I was asked in a comment on Grad School funding - for U.S. based students to give more detail on my own experience applying for an NSF grant.  The response would take somewhat more space then I think of as a comment so here is a post on the topic to give you more information.

I entered my PhD program Spring semester of 2001 while completing my masters work.  I earned my MIS in August 2001.  In October 2001 I applied for an NSF training grant.  At that time the general application included "Women in Science" awards, which was actually the group I was targeting. 

To be considered as a qualified applicant you had to be "young" in your educational career.  Usually this meant that applicants were in their first or second year of their masters work and they were applying for funds to pay for their remaining masters classes and their PhD work.

Well at the time I applied I was completing my second masters and was over 40 so I'm not "young" on anyone's scale.  (My first masters is in public administration with a focus on human resources, I earned the MPA in 1989.)  Though I did find a loophole that allowed those who have a previous masters to qualify if, and only if, they are changing careers.  As I remember there was an example of a lawyer who was no going to become a biochemist. 

I spent a considerable amount of time writing my essay so that it was clear that my doctoral work in Computer-Mediated Communication is distinctly different from my previous work in Human-Computer Interaction, the difference from Human Resources fairly obvious.  It was a good essay, but the NSF reviewers didn't buy it and well they should not have...LOL...because HCI and CMC are very tightly linked fields.  So I have no judges comments at all my application never got that far.

Now let me say here that I knew when I applied it was a total long shot.  But what did I have to lose?  Only the time it took me to complete the application packet.  I explained to everyone who write a reference for me that I seriously doubted that I would make it through the initial screening process.  They were all supportive and wrote wonderful letters tyeing into my descriptions of the differences between the two fields.  Not a one of them felt like the process was a waste of time for me or for themselves as letter writers. 

In truth I got a lot of support because so few Information Science students apply for these big grants.  I believe in taking long shots assuming that in the process no one is likely to shot you with a Uzi because you did whatever you are doing...not something that is likely to happen with a grant application.  So take that as a hint.

Of course you mail the thing off and you cross your fingers but when the letter arrived I knew what it would say.  "Thanks but no thanks on this one.  Apply for something else soon."  And so I will.

Posted by prolurkr at August 21, 2005 09:19 AM

Trackback Pings

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.professional-lurker.com/cgi-bin/mt-tb.cgi/859

Comments