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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is a fellowship program needed?
Scientists and engineers with PhDs and other advanced degrees play a central and growing role in American industrial and commercial life. We increasingly depend on people with advanced scientific and technological knowledge in our collective efforts in developing new technologies and industries, reducing environmental pollution, combating disease and hunger, developing new sources of energy, and maintaining the competitiveness of industry. The traditional process of graduate education to the doctoral level, organized around an intensive research experience, has served as a world model for the advanced training of scientists and engineers. However, the majority of PhDs will not enter academic life and many will not become researchers. Thus, graduate students in science and engineering as well as in related professions need additional experiences to broaden their horizons.
What opportunities can I pursue in the fellowship program?
Please see the Fellow Opportunities Chart for a listing of all the program units where you may fellow. You should be sure to look at the web page for each unit to gain a better understanding of their activities and active studies.
Will all units have fellowships available all the time?
No. Not all units choose to have fellows and we have no way of knowing this ahead of time. Further, there are insufficient slots for all units who desire fellows to have them, so even though a unit may indicate a desire to have an fellow it does not mean they will be able to get one of the limited slots. You can make a good guess as to the units interested in having a fellow by looking at the fellow alumni listings. However, new units are added all the time, so feel free to apply for any unit where you are interested. You may apply for up to 5 units. We encourage you to select the maximum of five units at which you are interested in working.
Will the fellowship be in my particular area of expertise (e.g., molecular biology, cultural anthropology in Africa, etc.)?
No. The purpose of this fellowship program is to broaden the fellow's experience. A prospective applicant should not apply for the program if they are only willing to work in their field. In addition, although we do our best to determine what activities will be active, they may change even in the few months between your interview and the fellowship. During the fellowship, you can ask about that possibility. However, the Washington policy environment is such that you may be asked to work on any science and technology policy issue. If you are interested in only working in a very specific policy area, then the Fellowship is not the right one for you.
Are the National Academies part of a government agency?
No. The National Academy of Sciences was created by the federal government to be an adviser on scientific and technological matters, but is not part of the Federal government. The Academy complex now consists of four organizations: the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Medicine, and the National Research Council. The National Academy of Sciences was created in 1863 by a congressional charter approved by President Abraham Lincoln. Under this charter, the National Research Council was established in 1916, the National Academy of Engineering in 1964, and the Institute of Medicine in 1970.
The Academy and its associated organizations (the NRC, NAE, and IOM) are private, nongovernmental, organizations and do not receive direct federal appropriations for their work. Studies undertaken for the government by the Academy complex usually are funded out of appropriations made available to federal agencies. The great majority of the studies carried out by the Academy complex are at the request of government agencies.
Who are the Academies?
The Associated Organizations
Organization of the National Academies
General Questions about the National Academies
What is the amount of the stipend/grant?
For the 2009 sessions, the stipend/grant for the 12-week program is $8,000. The Fellowship stipend/grant is intended to offset living expenses for the period and not intended as a way to earn money.
Note that Fellows may at their and their mentor’s option be extended beyond the official session’s term on a case-by-case basis. Fellows may be compensated at the current weekly stipend/grant level for the extension period. This decision will not be made until midway through the program. Extensions will not be made past the start date of the next fellowship program session.
When do I get my stipend if I am accepted to the program?
The stipend is paid out in two check installments. The first installment (50% of the session stipend will be sent to each accepted fellow approximately 2 to 3 weeks after the Fellowship Program Office receives the executed agreement form acknowledging intention to participate in the program. The second installment (remaining 50% of the session stipend) will be paid out to each Fellow during the first week of the program. More information will be provided upon acceptance.
Do I get travel expenses?
No. The stipend was recently raised from $5300 to $8000 to help offset additional expenses.
Where can I find more information about housing?
If selected for the Mirzayan Fellowship, you are responsible for obtaining your own housing. Your best option is to use any local connections you might have. Many universities throughout DC, Virginia, and Maryland offer summer housing that fits within your stipend budget. Locating housing during the winter and fall sessions can be more challenging, but rooms in houses and sublets are available year-round.
Fellow alumni have found that the best source of housing information is on Craigslist, as well as the Georgetown University, George Washington University, and American University web sites. George Washington University is the closest to The National Academies buildings.
Please surf to HOUSING for a more complete listing of housing resources and visitor's information websites.
Can more than one reference be submitted?
Yes. Only one reference is required, however, more than one on-line reference may be submitted on your behalf. We strongly recommend that your mentor/advisor use the reference form available on our Web page, otherwise, we cannot guarantee that it will be reviewed by our program staff who select the fellows. Note: your application is not considered complete without a reference.
Is graduate experience considered work?
No, it is not. Graduate work such as working as a TA or RA is part of your graduate education and is not considered work experience for the purpose of the Fellowship application, so we suggest you do not list it. If you are still unsure, go ahead and list the experience.
How competitive is the program?
The program is very competitive with generally less than 10% of applicants selected. There used to be fewer applicants for the winter and fall sessions than the summer program, but usually the applicants are further along in their educational experience, making competition for all sessions very high. The number of applicants has been increasing each year.
Where is the location of the fellowship program?
The fellowships will take place in Washington, D.C. at one of the National Academies facilities. In general, fellows will be located at the Keck Center, 500 5th Street, NW in downtown Washington, DC, near the Verizon Center and Metro Center. Fellows may also be located in the National Academy of Science Building, 2101 Constitution Avenue, NW, across the street from the Department of State. Can I reapply to the program?
Yes, you can reapply to the program by updating your online application. If you selected multiple sessions for the year, then your application will automatically be considered for the next session. To revise an “active” application, visit the “Registered Applicants” section of the application form and provide your email address and password. Once you’ve accessed your application, you may change contact information, an email address, a degree awarded, fellowship program session availability, etc. If you reapply, you do not need to get your adviser to submit a new reference form. Your reference remains in our database indefinitely. You may submit more than one reference if you’d like to, but one is all that is required. Can I do a shortened fellowship?
We do not recommend this, but there have been cases because of extenuating circumstances when a fellow has started the program early. Please note that a fellow can NOT begin after the official start date of each session, but may possibly begin earlier with the approval of the fellow's mentor. The fellow must still fulfill the full 12-week obligation. In addition, fellows may at their and their mentor’s option be extended beyond the official term on a case-by-case basis. Fellows may be compensated at the current weekly grant level for the extension period. This decision will not be made until midway through the program. Extensions will not be made past the start date of the next fellowship program session. What if I can't entire the entire orientation program and need to miss a day?
Acceptance to the program is contingent on attending orientation in its entirety.
Are these fellowships available every year?
Continuance of the program is determined by budgetary and other implications on a yearly basis. There is no way of knowing whether or not we will have the program in the future. You may sign-up to be on the listserve so you will be notified of our status for the following calendar year. This usually takes place in September of each year. When will the prospective candidates be informed of their acceptance?
Most candidates selected for interviews will be notified within two or three weeks of the application deadline, but there are circumstances that extend this period. For instance, additional interviewing may take place after the time period if either the National Academies or the applicant interviewed decides that there is not an appropriate match. Additionally, we do frequently have one or two individuals selected for the program who cancel their application for professional or personal reasons. So, individuals may be selected for the program up until the week before the program session begins.
We do not notify unsuccessful applicants until all fellow slots have been filled. Last-minute cancellations make early notification difficult. Please contact the fellowship office if an urgent decision is needed. Does the Mirzayan Fellowship Program provide scholarship money or other funding for research or continuing education?
No. This program does not fund research, award scholarships, or provide financial aid assistance of any kind. If you are awarded a 12-week Mirzayan fellowship, then a stipend/grant will be provided to offset expenses during the fellowship period which takes place in Washington, DC.
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