Personal Finance

FUNDING YOUR GRADUATE RESEARCH

 

WE  ARE ALL WELL AWARE THAT THE DAYS OF LOW COST RESEARCH ARE OVER.  TODAY IT IS MOLECULES, SEM AND A PLETHORA OF OTHER CASH CONSUMING  TECHNIQUES THAT WALK AWAY WITH YOUR MONEY FAST! MANY ARE LUCKY ENOUGH  TO BE FUNDED BY THE PI OF THE LABORATORY THEY WORK IN. THIS IS  ESPECIALLY COMMON IN  MOLECULAR WORK. FOR THOSE WORKING ON  MORPHOLOGICAL STUDIES, THE OLD FASHIONED DIRTY WORK, IT IS DIFFICULT  NOT ONLY TO FIND PI's WHO SPECIALIZE IN WHAT YOU WANT TO STUDY, BUT  ALSO TO FIND FUNDING. THE SEARCH FOR FUNDING IS A STRESSFUL TASK- IT  CAN BE MAKE OR BREAK. MY RESEARCH WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE IF IT  WERE NOT FOR A NUMBER OF GRANTS. THE STRESS OF WRITING THESE  PROPOSALS HOWEVER SHOULD BE PART OF THE GRADUATE  STUDENT EXPERIENCE.  IT IS OK TO HAVE A PROPOSAL REJECTED AS A GRADUATE STUDENT; IT IS FAR  MORE PROBLEMATIC WHEN YOU ARE FACULTY. LEARN THE "HOW TO's"  EARLY! BE SURE TO VISIT THE "GRANTSNET" LINK BELOW!

 

HERE  IS A LIST OF SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT FUND A VARIETY OF TYPES  OF RESEARCH, WITH A GENERAL  IDEA OF THE AMOUNTS AVAILABLE. I HAVE  ONLY INCLUDED THOSE I AM DIRECTLY FAMILIAR WITH AS A SYSTEMATIST.

$

<$300

$$

$300-$1000

$$$

$1000-$5,000

$$$$

$5,000-$10,000+

Fellowship

living expenses + $2000approx supplies

NATIONAL SCIENCE  FOUNDATION (NSF): INTERNATIONAL DISSERTATION ENHANCEMENT AWARDS

$$$$

FROM NSF: The Division of  International Programs provides dissertation  enhancement awards to  support dissertation research at overseas sites by graduate students  enrolled in U.S. institutions. They cover funds for  international  travel, living expenses, and other items not normally available from  the student's university. Priority is given to applicants who are  U.S.  citizens or permanent residents. The relevant section of Part  II, 'Regional and Country' should be consulted to determine countries  or regions where  applications from foreign nationals are also  considered. Since these awards are intended to encourage the  development of international experience and  outlook among new  generations of U.S. scientists and engineers, recipients are expected  to work in close cooperation with their host country institutions.

1. Africa, Near East, and South Asia

  2. The Americas

 3. East Asia and the Pacific

 4. Eastern Europe and the Newly Independent States

 5. Japan

 6. Western Europe

DEADLINE: OPEN (AT LEAST 6 MONTHS BEFORE PROPOSED ACTIVITY)

Note (not from NSF!) - I have heard that these are  easier to get than the Dissertation Improvement Grants as they are  less well known. The open deadline is also a great benefit!

SMITHSONIAN  INSTITUTION PRE-AND POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS

(FELLOWSHIP)

SMITHSONIAN PREDOCTORAL & POSTDOCTORAL   FELLOWSHIPS: THESE FELLOWSHIPS ARE FOR YEAR LONG STUDY AT THE  SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.

The Smithsonian also hosts a summer intern program.

NATIONAL  SCIENCE FOUNDATION GRADUATE AND DISSERTATION IMPROVEMENT GRANTS

$$$$

THE MAJORITY OF MY RESEARCH HAS BEEN FUNDED BY THE NATIONAL  SCIENCE FOUNDATION,  SPECIFICALLY THE DISSERTATION IMPROVEMENT GRANT.  THESE ARE NEVER EASY TO DO, BUT WELL WORTH THE EXPERIENCE AS NSF IS  THE PRIMARY U.S. FUNDING SOURCE- IN SHORT, LEARN HOW TO WRITE THEM EARLY.

 

ERNST  MAYR AWARD MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY ATHARVARD

$$

THE AWARD IS TYPICALLY INTENDED FOR RESEARCH CARRIED OUT AT THE  MCZ (AN EXCELLENT COLLECTION FOR ECHINODERMOLOGISTS), BUT I HAVE  HEARD OF FUNDING FROM THE MCZ FOR WORK ELSEWHERE.

AMERICAN  MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY LERNER GRAY FUND FOR MARINE RESEARCH

$$

I SUGGEST TRYING THIS ONE, AS I KNOW MANY WHO HAVE BEEN  SUCCESSFUL. THE LINK IS TO A CONTACT PAGE WITH AN EMAIL ADDRESS.

SOCIETY  FOR SYSTEMATIC BIOLOGISTS

$$

From the website: The  purpose of these awards is to assist students in the initiation  (first two years) of their  systematics projects and in the collection  of preliminary data needed by them to pursue additional sources of  support (e.g., Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grants from the  National Science Foundation). Applicants may be from any country, but  must be members of SSB. Two awards of $1,000 each, may be presented.

SIGMA-XI GRANTS-IN-AID  OF RESEARCH

$$ (NATIONAL)

 $ (LOCAL)

THIS WELL KNOWN SOURCE TYPICALLY HAS LOCAL CHAPTERS WHICH GIVE OUT  AWARDS IN ADDITION TO THE NATIONAL SUBMISSION.  THE CHAPTER AWARDS ARE MUCH LESS, BUT EVERY CENT COUNTS.

THE  PALEOBIOLOGICAL FUND

$$$

The Paleobiological Fund's Student Research  Grant Program is designed to provide financial support to student  (undergraduate and graduate) who conduct projects in the broadly  defined area of paleobiology. The Paleobiological Fund does not limit  eligibility to any geographic location, geological time period, or  taxonomic  classification (e.g. plants, invertebrates, vertebrates).

GRANTSNET

???

A searchable database of funding  opportunities for training in the biological and medical sciences.  This is a terrific resource for grants, and also gives tips and  pointers for successful applications. Sign up today! AND also visit  the related site:

 JOBSNET!

SallieMae Cashe  Financial Aid Search

???

A great resource for those  just starting out in graduate school or college. Fill out a  comprehensive online form, and a list of fellowships/grants you may  be eligible for are sent to you. Some of these are not terribly well  known (also saves some work since their database searches for you!)

GRADUATE  FELLOWSHIPS NEWSLETTER

???

Another database for funding opportunities  produced by Notre Dame!