NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship

Contact Name: 
Ming-Ying Wei, Program Administrator for NESSF Earth Science Research
Typical application deadline: 
February
Page last updated: 
11/02/2010
Contact Phone: 
202-358-0771
Application Deadline: 
February 1, 2011
Contact e-mail: 
mwei@nasa.gov
weblinks: 
Fellowship announcement, with detailed application instructions
Proposal submittal instructions
Funding source home page: 
NSPIRES
Applicant Eligibility: 
Graduate
Applicant Eligibility Comments: 

Cannot be receiving any other federal fellowship or traineeship; must be enrolled full-time at an accredited US institution; any nationality/citizenship, but US citizens and permanent residents are given preference; students with disabilities and/or from underrepresented minority groups are encouraged to apply.

Keywords: 
Business/Industry
Computers
GIS
Global change
International students
Remote sensing
Research/field research
Science/technology
Amount: 
up to $30,000
Funding Abstract: 

NASA announces a call for graduate fellowship proposals to the NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship (NESSF) program for the 2011-2012 academic year.  This call for fellowship proposals solicits applications from accredited U.S. universities on behalf of individuals pursuing Master of Science (M.Sc.) or Doctoral (Ph.D.) degrees in Earth and space sciences, or related disciplines.  The purpose of NESSF is to ensure continued training of a highly qualified workforce in disciplines needed to achieve NASA’s scientific goals.  Awards resulting from the competitive selection will be made in the form of training grants to the respective universities.

Type of Funding: 
Fellowship
Funding Comments: 

All applications to NESSF must address the goals and objectives of one or more of the four SMD research programs:

  • The Earth Science Research Program, managed by the Earth Science Division, fulfills NASA's mission to advance U.S. scientific, security, and economic interests through a robust space exploration program and, in particular, strategic goal 3A, to study Earth from space to advance scientific understanding and meet societal needs. This strategic goal is motivated by the fundamental question: "How is the Earth system changing, and what are the consequences for life on Earth?"
  • The Heliophysics Research Program, managed by the Heliophysics Division, concentrates on the variable, magnetic Sun, its effects on the Earth and the other planets of the solar system, and the Heliosphere (the Sun's extended atmosphere).
  • The Planetary Science Research Program, managed by the Planetary Science Division, concentrates on research that enables, and is enabled, by the robotic exploration of the Solar System. Its broad goals are to discover the nature and origin of the celestial bodies among which we live and to explore whether life exists beyond Earth.
  • The Astrophysics Research Program, managed by the Astrophysics Division, explores the universe beyond our solar system: from the search for planets and life in other stellar systems to the origin, evolution, structure, and destiny of the universe itself.
Application Process and Required Materials: 

1.NSPIRES generated proposal cover page to be completed on line, which includes a proposal summary/abstract and responses to the NESSF Program Specific Data questions, which includes the proposal budget;
2.A description of the proposed research, totaling no more than 6 single-spaced uploaded pages; the research plan should be presented with a clear scientific hypothesis or question(s) to be addressed by the proposed work;
3.A schedule stating the proposed start and completion dates of the applicant’s degree program;
4.Curriculum Vitae of the faculty advisor and student, limited to one page each;
5.A signed letter of recommendation from the student’s academic advisor which must include the name of the student, the name of the proposing institution, and the NESSF proposal title; and
6.Unofficial, legible, and clearly unaltered undergraduate and graduate transcripts (provide an explanation if the transcripts are not current or recent).

Fund Usage: 
Stipend, tuition, fees, travel, conference attendance, books, general
Funding Restrictions: 

Equipment, including computers, may NOT be purchased with NESSF funds. Government furnished equipment will not be provided. A NESSF budget should include itemization of the anticipated use of the grant funding.

Fields of Study: 
Environmental Informatics
Sustainable Systems