidates in scientific
disciplines. Research in bioengineering, with diagnosis or
treatment‑related goals that applies engineering principles to problems
in biology and medicine while advancing engineering knowledge, is
eligible for support. Bioengineering research to aid persons with
disabilities is also eligible.

Support is not provided for study in clinical, counseling, business, or
management fields; in other education programs of any kind; or in
history or social work; for work in medical, dental, law, public health,
or practice‑oriented professional degree programs, or in joint
science‑professional degree programs such as MD/PhD and JD/PhD programs.
Support is not provided for clinical research or for research with
disease‑related goals, including work on the etiology, diagnosis or
treatment of physical or mental disease, abnormality, or malfunction in
human beings or animals. Research involving animal models of such
conditions or the development or testing of drugs or other procedures
for their treatment also is not eligible for support.

######### Earned Graduate Study

NSF Graduate Fellowships are intended for students at or near the
beginning of their graduate study in science, mathematics, or
engineering. In most cases an individual has two opportunities to apply:
during the senior year of college and in the first year of graduate
school. Specifically, eligibility is limited to those individuals who,
by the beginning of the fall 1998 term, have completed no more than 20
semester hours, 30 quarter hours, or equivalent, of graduate study in
the science, mathematics, or engineering fields supported by this
program since completion of a baccalaureate degree in science or
engineering. One year or more of full‑time study in any medical, dental,
or veterinary school is considered to be greater than 20 semester or 30
quarter hours of graduate study. \"Graduate study\" includes course
work, research, seminars, and independent study. These guidelines are
applied to graduate study completed after October 1, 1988 regardless of
purpose or whether credit for that study has been or will be applied
toward an advanced degree. Students in four- or five‑year joint
baccalaureate‑master\'s degree programs are eligible to apply in their
fourth and fifth years; for eligibility purposes, the fifth year is
considered graduate study. No individual will be eligible who, at the
time of application, has earned after October 1, 1988 an advanced degree
in science or engineering. Applicants who have earned any medical
degree, such as the MD, DDS, or DVM, are ineligible.

*Eligibility for the Women in Engineering and Computer and Information
Science Awards*

The Women in Engineering and Computer and Information Science (WECS)
awards are limited to women who intend to pursue graduate degrees in one
of the fields listed under the headings \"Engineering\" or \"Computer
and Information Science and Engineering\" in the \"Fields of
Specialization\" list of this *Announcement*. Aside from this field
restriction, other eligibility criteria are the same as for applicants
in other fields.

######## Evaluation and Selection

Graduate Research Fellowships are awarded on the basis of ability in
accordance with Section 10 of the National Science Foundation Act of
1950, as amended. Evaluation of applicants is based on all available
evidence of ability, including academic records, recommendations
regarding each applicant\'s qualifications, and Graduate Record
Examinations (GRE) scores.

Each applicant\'s qualifications will be reviewed by disciplinary panels
of scientists, mathematicians, and engineers convened in February, 1999,
for NSF by Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU). Applications are
assigned to panels based on the applicant\'s chosen field(s) of study.

Selection of awardees, made by the NSF, will be in the merit order
established by the review panels; other criteria such as geographical
region, discipline, or other factors determined to be consistent with
policy and legislative intent will be used to select among applications
of substantially equal merit (as determined by the merit review
process).

**Graduate Record Examinations**

All applicants are expected to take the GRE General Test (Verbal,
Quantitative, and Analytical). In addition, all applicants should take a
GRE Subject Test in the science or engineering field most closely
related to their chosen area of graduate study. Further information
concerning payment of GRE registration fees and score reporting for
fellowship evaluation purposes is included in the application materials.
Registration forms and information concerning the GRE are available from
four‑year colleges, universities, or the Educational Testing Service
(ETS), P.O. Box 6000, Princeton, New Jersey 08541‑6000, telephone (609)
771‑7670, fax (609) 771‑7906 or Internet **http://www.gre.org**.

######## CONDITIONS OF AWARDS

All fellowship awards are made subject to the provisions contained in
the booklet *Information for Graduate Research Fellows* (and any
subsequent amendment thereto) which is mailed to all awardees. Only the
most basic information contained in that booklet is presented in this
*Announcement*. Three certifications[^3] must, by law, be made before
the NSF can authorize funds for a fellowship award.

######### Graduate Programs

Fellows may choose any appropriate, accredited, nonprofit United States
institution or appropriate international institution of higher education
offering advanced degrees in science, mathematics, or engineering.

Fellows are required to engage in full‑time programs leading to graduate
degrees in disciplines supported by NSF. Such programs may include a
reasonable amount of teaching or similar activity as, in the
institution\'s opinion, contribute to the Fellow\'s academic progress.

After an award is made, a major change in course of study requires prior
NSF approval. The availability of the second and third years of a
three‑year award is contingent upon certification to NSF by the
fellowship institution that the Fellow is making satisfactory academic
progress toward an advanced degree in the approved field of study.

*Stipend and Allowances*

The NSF Fellowship stipend during 1999-2000 will be \$15,000 for a
12‑month tenure, prorated monthly at \$1,250 for lesser periods. There
is no dependency allowance. At its discretion, each fellowship
institution may supplement a Fellow\'s stipend from institutional funds
in such amounts as are in accordance with the policies of the fellowship
institution.

In addition to the funds for stipend payments, the NSF provides the
fellowship institution, on behalf of each Fellow, a cost‑of‑education
allowance of \$10,500 per tenure year. During tenure, Fellows will be
exempt from paying tuition and fees normally charged to students of
similar academic standing, unless such charges are optional or are
refundable. At international institutions, all tuition and assessed
nonrefundable fees will be paid by the Fellow, with reimbursement by the
NSF, up to a maximum of \$10,500 per fellowship year, upon presentation
of an original statement from the university bursar regarding such
charges.

Acknowledging the importance of integrating research and education, the
NSF permits institutions to assign Fellows to appropriate research and
teaching positions that will contribute to the progress of the Fellow
toward an advanced degree. Fellows are encouraged to determine policies
regarding any such required service before enrolling in any particular
institution.

A one‑time International Research Travel Allowance of \$1,000 is
available to Fellows who have arranged to conduct full‑time advanced
study or research at appropriate international sites for at least three
continuous months. The activities must contribute to the Fellow\'s
advanced degree objectives and must be approved by the Fellow\'s
institution. Once a Fellow has begun NSF Fellowship tenure, this travel
allowance may be used at any appropriate time that travel is initiated
within the five‑year fellowship period.

Except for supplementation as explained above, a Fellow may not accept
simultaneous remuneration from another major fellowship, assistantship,
scholarship or similar award. Under Section 178(a) of Title 38, U.S.
Code, educational benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs may
be received concurrently with NSF support.

######### Tenure

New fellowships to be offered in March 1999 will be for maximum tenure
periods of three years usable over a five‑year period. Recipients may
begin fellowship tenure in the summer of 1999, but must begin tenure not
later than the beginning of the 1999 fall term with certain exceptions
explained below. Tenure must be completed before the beginning of the
2004 fall term. Normal tenure for a Fellow is 9 to 12 months for each
fellowship year; funds for unutilized months are forfeited. No
individual will be eligible for more than three years of NSF Graduate
Research Fellowship support.

The first year of an NSF Fellowship cannot be reserved in order to allow
an individual to use an alternative means of support to engage in
graduate study in the United States. However, with prior Foundation
approval, Fellows may reserve the first one or two years of NSF
Fellowship tenure to engage in activities other than those that would
constitute the start or continuation of progress toward an advanced
degree in science, mathematics, or engineering. With prior NSF approval,
Fellows may reserve the first one or two years of NSF Fellowship tenure
to accept a one- or two-year highly competitive international
fellowship, such as the British Marshall or Rhodes Scholarship, for
study and travel abroad. Fellows reserving the first two years of their
NSF Fellowship must enter tenure no later than the fall of 2001 and must
use their NSF Fellowship in three consecutive years.

**OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR FELLOWS AND HONORABLE MENTION RECIPIENTS**

All Fellowship Awardees and Honorable Mention recipients may apply to
use the facilities at a Partnership for Advanced Computational
Infrastructure (PACI) facility.

Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities
(FASED) provide funding for special assistance or equipment to enable
persons with disabilities (students and faculty) to work on
NSF-supported projects. All Fellowship Awardees and Honorable Mention
recipients who have disabilities may apply for assistance by contacting:
FASED, c/o Graduate Research Fellowship Program, National Science
Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard ‑ Room 907, Arlington, VA 22230. See
the FASED program announcement or contact the program coordinator at
(703) 306‑1636.

##### **GUIDELINES FOR APPLYING**

Inquiries concerning the application process should be directed to Oak
Ridge Associated Universities via e-mail or telephone.

**1. Via the Internet**

a\. ***FastLane:* http://www.fastlane.nsf.gov** With Internet access and
a supported World Wide Web browser, an applicant can submit an
application electronically using the NSF FastLane Graduate Research
Fellowship Program (GRFP) process. Referees of applicants who use
FastLane can submit a Reference Report Form using FastLane. Security is
provided to ensure that both applications and references can be accessed
only by authorized persons.

To access the NSF FastLane GRFP process, click on the Graduate Research
Fellowships icon on the FastLane Home Page. You will see instructions on
how to use the FastLane GRFP process. For questions concerning the
FastLane GRFP process, please contact the FastLane Graduate Research
Fellowship support staff at electronic mail: **felapp@nsf.gov** or
phone: (703) 306‑1142. (If you reach the automated attendant, please
dial extension 4686.)

b ***NSF Web Site:*** **http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/ehr/dge/grfp.htm** Via
the Internet, you can download the application forms as either a PDF
printable blank form or a Microsoft Word for Windows (6.0 or newer
version) on-line form. Both application formats are located at the URL
cited above. Any single form file from the application packet is
available.

To view the PDF forms you must have the Adobe Viewer installed, which is
a free product and can be downloaded at this site. If your browser does
not automatically launch the on‑line application, a message will appear
to prompt you to save the Word file to a local disc drive.

c\. ***Information via E‑Mail:*** With access only to Internet
electronic mail, you can have the *Announcement* and application forms
sent to you via electronic mail. Each application form is available in
two versions: a PDF printable blank form and a Word for Windows (6.0 or
newer version) on‑line form.

Send an electronic mail message to: **getpub@nsf.gov**

Leave the subject line blank. In the body of the message enter:

*get fmgfkitp.txt* (for instructions to access the PDF files)

*get fmgfkitp.pdf* (for the PDF Application Forms Kit)

*get fmgfkitd.txt* (for instructions to access the Word for Windows
files)

*get fmgfkitd.doc* (for the Word for Windows Forms Kit)

The Forms Kit instructions detail how to receive a single application
form file.

**2. Via Postal Mail.**

Printed application forms may be obtained by direct request from:

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program,

Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU)

P.O. Box 3010,

Oak Ridge, TN 37831‑3010

or telephone (423) 241‑4300

or fax (423) 241‑4513

or Internet electronic mail to: **nsfgrfp@orau.gov**.

######### Application Status

In early January 1999, applicants will be informed via e-mail or postal
mail of application materials received on their behalf. It is the
applicant\'s responsibility to ensure that all materials are received by
ORAU; applicants who do not receive a written notification regarding the
status of their application materials by mid-January are encouraged to
contact ORAU immediately.

######### Where to Submit Application Materials

1\. Electronic submission using FastLane

2\. Mailing address:

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program

Oak Ridge Associated Universities

P.O. Box 3010

#######  Oak Ridge, TN 37831‑3010

3\. Special messenger, courier or overnight delivery address:

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program

#####  Oak Ridge Associated Universities

702 South Illinois Avenue, Suite B‑102

Oak Ridge, TN 37830

NOTE: Applications are not accepted via fax or electronic mail.

######### Deadlines for Application Materials

A complete application consists of all the materials listed below,
including GRE scores. An incomplete application is at a disadvantage in
the competition and may not be evaluated.

-   November 5, 1998 - Postmark Deadline

    Inventory List

    Information Form

    Application Form

    Proposed Plan of Study or Research Form

    Previous Research Experience Form

    Course Report Forms

    The application materials listed above must be submitted
    electronically, postmarked, or delivered in person to Oak Ridge
    Associated Universities by November 5, 1998. Applications postmarked
    later than November 5, 1998 will not be considered for review.

-   November 5, 1998 - Postmark Date

    Undergraduate GPA Form

    Official Academic Transcripts (excluding fall 1998)

    Failure to postmark the Undergraduate GPA Form and Official Academic
    Transcripts by November 5, 1998 will delay processing.

-   December 10, 1998 - Receipt Date

    Reference Report Forms (four are expected)

    Failure to submit the Reference Report Forms by December 10, 1998
    will delay processing.

    **Requests for Reactivation of Application Materials**

-   November 5, 1998 ‑ Postmark date for requests for reactivation of
    Official Academic Transcripts and Course Report Forms from the 1998
    competition. No other materials from the 1998 competition may be
    reactivated. To request reactivation, mail a written request (a
    separate letter or sheet submitted with the application materials)
    to ORAU or electronic mail to **nsfgrfp@orau.gov** by November 5,
    1998.

### Deadlines for GRE Scores {#deadlines-for-gre-scores .unnumbered}

-   November 6, 1998 ‑ Receipt date for GRE Registration Forms at the
    Educational Testing Service (ETS) for NSF applicants for the
    December 12, 1998 Subject Test.

-   December 12, 1998 ‑ Last date for GRE Subject Test for NSF
    applicants.

-   January 4, 1999 ‑ Last date for GRE General Test for NSF applicants.

# **NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION GRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS**

# **Fields of Specialization**

ENGINEERING

6210 Aeronautical and Aerospace

6240 Agricultural

6250 Bioengineering and Biomedical

6330 Chemical

6350 Civil

6388 Computer Engineering

6390 Electrical and Electronic

6741 Energy

6470 Engineering Mechanics

6532 Engineering Science

9996 Environmental

6580 Industrial

6476 Materials

6620 Mechanical

6660 Metallurgical

6740 Nuclear

6245 Ocean

6716 Petroleum

6480 Polymer

6585 Systems Engineering

6799 Engineering, other (specify)

MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES

7010 Algebra or Number Theory

7030 Analysis

7050 Applications of Mathematics (including Biometrics and
Biostatistics)

7110 Geometry

7130 Logic or Foundations of Mathematics

7140 Operations Research

7150 Probability and Statistics

7170 Topology

7199 Mathematics, other (specify)

COMPUTER AND INFORMATION

SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

7240 Artificial Intelligence (including

> Robotics and Expert Systems)

7210 Computer Science ‑ Languages and Systems

7200 Computer Science ‑ Theory

7270 Computer Systems Design (including Signal Processing)

7230 Database Systems

7261 Graphics

7260 Human Computer Interaction

7250 Information Technology and Organizations

7290 Networks and Communications

7280 Scientific Computing

7220 Software Engineering

7299 CISE, other (specify)

CHEMISTRY

5230 Analytical

5250 Bio‑inorganic

5240 Bio‑organic

5260 Biophysical

9994 Environmental

5290 Inorganic

5330 Organic

5350 Physical

5331 Polymer

5370 Theoretical

5399 Chemistry, other (specify)

###### GEOSCIENCES

5710 Aeronomy

5720 Atmospheric Chemistry

5750 Chemical Oceanography

5770 Climate Dynamics

5740 Geochemistry

5780 Geology

5800 Geophysics

5810 Hydrologic Sciences

5820 Large‑Scale Dynamics Meteorology

5830 Magnetospheric Physics

5840 Marine Geology and Geophysics

5850 Mesoscale Dynamic Meteorology

5870 Paleoclimate

5860 Paleontology

5880 Physical Meteorology

7799 Physical Oceanography

5890 Solar‑Terrestrial

5889 Geosciences, other (specify)

PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY

4999 Astronomy

4930 Astrophysics

8040 Atomic and Molecular

8050 Condensed Matter Physics

8160 Nuclear

8180 Optics

8110 Particle Physics

8200 Physics of Fluids

8210 Plasma

8220 Solid State

8260 Theoretical Physics

8299 Physics, other (specify)

PSYCHOLOGY

4125 Cognitive

4120 Cognitive Neuroscience

4130 Developmental

4150 Experimental or Comparative

4189 Industrial/Organizational

4155 Neuropsychology

4165 Perception and Psychophysics

4170 Personality and Individual Differences

4158 Physiological

4162 Quantitative

4190 Social

4199 Psychology, other (specify)

LIFE SCIENCES

4530 Animal Behavior

4510 Anatomy

0999 Biochemistry

1870 Biological Oceanography

1899 Biology

1299 Biophysics

1599 Botany (including Plant Physiology)

1820 Cell Biology

1840 Developmental Biology

1830 Ecology

4570 Entomology

9992 Environmental Sciences

1850 Evolutionary Biology

4590 Fish and Wildlife

0250 Forestry

2499 Genetics

0300 Horticulture

1874 Marine Biology

3299 Microbiology

1880 Molecular Biology

1829 Neurosciences

3899 Physiology

1545 Plant Pathology

1822 Structural Biology

4699 Zoology

2299 Life Sciences, other (specify)

SOCIAL SCIENCES

0693 Biological Anthropology

0695 Cultural Anthropology

0694 Linguistic Anthropology

0696 Medical Anthropology

0697 Physical Anthropology

0699 Anthropology, other (specify)

0610 Archaeology

9818 Demography

8599 Economics (Business Administration not eligible)

8799 Geography (other than Physical)

9099 History of Science

9499 International Relations

9299 Linguistics

9098 Philosophy of Science

9399 Political Science

9599 Sociology (Social Work not eligible)

9699 Urban and Regional Planning

9899 Social Sciences, other (specify)

######## Awards

The review panels\' recommendations for fellowships will be further
reviewed by NSF staff for conformance with Foundation policy. Awards
will be made by the NSF in late March 1999. The NSF will notify all
applicants by letter of the outcome of their applications. Lists of
awardees and Honorable Mention recipients are posted on the Graduate
Research Fellowship Program web site at:
**http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/ehr/dge/grf.htm**. Those applicants who merit
receiving Graduate Research Fellowships, but to whom awards cannot be
made because funds are not available, will be accorded Honorable
Mention. Honorable Mention in the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
Program is considered a significant academic achievement nationwide. All
offers and support levels referenced in this *Announcement* are subject
to availability of funds.

**PRIVACY ACT AND PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENTS**

The information requested on the application materials is solicited
under the authority of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as
amended. It will be used in connection with the selection of qualified
applicants and may be disclosed to qualified reviewers and staff
assistants as part of the review process; to the institution the
nominee, applicant or fellow is attending or is planning to attend or is
employed by for the purpose of facilitating review or award decisions,
or administering fellowships or awards; to government contractors,
experts, volunteers and researchers and educators as necessary to
complete assigned work; to other government agencies needing data
regarding applicants or nominees as part of the proposal review process,
or in order to coordinate programs; and to another Federal agency, court
or party in a court or Federal administrative proceeding if the
government is a party. Information from this system may be merged with
other computer files to carry out statistical studies the results of
which do not identify individuals. Notice of the agency\'s decision may
be given to nominators, and disclosure may be made of awardees\' names,
home institutions, and fields of study for public information purposes.
For fellows or awardees receiving stipends directly from the government,
information is transmitted to the Department of the Treasury to make
payments. See System of Records, NSF-12, \"Fellowships and Other
Awards,\" 63 Federal Register 265 (January 5, 1998). Submission of the
information is voluntary; however, failure to provide full and complete
information may reduce the possibility of your receiving an award.

The public reporting burden for this collection of information is
estimated to average 12 hours per response, including the time for
reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and
maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection
of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any
other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions
for reducing this burden to: Reports Clearance Officer; Information
Dissemination Branch, DAS; National Science Foundation; Arlington, VA
22230.

######## NSF Programs and Publications

The National Science Foundation (NSF) funds research and education in
most fields of science and engineering. Grantees are wholly responsible
for conducting their project activities and preparing the results for
publication. Thus, the Foundation does not assume responsibility for
such findings or their interpretation.

NSF welcomes proposals from all qualified scientists, engineers and
educators. The Foundation strongly encourages women, minorities, and
persons with disabilities to compete fully in its programs. In
accordance with federal statutes, regulations, and NSF policies, no
person on grounds of race, color, age, sex, national origin, or
disability shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the
benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or
activity receiving financial assistance from NSF (unless otherwise
specified in the eligibility requirements for a particular program).

The National Science Foundation has Telephonic Device for the Deaf (TDD)
and Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) capabilities that enable
individuals with hearing impairments to communicate with the Foundation
regarding NSF programs, employment, or general information. TDD may be
accessed at (703) 306-0090 or through FIRS on 1-800-877-8339.

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_The
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number for this program is
47.076, Education and Human Resources.

OMB 3145‑0023

PT 22, FF, II

KW 0502031

0502023

0502042

[^1]: Partial funding for these additional awards is provided by the
    Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering and
    the Directorate for Engineering.

[^2]: The term "national of the United States" designates a citizen of
    the United States or a native resident of a commonwealth or
    territory of the United States, such as American Samoa, Guam, Puerto
    Rico, US Virgin Islands or the Northern Mariana Islands. It does not
    refer to a citizen of another country who has applied for United
    States Citizenship.

[^3]: These concern: 1) controlled substances; 2) delinquency on Federal
    debt; and 3) debarment and suspension from certain transactions with
    Federal, State, or local governments.