Research Training Fellowship Program
The Research Training Fellowship Program is the Iowa State University Department
of Agronomy's unique graduate research training fellowship program for superior
students, established with a generous endowment gift. The goal of the program
is to foster new world-class leaders in agronomic research.
Fellowships are competitively awarded to approximately five new students each year.
The Program provides graduate students both financial support and exceptional academic
support through a mentored team training program coupled with specific guidance from a
primary research advisor as they work toward a Ph.D. Complete application package must be received by
Februaruy 10, 2012 to assure consideration for fellowships for the 2012-2013 academic year.
Training Program Components
What makes this fellowship program unique? The training program components offer
students a whole new level of mentoring and opportunities for interdisciplinary
collaboration.
Research mentoring. The student and primary advisor will develop
a strong mentoring relationship through common interests in research. This relationship
will be initiated through a carefully developed research plan. It will be sustained
and strengthened by the execution of team-focused research and training.
Mentoring in teaching and/or extension. Students will be required
to complete the Agronomy Teaching Practicum (AGRON 698) under the direction of an
Agronomy faculty member other than their primary research advisor. The student will
benefit from a second mentoring relationship focused on teaching and from exposure
to a broader area of agronomy. This activity is performed in conjunction with service
as a Teaching Assistant in an undergraduate Agronomy course. Service as a TA can be a
one semester commitment (8-16 hours per week) or a two semester commitment
(4-8 hours per week). Students wishing to TA other than for an undergraduate agronomy
course or who prefer an extension mentorship will need to petition the Board providing
the rationale for their preference.
Peer mentoring and interaction. Students in the program will meet
regularly to share their personal experiences and research. This activity could
take the form of monthly lunch or dinner meetings, or as a seminar series directed
by the students.
Work Groups. Faculty and students will form research-themed work
groups that will meet regularly to discuss current research issues.
External experience. Each student will be encouraged to spend a
minimum of one semester outside of Agronomy. This could include participating in
another research program on campus, performing the duties of a teaching assistant
in a non-Agronomy course, taking academic classes at another university, performing
research at a government laboratory, or working in industry.
Ethics and Professionalism training. Considerations of natural
resource and research ethics will be included in the student training experience.
2012-2013 Recruitment Themes
This year's recruitment themes are:
- The Bioeconomy
- Translational Genomics
- Environmental Quality
Students may elect to pursue research under the mentorship of any participating faculty member in agronomy.
Explore faculty web pages
and contact faculty members directly to inquire about the full scope of research opportunities.
Conditions of Fellowship
The fellowship is for two academic years. The fellowship provides a framework in
which the fellow and the primary research advisor work together to fund the balance
of the fellow's graduate career, either through an external fellowship
(examples of fellowship programs) or through a research grant. An annual
stipend equivalent to a half-time assistantship plus an additional 33% ($26,667 beginning July 1, 2011)
is paid to the fellow. Benefits, tuition, and fees are also
provided by the fellowship. Fellows agree to participate in the mentoring and training
activities of the program. The fellowship is subject to an annual review. Fellows
may also be asked to participate in other Department of Agronomy functions, particularly
the annual meeting of the Baker Council, an advisory group of distinguished scientists,
university administrators, and other friends of the department.
Eligibility
Candidates must have the intent to pursue a Ph.D. with a primary research advisor
(Program of Study or POS committee chair) in the Department of Agronomy. Agronomy
faculty are associated
with many Ph.D. programs and candidates from a wide variety of backgrounds
are encouraged to apply. It is anticipated that students receiving a fellowship will represent
the top 10% of individuals in their peer group (current B.S. or M.S. degree recipients) in terms
of undergraduate cumulative GPA and evidence of research aptitude. Fellows will normally score
1300 or higher in the combined GRE Verbal and Quantitative (313 or higher for the GRE revised
General Test beginning August 1, 2011) and have an Analytical Writing score of 4.5 or higher.
Application Procedure
Candidates must apply to Iowa State University in the graduate program most closely related to your
research interests. A list of graduate programs can be found at the following link:
You can apply to the graduate program at Iowa State Univeristy at the following links:
Please note that "Agronomy" and "Seed Science" are specialized masters programs
and therefore do not qualify for the Research Training Fellowship Program.
Apply to the graduae major most closely related to your research interests. It is possible to change your graduate program at a later date.
Applicants must also submit a completed Research Training Fellowship Program application form
along with the other Program Requirements for the particular graduate program to which you are
applying. The Research Training Fellowship Program application form can be found at this link:
Please send the completed Research Training Fellowship Program application form
electronically to Jaci Severson, graduate program coordinator, jjs@iastate.edu.
Evaluation criteria include grades from previous degrees, GRE scores and
other information on the Research Training Fellowship Program application form,
and three reference letters. The Board and the Faculty Participants will evaluate the applications
and make recommendations to the department chair.
The department chair will be responsible for the final selection of the fellowship recipients
and for extending an award offer to the student.
Complete application packages must be received by February 10, 2012 to be considered for fellowships for the 2012-2013 school year.
Applications submitted after February 10 may be evaluated for exceptional candidates if fellowships are available.
Contact
Ms. Jaci Severson
Coordinator, Student Services Office
1126 Agronomy Hall
Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa 50011-1010 USA
Telephone: (515) 294-1361
Fax: (515) 294-8146
jjs@iastate.edu
Annual Review
A formal annual review in March will be used to evaluate the progress of fellowship students
and the Program. The student, in cooperation with the primary research advisor (or a faculty member
in the student's area of research acting as a temporary research advisor), will prepare a progress
report and a short presentation.
- In the first year of the fellowship,
the report will consist of the fellow's application materials submitted
to an externally-funded fellowship program
(examples of fellowship programs).
The presentation will be an overview of the fellow's current research plan.
- In the second year of the fellowship,
the report will consist of the fellow's academic transcript
and a copy of a research proposal written by the fellow and the primary research advisor
that is sufficient to fund the fellow's academic and research activities
after the fellow's completion of the Program.
The presentation will summarize the research aspects of the proposal.
The Board will review the report and presentation,
meet together with the advisor and department chair,
and identify any potential problems and propose possible solutions.
An annual progress report to the Baker Council will be developed by the Board.
Fellows may also be asked to present a condensed version of the presentation to the Baker Council.
Timeline of the Fellowship Program
Year |
Semester |
Activities and Evaluations |
1 |
Pre-Fall |
The Board, an initial faculty advisor, and the fellow outlines how the fellow will determine the primary research advisor. |
1 |
Fall |
Fellow begins academic career at Iowa State.
The fellow interacts with one or more Agronomy faculty
in an effort to identify the primary research advisor.
It is recommended that the primary research advisor be determined
within the first six weeks of the semester.
Fellow attends regular peer mentoring meetings.
At least one application for an
external fellowship (examples of fellowship programs)
must be submitted in this semester
or in the spring semester.
By the end of the semester,
the fellow has identified the primary research advisor. |
1 |
Spring |
The fellow can take the Agronomy Teaching Practicum
with an advisor other than the primary research advisor.
Fellow attends regular peer mentoring meetings.
Regular work group meetings occur.
At least one application for an
external fellowship (examples of fellowship programs)
must be submitted by the end of this semester.
The fellow participates in the annual review.
|
1 |
Summer |
Fellow conducts research with the primary research advisor.
Fellow attends regular peer mentoring meetings.
Fellow attends regular work group meetings.
In consultation with the primary research advisor and the Board,
the fellow may have an external experience outside of the Department of Agronomy at this time. |
2 |
Fall |
Fellow conducts research with the primary research advisor.
Fellow attends regular peer mentoring meetings.
Fellow attends regular work group meetings.
At least one research proposal must be submitted by the fellow
and the primary research advisor by the end of the second year.
Fellow takes the Agronomy Teaching Practicum
with an advisor other than the primary research advisor
either this semester or the next semester
if the fellow has not already done so.
In consultation with the primary research advisor and the Board,
the fellow may have an external experience outside of the Department of Agronomy at this time. |
2 |
Spring |
Fellow conducts research with the primary research advisor.
Fellow attends regular peer mentoring meetings.
Fellow attends regular work group meetings.
At least one research proposal must be submitted by the fellow
and the primary research advisor by the end of the second year.
Fellow takes the Agronomy Teaching Practicum
with an advisor other than the primary research advisor
if the fellow has not already done so.
Fellow must have completed at least one ethics course by the end of the second year.
In consultation with the primary research advisor and the Board,
the fellow may have an external experience outside of the Department of Agronomy at this time.
The fellow participates in the annual review. |
2 |
Summer |
Fellow conducts research with the primary research advisor.
Fellow attends regular peer mentoring meetings.
Fellow attends regular work group meetings.
In consultation with the primary research advisor and the Board,
the fellow may have an external experience outside of the Department of Agronomy at this time. |
3 and beyond |
Fall, Spring, and Summer |
Fellow now supported by an external fellowship or a research grant.
It is expectd that the stipend rate remains at least at the level of a
Research Training Fellowship stipend (supplemented by the Program if necessary)
for the rest of the fellow's graduate career in the Department of Agronomy.
Fellows are encouraged to continue participating in the mentoring
and training aspects of the Program. |
Information for Faculty
Themes are determined annually by the department chair in consultation with the Research Training Fellowship Board and faculty.
Agronomy faculty members are encouraged to recruit consistent with the themes. The chair determines the target number of fellowship recipients.
At their discretion, agronomy faculty members may prepare supplemental resources (a description of their current research interests,
a list of relevant journal articles, etc.) that provide specific information about potential research projects. These supplemental resources,
if they exist, will be found through links on each faculty member's web page. Agronomy faculty members are asked to visit and make a presentation
at one college or university to promote the program. This visit may occur in conjunction with a previously-scheduled visit (e.g. the faculty member
has already been invited to make a presentation at the institution). See the resources listed below. The target GRE combined verbal and quantitative score of 1300
(313 or higher for the GRE revised General Test beginning August 1, 2011) and analytical writing score of 4.5 is consistent with the scores of
previous and current fellows and with the top 10% of students taking the GRE with an intended major of agronomy (using 2005-2008 data from the
GRE we estimate that the top 10% of individuals applying for graduate studies in agriculture had a verbal score of 540 or higher, a quantitative
score of 700 or higher, and an analytical score of 5.5 or higher). The primary research advisor must agree to follow the guidelines
of the Program. The Work Group is normally comprised of faculty and potentially staff, from within the department, other university programs
or outside of the university, that work with the student and meet regularly as a group with the student to assess the progress of the group
towards research goals.
Fellowship Flyer (pdf)
Fellowship Power PointSlides
Date last modified: 10/10/2011.