ASM Robert D. Watkins Graduate Research Fellowship Program

Applicants must:

• Be an ASM student member
• Be a senior-level doctoral graduate student conducting research in microbiology
• Be from an underrepresented group in the sciences

Opportunities include:

• Three-year fellowship
• Support to present at ASM General Meeting
• Support to participate (one time) at ASM Kadner Institute or ASM Scientific Writing and Publishing Institute

Online Application: http://mail.asmusa.org/t/798412/46252028/3863/11

General Information on the ASM Robert D. Watkins Graduate Fellowship: http://mail.asmusa.org/t/798412/46252028/3686/9/

The Program
The goal of the fellowship is to increase the number of underrepresented groups completing doctoral degrees in the microbiological sciences. The ASM Robert D. Watkins Graduate Research Fellowship is aimed at highly competitive graduate students who are enrolled in a Ph.D. program and who have completed their graduate course work in the microbiological sciences. The fellowship encourages students to continue and complete their research project in the microbiological sciences.

Students will be:

• Required to submit an abstract each year to ASM for presentation at the annual ASM General Meeting
• Required to attend the ASM Kadner Institute or  the ASM Scientific Writing and Publishing Institute one time during the three-year tenure of the fellowship

Eligibility
Eligible candidates must be from groups that have been determined by the applicant's institution to be underrepresented in the microbiological sciences. The ASM encourages institutions to identify individuals that have been historically underrepresented, and remain underrepresented today in the microbiological sciences nationally. These groups include African-Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Alaskan Natives, and Pacific Islanders.

In addition, applicants must:

• Be formally admitted to a doctoral program in the microbiological sciences in an accredited U.S. institution
• Have successfully completed the first year of the graduate program (first year graduate students cannot apply)
• Have successfully completed all graduate coursework requirements for the doctoral degree by the date of activation of the fellowship
• Be a student member of ASM
• Be mentored by an ASM member
• Be a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident
• Not have funding OR have funding that will expire by the start date of the fellowship
  This fellowship cannot run concurrently with other national fellowships from NIH, NSF, HHMI, etc.  

Funding
The program provides a total stipend of $63,000 ($21,000 a year) for a three year period (July 2013-June 2016). Students will receive six stipend payments. Funds cannot be used for tuition and fees.

Supporting documents
Three letters of recommendations must be submitted with your application. One letter must be from your research advisor/mentor. You may choose to submit references online or via mail.

• Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. Please submit by via online application your undergraduate and graduate transcripts.

Criteria for Selection
Applicants will be reviewed according to the following criteria:

• Academic achievement
• Evidence of a successful research plan developed in collaboration with research advisor/mentor
• Relevant career goals in the microbiological sciences
• Involvement in activities that serve the needs of underrepresented groups.