Grad students have been left with few funding options for pilot projects that are often necessary prerequisites to receive dissertation grants. This program creates a viable option for pre-dissertation funding. The program will award 35 to 40 fellowships. The application deadline is Nov. 22.
Applications are available from departmental graduate coordinators.
The Office of the Vice President for Research administers a similar program for undergraduate research, but no program of this scale has existed to serve graduate students until now. GSA participation in the administration of the program was suggested by Lariviere in August when several graduate students originally proposed the idea for the fellowship program. GSA representatives and advanced graduate students have been tapped to play an important role in the process as reviewers of fellowship applications. Scott predicted that this program would reduce the amount of time needed for graduate students to complete their program of study. The fact that GSA will be helping to administer this program should cut down on the time between the application deadline and the announcement of fellowship awards.