Richelle Thomas, 2012 Fulbright Scholar and 2010 GEM Fellow
Richelle Thomas is another shining example of a ProFellow. Richelle is currently a Fulbright Scholar at the Edmund Cohen Vascular Research Laboratory at the University of the West Indies and is also a 5th year doctoral student and GEM Fellow studying chemical engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. The National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science, Inc. (GEM) sponsors the GEM Fellowship Program, which provides graduate and doctoral fellowships coupled with paid summer internships. The fellowship program includes an MS Engineering Fellowship, a Ph.D. Engineering Fellowship and a Ph.D. Science Fellowship. The goals of these programs are to increase the number of underrepresented minority students (African Americans, American Indians, and Hispanic Americans) pursing graduate and doctoral degrees in engineering and natural science and to promote the benefits of a graduate degre within industry.
1. Why did you decide to apply for the GEM Fellowship?
The GEM Consortium (the organization that operates the fellowship) was housed at University of Notre Dame, where I did my undergraduate degree. Therefore I became aware of the fellowship well before I was eligible to apply. I actually applied a few times before I was selected. I knew being a GEM fellow would introduce me to a network of science professionals from diverse backgrounds. I love meeting new people and learning about how I can improve myself and my skills. The GEM Fellowship specifically is for students interested in going into industry after graduate school. I had a number of internships during my undergraduate years but I was not sure what opportunities there were for me with a graduate degree. I thought the GEM Fellowship would help with that, and it did.
2. What do you think made your application stand out?
GEM is not a typical fellowship in that the focus is not solely on your academic research. Instead, the process is very similar to applying for a job or internship. That being said, my application was focused more on speaking to what would be pertinent to a hiring manager in terms of my interests, skill set and value added to a company. I think my application stood out because I discussed my research in the context of how it helped hone skills that may be applicable in an industrial research setting. I tried to make a direct link from my academic research and the variety of industries I could make a contribution in as opposed to focusing solely on my specific academic research specialty.
3. What tips would you give others applying for the GEM Fellowship?
When applying to fellowships I think it is important to speak to the audience reviewing the application. For GEM I was sure to make an explicit link between my research, the industry background I had, how the research experience I had could be beneficial in a variety of industries/applications and the role I felt GEM could play in my future career. It is very important to make the case the mutual benefit that would take place if you are selected – the sustainable impact the award will have on you/your career and what you will offer in return.
Richelle C. Thomas is a fifth year doctoral student in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. Currently, Richelle is establishing a translational research laboratory collaboration at the University of the West Indies, Barbados, WI through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. Richelle received the Virginia & Ernest Cockrell, Jr. Endowed Fellowship in Engineering upon entry to the University of Texas and was awarded as 2010 GEM Fellow with DuPont as her sponsoring company. Richelle holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame.
© Victoria Johnson 2012, all rights reserved.
Singapore. Photo credit: Lunch Magazine
The National Research Foundation has announced its 6th annual call for applications for the Singapore NRF Fellowship. The fellowships provide up to US$2.4 million over five years to exceptional, young scientists and researchers (below 40 years of age) to carry out independent, leading-edge research in Singapore. Promising Fellows will be offered tenure-track or permanent positions at local universities or research institutions in Singapore. The FAQs state that those with a PhD are expected to have at least one post-doc stint on their resume, but ideally 2 or more postdoctoral stints and an impressive publication record.
I’ve read that Singapore has a bustling life sciences research scene for recent graduates and researchers from abroad. Also, many multi-national companies such as Novartis and Pfizer are setting up plants in Singapore.
Unsure about Singapore? Those in-the-know know that Singapore is rising in the ranks as a global contender for top-notch food, culture, nightlife and design. Sounds to me like a fantastic place for a fellowship abroad.
Curious? The NRF Fellowship is open to researchers from the following science and technology clusters: Computer Science (Infocomm Technologies and Interactive Digital Media), Engineering (All branches), Medicine, Life Sciences and Natural/Physical Sciences. For more information, read more here.
Venture Firm Kleiner Perkins is strategic in more ways than one. To attract top engineering talent, they’ve established the competitive KPCB Engineering Fellows Program. In this summer fellowship, engineering students spend a summer at Kleiner Perkins in the San Francisco Bay Area where they will be paid to develop their technical skills while being mentored by an engineering executive within the company. Fellows will also be invited to attend private events, such as talks by reps from Twitter, Groupon, Zynga and Chegg. They will also have the opportunity to network with other talented engineering students and technology luminaries at planned outings like a Giants game, camping in Big Basin, or a hackathon at Klout.
25 Fellows were just chosen from nearly 1000 applicants from over 100 universities. The universities the class of fellows are joining from are Franklin Olin, Rice, Princeton, UPenn, Carnegie Mellon, Brown, UCSD, University of Michigan, Duke, and University of Kentucky. According to TechCrunch, sample summer projects include working on an energy efficiency insight algorithm on Opower’s data platform, and developing graph analysis to provide data insight that will drive product designs at Klout.
Eligibility for the KPCB Engineering Fellows Program is open to outstanding undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at U.S. universities who are studying computer science, engineering, mathematics, physics or fields related to software development. The next application deadline is likely to be October 2012.
The Amelia Earhart Fellowship program helps talented women pursue advanced studies in aerospace-related sciences and engineering, a field traditionally dominated by men. Today women represent just 10% of professionals in these fields.
The Amelia Earhart Fellowship is an award of $10,000 USD, and is given annually to 35 recipients from all over the globe. The fellowship award can be used to purchase things such as state-of-the-art computers, books, and other resources for conducting research. To date, Amelia Earhart Fellows represent 65 different countries, and have gone on to become astronauts, aerospace engineers, astronomers, professors, geologists, business owners, heads of companies, even Secretary of the US Air Force.
Women of any nationality pursuing a Ph.D./doctoral degree who demonstrate a superior academic record in the field of aerospace-related sciences and aerospace-related engineering are eligible to apply.
“The Amelia Earhart Fellowship is more than a fellowship that helped me financially while conducting my research. I met so many wonderful women in all walks of life that are truly engaged in helping women to advance and succeed, the spirit of which I will appreciate for a long time to come.” - Peihua Jing, China, Amelia Earhart Fellow, 2002 & 2005
What’s even better about this fellowship is that you can win it more than once! To learn more about the Amelia Earhart Fellowship Program please visit the website.
I often hear people talk about their desire to change careers, yet many people are unsure how to make this change, especially in a downturned economy where jobs are scarce. One industry that is in dire need of a new injection of talent and enthusiasm is teaching. The UN estimates that 8 million teachers are needed worldwide by 2015 in order to provide universal access to primary education. The timing couldn’t be better for a career change into teaching.
There are a number of teaching fellowships around the United States, some specifically for career changers with no previous teaching experience. The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation funds a teaching fellowship program in Indiana, Michigan and Ohio, to prepare career changers and college graduates to teach math, science, engineering and technology in rural and urban schools. Fellows commit to teach for at least 3 years, and receive a $30,000 stipend to complete a special intensive master’s program at a local university. This program is expanding thanks to a recent $4.9 million grant from the Lilly Endowment.
The New York City American Museum of Natural History also just launched a new teaching fellowship. The Museum has created a paid teaching fellowship for their 15-month Master of Arts program in science teaching, which is intended to train middle school and high school Earth science teachers. Students spend two summers working with scientists and educators at the Museum, one in a youth program and the other in a science practicum residency. In between, students spend 10 months in a New York City school, paired with an exemplary teacher selected by school principals.
If you are seeking an opportunity abroad, Teach for China recruits, selects, trains, and supports outstanding US and Chinese graduates to work side-by-side to deliver an excellent education in high poverty and rural Chinese communities.
These represent just a small selection of fellowships that support a career change to teaching. Check out ProFellow’s database for information on more than 25 teaching fellowship programs, as well as several hundred other professional fellowship opportunities.
The Hydro Research Foundation’s Hydro Fellowship Program will be offering as many as 10 fellowships in 2012 for Mechanical and Electrical Engineering graduate students in their final year of study who are interested in conducting research related to the improvement of conventional hydropower and pumped storage hydropower. Fellowship candidates must choose a research topic related to advances in generators, turbines, transformers and electrical systems, as well as a myriad of other topics such as simulation and optimization tools, protection of critical hydropower infrastructure, market trends and strategies, water management innovations, and many more. A full list of topics can be found on the website.
The Hydro Fellowship Program fellowships typically range from 1-3 years in length and provide a living stipend of up to $26,000 annually along with an annual tuition allowance of up to $16,000. Other benefits include a health insurance allowance, travel costs to attend the Annual Hydro Fellows Roundtable, and mentors from the Hydro Research Foundation and the hydropower industry.
Applications for the 2012 program are due March 1. 2012. Fellowship winners will be announced on April 4.
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