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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development
National Center for Environmental Research
Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Program
CLOSED - FOR REFERENCES PURPOSES ONLY
Fall 2004 Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) (Formerly Minority Academic Institutions (MAI)) Undergraduate Student Fellowships
Opening Date: August 27, 2003
Closing Date: January 6, 2004
Sorting Codes: See sorting codes list
Summary of Program Requirements
Introduction
Description of the GRO Undergraduate Program
Eligibility
Stipend and Allowances
The GRO Fellowship Application Package
Mandatory Format for Pre-applications
Submission Requirements
Evaluation and Selection Process
Where and When to Submit
Notification and Award Dates
For Further Information
Sample Pre-application
Student’s Check-Off list
View current fellowship research (http://es.epa.gov/ncer/fellow/abstracts/)
SUMMARY OF PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS: GENERAL INFORMATION
Program Title: Fall 2004 EPA Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Undergraduate Fellowships
Synopsis of Program
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is offering Greater Research Opportunities Undergraduate Fellowships for bachelor level students in environmentally related fields of study. The deadline for receipt of pre-applications is January 6, 2004. Subject to availability of funding, the Agency plans to award approximately 15 new fellowships by July 23, 2004. Eligible students will receive support for their junior and senior years of undergraduate study and for an internship at an EPA facility during the summer between their junior and senior years. The fellowship provides up to $17,000 per year of academic support and up to $7,500 of internship support for a three-month summer period.
Contact Person:
Georgette Boddie, Phone: 202-564-6926, E-mail: boddie.georgette@epa.gov
Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s): 66.513
Eligibility Information:
Applicants must be citizens of the United States or its territories or possessions, or be lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence. Resident aliens must include their green card number in their pre-application. EPA may choose to verify this number with the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
Award Information:
Anticipated Type of Award: Fellowship
Estimated Number of Awards: 15
Anticipated Funding Amount: $450,000 from this announcement
Potential Funding per Fellow: $41,500
Deadline/Target Dates:
Letter of Intent Due Date(s): None
Pre-Application Proposal Due Date(s): January 6, 2004
DESCRIPTION OF THE GRO UNDERGRADUATE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), under the auspices of the National Center for Environmental Research is offering Greater Research Opportunities Undergraduate Fellowships for bachelor level students in environmentally related fields of study. The deadline for receipt of pre-applications is January 6, 2004. Subject to availability of funding, the Agency plans to award approximately 15 new fellowships by July 22, 2004. Eligible students will receive support for their junior and senior years of undergraduate study and for an internship at an EPA facility during the summer between their junior and senior years. The fellowship provides up to $17,000 per year of support. This amount covers a stipend of $500 per month for up to nine months or $4,500 total, $2,500 for authorized expenses, and up to $10,000 for tuition and fees. The Summer Internship provides $7,500 of support for a three-month period. This amount includes a three-month stipend totaling $6,000, $1000 for travel to and from the summer internship site, and $500 for travel while at the site, if needed.
The EPA invites pre-applications for undergraduate GRO fellowships
in academic disciplines relating to environmental research including
environmental science, physical science, biological science, chemistry,
environmental health, computer science, social sciences, mathematics,
and engineering. A pre-application provides the information needed
for a merit review. Following the merit review, the most scientifically
meritorious applicants will be required to submit a brief formal
application.
These fellowships are intended to help defray costs associated
with environmentally oriented study leading to a bachelor's degree.
Instructions for completing and submitting pre-applications are
found in the sections that follow. Instructions must be followed
exactly or the submission will not be reviewed.
Purpose of the Program
The GRO program, like its predecessor program (the Minority Academic Institutions (MAI) program,) is intended to strengthen the environmental research capacity of institutions of higher education that receive limited funding to build such capacity, including in particular institutions with substantial minority enrollment. The program provides quality environmental education to undergraduate students, thereby encouraging them to pursue careers in environmentally related fields and to continue their education beyond the baccalaureate level. This goal is consistent with the mission of EPA, which is to provide leadership in the nation’s environmental science, research, education, assessment, restoration, and preservation efforts. This mission will benefit both the public and private sectors which will need a steady stream of well-trained and culturally diverse environmental specialists if our society is to meet the environmental challenges of the future.
ELIGIBILITY
Applicants must be citizens of the United States or its territories
or possessions, or be lawfully admitted to the United States
for permanent residence. Resident aliens must include their green
card number in their pre-application. EPA may choose to verify
this number with the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
Students must attend eligible institutions.
Students must attend fully accredited four-year U.S. institutions
of higher education that are not highly funded for development
of environmental research capacity. For purposes of this solicitation,
EPA considers such institutions to be those listed in the National
Science Foundation’s report “Federal Science and Engineering
Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions:
Fiscal Year 2001,” Table B-15 (http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/nsf03326/pdf/fssb15.pdf 
).
Students at institutions receiving $50 million or less in annual
federal research and development
funding, as designated in column 2 of Table B-15 are eligible.
The report can be found at http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/nsf03326/start.htm
Students at schools that have substantial minority enrollment are particularly encouraged to apply. Examples of such schools are those that the U.S. Department of Education lists as “Accredited Postsecondary Minority Institutions” on its four web sites listed below, consistent with Executive Orders 13125 (Increasing Participation of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders), 13230 (Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans), 13256 (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), and 13270 (Tribal Colleges and Universities), which encourage building the capacity of minority serving institutions to provide high quality education, and other measures to improve minority education.
Alaska - California: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/edlite-minorityinst.html
Colorado - New York: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/edlite-minorityinst-col-ny.html
North Carolina - Wisconsin: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/edlite-minorityinst-nc-wis.html
American Samoa - Virgin Islands: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/edlite-minorityinst-as-vi.html
(Note that of the schools on these lists, only those that are either four-year baccalaureate-granting institutions with degree programs in one or more eligible academic fields, or two year institutions that grant associate degrees and participate in Articulation Agreements with four-year institutions, are eligible to participate in this fellowship program. An Articulation Agreement is a signed contract between a community or technical college and a four-year college or university that guarantees that a student who earns an associate degree at a participating two-year institution can transfer all of the general education core credits to the four-year institution toward the completion of baccalaureate degree requirements.)
It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the school is eligible before submitting a pre-application.
Students must be pursuing a bachelor's degree in an environmentally related field of specialization (see fields of specialization below).
Students must have two (2) years remaining from the start of the
Fall semester (Fall 2004), before receiving a bachelor's degree.
Students must have at least a "B" average overall.
Acceptance of this fellowship does not necessarily preclude acceptance
of other scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, or grant aid.
However, this fellowship may not be awarded to anyone who will
simultaneously be receiving other federal assistance. If the
source of the other fellowship is not federal, a student may
accept both awards.
Tenure
The term of undergraduate fellowship is negotiated with the student and covers a period of nine months for each fellowship year. Students seeking a bachelor’s degree may be supported for a maximum of two years
The fellowship provides up to $17,000 per year of academic support and $7,500 for internship support for a combined total of up to $41,500 over the life of the fellowship. A more detailed breakout of the funding which covers stipend, tuition, and expenses is as follows:
1. Stipends: During the nine-month academic year, a $500 stipend will be paid to the fellow each month, for a total annual stipend of $4,500. Stipends are paid directly to the Fellow. Each fellowship institution may choose to supplement a Fellow's stipend from institutional funds in accordance with the supplementation policy of the institution.
2. Tuition and Academic Fees: Up to $10,000 per year will be paid directly to the institution for allowable tuition and fees. For the purposes of this fellowship, health insurance is not considered to be an academic fee even if it is required by the institution. Health insurance costs may, however, be paid from the expense budget.
3. Expense Allowance: Up to $2,500 will be provided to pay for items and activities for the direct benefit of the student's education, such as for health insurance, books, supplies, equipment, and travel to technical and scientific meetings. Specific instructions regarding the disbursement and management of the expense allowance will be provided during the award process.
4. Internship Allowance: During the summer internship, the fellow will receive a total of $7,500 for the three-month period. This amount includes $1,000 for travel to and from the summer internship site, $500 for travel while at the site, and a stipend of $6,000 for living expenses.
Annual Conference – Fellows are expected to attend a technical/scientific conference each year they are members of the GRO program. Resources to support this travel are to be taken from the expense allowance.
Special Requirement/Summer Internship
The fellow must agree in writing to participate (if requested) for up to 12 weeks at an EPA facility as a Summer Intern in the EPA GRO Summer Intern Program, after the first year of EPA-supported academic training. Each Intern must complete a summer project that is designed to complement and enhance the training received under the fellowship program. EPA will provide support for temporary relocation and provide a living stipend during the summer Internship. Fellows will be contacted during their first year to arrange for this Internship.
THE GRO UNDERGRADUATE FELLOWSHIP APPLICATION PACKAGE
The application package for a GRO Undergraduate Fellowship consists of three major parts: 1) the pre-application, 2) three letters of recommendation, and 3), a self-addressed, stamped postcard. The pre-application provides the reviewers with information about you and your proposed research, the letters provide support for your pre-application, and the postcard allows us to keep you informed about the status of your application. In the discussion below, we will provide you with all the information you need to ensure that you submit a complete and administratively correct application. Please read it carefully and follow the instructions exactly.
MANDATORY FORMAT FOR PRE-APPLICATIONS
All pre-applications must be submitted exactly as described and illustrated in this solicitation. If you fail to comply with any of the instructions regarding format or content, your pre-application will not be reviewed. All pre-applications must be written in English.
The pre-application part of your package consists of twelve (12) items. The pre-application must be completed using a 12-point or equivalent typeface on 8-1/2 x 11-inch paper with one-inch margins all around. Page limitations for individual components of the pre-application are specified below. Do not exceed these limits or the proposal will be ineligible. Do not submit materials permanently bound or in ring binders. You must submit the original and six (6) copies of all required materials.
ITEMS 1-9 COMBINED MUST NOT EXCEED ONE PAGE (PLEASE NUMBER ALL PAGES)
Item 1 PERSONAL DATA -- Provide your full name (last name first), current address, permanent address (complete address including zip code), and home and work telephone numbers. If you can be reached by fax or e-mail, include that information as well. (Optional -- for statistical reporting purposes only, we ask you to include your gender and race, e.g., African-American, white, Hispanic, native American, Asian and Pacific Islander)
Item 2 CITIZENSHIP STATUS -- State whether you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. If you are a citizen, give the city of your birth. If you are a resident alien, provide your green card number. EPA may choose to verify this information.
Item 3 DEGREE SOUGHT -- State bachelor's (e.g., B.S., B.A.). Include the month and year you expect the degree to be awarded.
Item 4 STATE YOUR CURRENT LEVEL OF EDUCATION -- State what academic year you are in (e.g., entering sophomore) or how many credits you have toward your degree and how many total credits you need for your degree.
Item 5 SORTING CODE AND TITLE -- Select a single Sorting Code and Title for your application. It is important that you select the most appropriate Sorting Code and Title from the list shown below because your pre-application will be reviewed by experts from the field you select. Select only one Sorting Code and Title. This code must also appear in the address for delivery of your pre-application, as specified below.
F04-GRO-P1 Natural and Life Sciences
F04-GRO-P2 Environmental Science
F04-GRO-P3 Engineering
F04-GRO-P4 Social Sciences
F04-GRO-Q1 Physical Sciences
F04-GRO-Q2 Mathematics and Computer Science
F04-GRO-Q3 EconomicsItem 6 AREA OF RESEARCH INTEREST -- Provide a brief description for your research area of interest, even if you have not yet selected a specific topic (1 - 2 paragraphs).
Item 7 COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL AND DEPARTMENT -- Provide the name and location of your current university, school, and department from which your degree will be obtained.
Item 8 CERTIFICATION OF INSTITUTION ELIGIBILITY -- Indicate whether your school appears on the Office of Civil Rights website and if it is a four-year degree granting institution or an accredited two-year institution with a recognized articulation agreement with a four-year school.
Item 9 NAME AND ADDRESS OF UNDERGRADUATE ADVISOR -- If you have an advisor, give his or her name, address, and telecommunications data, including phone, fax, and e-mail, if available. If you do not yet have an advisor, write "N/A."
ITEM 10 MUST NOT EXCEED ONE PAGE
Item 10 STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES -- This item will be of paramount importance in evaluating your request for a fellowship. Your answer, therefore, should be well thought out and expressed in a clear and detailed but concise manner. The statement should be in the following format:
A. Introduction: Include any background information you believe is pertinent and provides insight into why you have chosen the goals you are pursuing.B. Personal Statement: Explain your academic and career goals and how your proposed course of study or research will help you to achieve these goals. Include any background information you believe is relevant and that indicates why you have chosen the goals you are pursuing. You will be evaluated on your dedication to your studies and to an environmentally oriented career. This statement will also provide insight into your organizational, analytical, and written communication skills.
C. Previous Environmentally Related Experience: Describe how work/volunteer and academic experience gained relate to your career goals.
D. Conclusion Statement: Explain what scientific or other benefits are expected from your project.
ITEM 11 MUST NOT EXCEED ONE PAGE
Item 11 EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE -- List the academic degrees you have received or expect to receive in the near future, the dates, and the institutions. Include your current grade point average (GPA). Also list relevant experience, including paid employment, research assistantship, internships, special studies, volunteer work, etc. Give dates and a short description of your duties in each position, listing most recent first. Give names and addresses of employers. List only relevant experience.
ITEM 12 MAY USE AS MANY PAGES AS NECESSARY
Item 12 TRANSCRIPT INFORMATION -- Provide, in tabular form, the following information from your transcripts: identify the institutions at which the credits were earned; dates, names and catalog numbers of courses taken; credit hours; grades received; and cumulative GPA for each degree level. If possible, course titles should not exceed the space available. Abbreviations are allowed. If courses were audited or not completed, note this information. Do not submit narrative grades. If any institution you attended had a grading system different from the traditional "A, B, C" system, explain the system in a succinct footnote to Item 12. Do not leave anything out. Include data from your entire college career. DO NOT INCLUDE COPIES OF YOUR TRANSCRIPTS. Top-ranked applicants will be required to submit official copies of transcripts for validation prior to the award of the fellowship.
Letters of Recommendation
Each application package MUST include three (3) reference letters, written in English, from individuals who have knowledge of your academic record. If you have a sponsor or advisor in the program, one of these letters should come from that individual. Letters of recommendation are critical components of the pre-application. Select your references carefully and urge them to write unique letters specifically about you. Do not write the letters yourself. Letters that appear to be mass produced will not be ranked highly by reviewers. At minimum, the letters should be your academic performance and potential, enthusiasm, thoughtfulness, and motivation in your chosen field. It is always useful if the writer also conveys a sense of who you are as an individual. EPA is bound by regulation to require three (3) letters. If the pre-application does not include three letters, it will not be reviewed. The original and six (6) copies of each required letter must be contained in one (1) envelope sealed by the writer and included in the pre-application package. We will not accept reference letters sent separately.
Self-addressed and Stamped Postcard
Include a postcard in your package so that we can notify you that your pre-application was received. If your postcard with the identifying application number is not returned within 30 days of the announcement deadline, you MUST call 1-800-490-9194 to verify that your package was received. If you do not include the postcard, you will not be notified that we received your package.
All pre-applications must be submitted in the exact format described. All necessary information is provided in the instructions. To illustrate the instructions, a sample pre-application appears at the end of this announcement. Pre-applications must include the original and six (6) copies of each letter of reference enclosed in three (3) individually sealed envelopes, as described above.
EVALUATION AND SELECTION PROCESS
The pre-applications will be reviewed by non-EPA experts from the appropriate fields of study. Students applying for fellowships must select a single Sorting Code and Title from the list provided. Reviewers are recruited based on the specialty fields identified in the pre-applications.
Each student will be evaluated on his or her potential for success in an undergraduate study program, based on the information provided in the pre-application as described above under "Mandatory Format for Pre-Applications." The reviewers will consider academic records, career goals, objectives, and letters of recommendation. The reviewers will use this information to judge the merit of each applicant as well as their ability to organize their thoughts and the clarity of their writing.
Reviewers will identify the most scientifically meritorious applicants. Finalists will be selected for award of the fellowship based on the availability of funds, reviewers' evaluations, and program goals, such as distribution of awards across disciplines, institutions and geography, and other possible indicators of program balance. Only finalists will be required to submit the following:
1. EPA Form 5770-2, "Fellowship Application*"
2. EPA Form 5700-49, "Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension,
and Other Responsibility Matters*" and
3. Sealed official transcripts from all institutions (if so instructed
by EPA).
*Forms are available on the NCER homepage (http://www.epa.gov/ncer/fellow/)
Pre-applications must be received at EPA no later than 4:00 p.m. EST on January 6, 2004. Pre-applications may be submitted by regular mail, express mail, or uniformed courier services. If using regular mail, allow sufficient time for delivery since applications MUST be at EPA by 4:00 p.m. EST on January 6, 2004.
If sending by regular or priority U.S. mail, send the original AND SIX (6) COPIES of all required materials to:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Peer Review Division (8703R)
Sorting Code: F04-MAI-XX (replace with the appropriate sorting
code; see list provided)
Ariel Rios Building
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20460
For express mail delivered applications, the following address must be used:
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
Peer Review Division (8703R)
Sorting Code: F04-GRO-XX (replace with the appropriate sorting
code; see list provided)
Ronald Reagan Building
Room B-10105
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20004
Phone: (202) 564-6939 (for express mail applications)
Courier or personally delivered applications must be brought to
the Ronald Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington,
D.C. 20004. The courier must come to the EPA Visitor's Lobby, and
inform the security guard that he/she has a delivery for the EPA
mail room. The courier will be required to sign a visitor's log,
and will be directed to the EPA mail room. The mail room is open
8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. weekdays, exclusive of Federal holidays.
If the applicant requires a receipt for the delivery, you will
need to provide a form which the mail room personnel will sign.
NOTIFICATION AND AWARD DATES
If you comply with the requirement to include a stamped, self-addressed postcard with your pre-application, you will be notified when we receive your package. Subject to the availability of funding, awards should be made by July 23, 2004 for the fall term.
For additional information or assistance in preparing your pre-application, first consult the "Frequently Asked Questions” (FAQs) on the NCER Home Page (http://www.epa.gov/ncer). EPA also maintains a toll-free telephone number which allows individuals to leave a recorded message or question. These will be answered through a return telephone call. To access this service, dial 1-800-490-9194.
The pages that follow constitute a sample pre-application for undergraduate fellowships. The purpose of this sample is to demonstrate format, not content.
Pre-application for GRO Undergraduate Fellowship
Page 1
1. Personal Data:
Name: Williams, Nigel Dupree
Current Address: University Parkway, Hampton, VA 20023
Permanent Address: c/o Moses Williams, 27 Market St., Richmond, VA 22307
Home Phone: 804-555-1234
Work Phone: 804-555-1111
Fax: 804-555-1010
E-mail: xxxxx@yyy.com
Gender: Male
Race: African-American2. Citizenship Status: U.S. Citizen, born in Richmond, Virginia (Note: if this student were a permanent resident alien, he would indicate his green card number here.)
3. Degree Sought: Undergraduate degree (BS, BA, etc.), expected 6/06
4. State your current level of education: Continuing Undergraduate, entering sophomore year
5. Sorting Code and Title: F04-GRO-Q2-Mathematics and Computer Science
6. Area of Research Interest: Provide a brief description for your research area of interest, if a specific topic has not yet been selected (1-2 paragraphs).
7. College/University, School and Department: Hampton University, Department of Physics
8. Certification of Institute Eligibility: Hampton University is a certified GRO institution according to the Office of Civil Rights listing. It is a four-year accredited university.
9. Name and Address of Undergraduate Advisor (Sponsor):
G. K. Leonard, Chairman
Department of Physics
Hampton University, Hampton, VA 23000
Office Phone: 804-555-1235 Fax: 804-555-4321
E-mail: xxxxxxx@hampton.edu
Page 2
10. Statement of Objectives: This is a written account of your academic and environmental career goals, in which you relate your past accomplishments and future plans, and describe how your proposed plan of study or research will tie these together. The quality of this section is a key criterion for review, so be as articulate and thorough as possible.
Page 3
11. Education and Experience:
8/02 to Present: Enrolled in BS Program at Hampton University - Current GPA: 3.77
6/02 to 8/02: Intern, Water Resources Division, Department of Interior, Raleigh, North Carolina
A. C. Oats 919-111-00016/01 to 8/01: Clerk, Water Quality Monitoring, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Richmond, VA
R. L. Cooper 804-123-4567
Page 4
12. Transcript Information
| Institution | Year | Course # | Title | Credit Hrs | Grade |
| Hampton | 2002 | CHE-100 | Gen. Chemistry 1 Lab | 1 | B |
| Hampton | 2002 | CHE-101 | General Chemistry | 4 | A |
| Hampton | 2002 | ENG-100 | Intro to Comp. Applications | 3 | A |
| Hampton | 2002 | GED-100 | Freshman Orientation | 1 | A |
| Hampton | 2002 | MTH-101 | College Algebra | 3 | A |
| Hampton | 2002 | PED-101 | Fund Fitness Life | 1 | A |
| Hampton | 2003 | CHE-100 | Gen. Chemistry II Lab | 1 | A |
| Hampton | 2003 | CHE-102 | General Chemistry II | 4 | A |
| Hampton | 2003 | CHE-100 | Quantitative Analysis | 3 | A |
| Hampton | 2003 | MTH-102 | College Algebra/Trig | 3 | B |
| Hampton | 2003 | CHE-101 | Quantitative Analysis Lab I | 1 | B |
| Hampton | 2003 | CHE-201 | Organic Chemistry Lab I | 2 | B |
| Hampton | 2003 | CHE-202 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 | A |
GPA = 3.77
GREATER RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES (GRO) UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT FELLOWSHIPS STUDENT'S CHECK-OFF LIST
From Page 1
1. Personal Data
2. Citizenship Status
3. Degree Sought
4. Level of Education
5. Sorting Code and Title
6. Area of Research Interest
7. College/University, School or Department
8. Certification of Institute Eligibility
9. Name and Address of Undergraduate Advisor
From Page 2
10. Statement of Objectives
From Page 3
11. Education and Experience
From Page 4 (as many pages as needed)
12. Transcript Information
Additional Requirements
Letters of Recommendation
Self-addressed and Stamped Postcard