NCAR NCAR

UCAR UCAR

University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

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  • I’m not sure who I would like to work with at UCAR during my fellowship. Should I apply? 
    • While we strongly encourage you to reach out to any science mentors you would like to work with before submitting your application, it’s not a requirement. If successful, we can connect you with possible mentors after your application has been approved. 
  • What kind of information are you looking for in my essay questions? 
    • We are looking to bring motivated, innovative students into this fellowship program. Please use the essay questions as an opportunity to set yourself apart from your peers. What specific aspects of the fellowship are you interested in? For example, why is diversity important to you in your career? What have you done or what do you think needs to be done to create change? 
  • I don’t know what you mean by “power and/or privilege (or lack thereof) associated with my social identities”. 
    • An important element of the Next Generation Fellowship program is to cultivate a community of changemakers. In order to accomplish this, we first need to know how we exist in the world. Much as we’d like to think of science as a “pure” or “neutral” field, we all bring aspects of ourselves to work. This might be overt aspects, such as gender identity or race, or it might be more subtle elements of our personhood, such as religious belief or disability. Taking time to think about how we show up in the world can affect how others perceive us is vital to creating change. For example, an able-bodied white man may be perceived as being in a position of authority based purely on how society expects to perceive him. However, a woman of color may be perceived as junior or even unqualified, again based solely on society's biases. Recognizing and owning our own positions is an important aspect of creating a more just and equitable research environment. 
  • Do I have to work with the same mentors each summer of my Fellowship?
    • No,  you’re not required to work with the same mentors for each of your fellowship years. You can change the topic of your research each year if you desire, or even request to collaborate with multiple groups within one year. However, it is important that you have a clear objective in collaborating with multiple groups simultaneously and how you plan to bring your work together. 
  • How do I find the science teams at UCAR/NCAR?
  • If I want to apply for multiple tracks, do I need to submit multiple applications? 
    • Yes, each track is evaluated separately. If you wish to be considered for multiple tracks, please submit a separate application for each. 
  • Do I need to include a CV and/or transcripts
    • No, you do not need to submit a CV or transcripts with your application. 
  • Do I need to submit the letters of recommendation, or can my recommender submit them?
    • Letters of recommendation can be emailed to rafteryc@ucar.edu either by the submitting student or by their recommenders. 
  • If I am submitting applications for multiple tracks, can I use the same recommendation letters?
    • If your recommenders are able to speak to your interest in multiple tracks, it is possible to reuse the same letters. However, it may be prudent to ask your letter writers to adapt their letters for each of the two tracks, as each fellowship track is looking for distinctly different interests in successful applicants.
  • Do I need to have their mentor identified for the application, or can they figure that our afterward (for the science track)
    • You can figure out your mentor after you submit, but it is a good idea to do some research into who at NCAR is interested in your area of study and include them as possible mentors. 
  • Will this interfere with any other NSF or other types of awards
    • Accepting this award should not impact any existing NSF support you are in receipt of. However, if you are receiving NSF funds, it’s important to communicate this to the program coordinator for administrative and record keeping purposes. You are responsible for understanding any impact this may have on your personal taxes, existing funding, fellowships, institutional assistantships, or other financial support.
  • Will I need to pay taxes?
    • You are responsible for understanding any impact this may have on your personal taxes, existing funding, fellowships, institutional assistantships, or other financial support you may be receiving or eligible for. We strongly recommend that you consult with a tax professional to assess your personal situation. 
  • What if I graduate a semester early?
    • In order to continue to be eligible for the Next Generation Fellowship, you must be registered as a graduate student. If you graduate early, you may forfeit any remaining award funds you would otherwise have been eligible to receive. An exception to this may be if you have not yet completed your fellowship visit to UCAR. This will be reviewed on a case by case basis, but you may still be eligible to complete your fellowship visit within 6 months after graduation. 
  • What if I have to take a semester off or drop out after they receive their award - do I need to refund the award?
    • This will be considered on a case by case basis but the program will be as flexible as possible in accommodating your needs. 
    • If you opt to take a semester off before the semester begins, you will also be taking a break from the Next Gen program since  you need to be currently registered in a graduate program to qualify. However, you will become eligible to retake your place once you re-register for school. Any postponed semester awards may be eligible for deferral. 
  • Is the award just for tuition?
    • The award can be used in any way the fellow pleases. It can be deposited into the fellows bank account and used for living expenses, or it can be paid directly to your school to cover tuition (with any excess being refunded to the fellow). 
  • What if I am enrolled part time?
    • You are still eligible to apply for the Next Generation Fellowship if you are enrolled part time. However, the timeline for the fellowship will remain 2 years, with 20 weeks of fellowship travel available to all participants in that time, regardless of their full or part time status. 
  • Can I apply if I applied last year and was not selected?
  • Do I need to be a US citizen?
    • Policy track fellows are required to be US Citizens, but science and DEI track fellows do not. All applicants are required to be currently enrolled as a graduate student in a North American (Canada, USA or Mexico) college or university. 
  • Can I apply if I am enrolled in a college outside the US?
    • Yes, students outside of the US are eligible, but you must be enrolled in a North American (Canada, USA or Mexico) college or university. 
  • When does the fellowship visit need to begin and end?
    • This will be determined by the fellow and their track mentors depending on everyone's schedule requirements. 
  • Can the visit time be adjusted if I am going on a field campaign for school over the summer?
    • Yes, the fellowship visits are flexible and can be discussed with your track mentor to determine the best time for a visit. Your fellowship visits can be broken into multiple short trips, or can be one extended trip covering all 20 weeks if preferred. There is full flexibility in scheduling (within the limits of the fellow and mentors’ schedules). 
  • Can my fellowship visit fund my participation in a field campaign? 
    • Your fellowship visit is flexible and can be adapted to best suit your needs. If there is a field campaign that meets the goals you have set for your fellowship, and your track mentor is in agreement, you can use your fellowship visit time and funds to participate in a field campaign.
  • What if I have a family and need to bring them to Boulder/Washington DC for the duration of my fellowship visit? 
    • A housing allowance based on the GSA daily lodging rates will be made available to you to cover your housing expenses during your fellowship visits. Any additional costs beyond the housing allowance will be the responsibility of the fellows.
  • What if I am unable to participate in the fellowship visits in person? 
    • Throughout the pandemic, we’ve had much experience in providing flexible mentorship to fellows in a remote setting. If you are unable to travel to participate in an in-person fellowship visit, we can work with you to provide a valuable mentoring experience in a remote setting. Please include details in your application.
  • My question wasn't answered
    • If you have a question that hasn't been answered, you can email rafteryc@ucar.edu to ask your question.