College of Chemical and Life Sciences

Graduate (Doctoral) Fellowship Application

for Spring 2009

Front Sheet of Application (see next pages for instructions)

(please type)

Name (last, first)
Doctoral program / Mentor
Mentor’s department / Mentor email
Year applicant came to UMD / Expected graduation date
Applicant phone / Applicant email
UM GPA / Year admitted to candidacy
Type of 2008-2009 support (TA/ RA/etc.) you will have and source (e.g., dept., mentor).
Number peer-reviewed papers published since coming to UMD / Number presentations/abstracts presented at national/international meetings since coming to UMD
Dissertation Title
In the following listing, tell us how you were supported each semester you have been at UMD. If an RA, tell who provided the RA. If a campus or college fellowship, give name of fellowship. If external fellowship support, provide name/title of fellowship.
Semester 1 / Semester 2
Semester 3 / Semester 4
Semester 5 / Semester 6
Semester 7 / Semester 8
Semester 9 / Semester 10
Semester 11 / Semester 12
Semester 13 / Semester 14
At this time, what is your expected for of support for the upcoming two semesters?
Fall 2008 / Spring 2009
Any college summer support (if so, when and what was the support)?
THE FOLLOWING FELLOWSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE / Check off all those for which you are qualified (note, “Life Sciences” may be defined broadly)
Hockmeyer (Life Sciences)
Hockeson (Microbiology)
McCormack (Life Sciences)
Board of Visitors (any area)


Background

We are pleased to be able to provide five one-semester doctoral fellowships for Spring 2009[1] for doctoral students working in the lab of a faculty member in the College of Chemical and Life Sciences and who have advanced to candidacy. The awards may be in the form of: (a) “dissertation” fellowships to help a student complete his/her doctoral work, or (b) “bridge” awards to support a student who would have no support, or TA support, due to temporary lack of funding by the mentor.

The awards, provided by generous donors to the College of Chemical and Life Sciences, are listed below. Please note the areas in which each award may be made (based on the donors wishes). Students may be considered for any of the awards, as long as they cover the students field of dissertation research.

Hockmeyer Fellowship (2 awards in Life Sciences [broadly define])

Hokensen Fellowship (1 award in Microbiology [broadly defined])

Maud and Walter McCormack Scholarship (1 award in Life Sciences [broadly define])

Board of Visitors Fellowship (1 award in any area in CLFS)

The awards are directed at students who have advanced to candidacy for the doctorate. While the major criterion for award selection will be based upon scholarly excellence, we will also take into account two additional issues.

First, consideration will be given for dissertation awards to students who are close to completing their dissertations but who are being “slowed down” since their support is as a TA.

Second, consideration will be given to students who are in labs where funding is temporarily limited and where the mentor cannot provide the student with an RA, or where putting a current RA on a fellowship for a semester will release limited grant funds for supplies or other non-stipend needs.

Awards are the graduate level 3 stipend for Spring 2009. It will be the responsibility of the mentor and/or department to provide additional support, perhaps in the form of half an RA or TA, to cover health benefits and tuition. How the health and tuition will be covered must be discussed by the mentor in her/his letter.

Application Information for CLFS Doctoral Fellowships

1.  Fill out the cover sheet, which will be used as the front sheet for the rest of the application. Applicants must accurately indicate how (s)he has been supported each semester since entering the doctoral program. Applicants should also indicate how they expect to be supported in the 2008-2009 academic year.

2.  In the application include:

  1. A description of the applicant’s research. (Maximum of 2 pages, single spaced. 12 point type)
  2. A statement as to how this award will facilitate the applicant’s research.
  3. A time line that begins when the applicant started graduate school at UMD, and shows dates when the applicant completed each major step in graduate education, and indicates expected date of completion.
  4. A short statement as to career goals after receiving the doctorate and beyond.
  5. An up-to-date CV.

3.  A copy of the applicant’s latest unofficial transcript at UMD

4.  Two (2) letters of recommendation from faculty members familiar with the applicant’s research and research potential. One letter must be from the applicant’s mentor. The letter from the mentor should include:

  1. The applicant’s outstanding accomplishments. These may include, but not be limited to: special awards and recognition at national meetings and on campus, high impact papers, work that is ground breaking, special external fellowships received by the student, etc.
  2. How the mentor will guarantee health and tuition benefits during the time the student is on the fellowship.
  3. The need for the support either as a dissertation award or as a “bridge” award. If as a bridge award, the mentor must discuss how the funds released from the grant will otherwise by used to help the lab.

5.  Submission

  1. Submit one (1) printed copy of items 1, 2, and 3 to Ms. Carol Granger in the CLFS office in Symons Hall no later than September 18, 2008.
  1. Have the referees submit their letters electronically in PDF format to Ms. Granger <> by September 15.
  2. Send a single electronic file (PDF format) that contain items 1 and 2 to Ms. Granger <> by September 18. In order to identify the application, please entitle the file: Fellowship-2009 – APPLICANTS LAST NAME (e.g., Fellowship-2009 – Jones)

Additional Notes

1.  Awardees must be a doctoral student in the lab of a mentor who is a regular faculty member in the College of Chemical and Life Sciences.

2.  The bulk of research supported by these awards must be in a CLFS lab and not off-site (other than for field work).

3.  Awardees must have advanced to candidacy prior to submitting this application.

4.  By applying for these awards, the student agrees that if she/he receives an award, she/he will:

  1. allow CLFS, or its designees, to use their name, pictures, and any other material for publicity;
  2. at the end of the award period, provide a one-page statement of work that was accomplished;
  3. acknowledge all work done during the fellowship period as being supported, in part, by the award; and
  4. at the request of CLFS, meet with the award donor or their designees to discuss their research.

CLFS - Fellowship application cover sheet Spring 2009 page 1 of 3

[1] Note, awards can only be for Spring 2009 and cannot be used in other semesters