Fellowships

Fellowships

Catron Graduate Fellowship

Iowa State Faculty are invited to apply for two graduate fellowships to be awarded by Catron Center for Solar Energy Research. The objectives of the fellowship are:

  1. To support new blue-sky projects that can lead to significant new funding in the future from external sources
  2. To provide required cost share on external grants/contracts

The fellowships are for a total of one-year duration, from August 16, 2021-August 15, 2022, for a Ph.D. graduate student working in the area of solar energy. It is expected that each fellowship will be for a total of $35,000.  The student’s stipend at the departmental rate and the applicable tuition must be paid for the full 12 month period from the grant and, if needed, from supplemental funds from the PI’s resources.  No fellowship money can be used for the support of the salaries or expenditures (e.g. travel) of the faculty supervising the student. The funding is for science-based research projects which can lead to breakthrough technologies or advances in science. Application-type projects are not suitable for this fellowship. A limited number of fellowships may be awarded for ¼ time as opposed to ½ time support. The projects must be relevant to solar energy conversion.

Proposal Description

Proposals should clearly describe:

  1. The innovative nature of the project
  2. The problem you are trying to solve and why it is important
  3. The impact of the project be on the science or technology of solar energy conversion
  4. Your qualifications to undertake the project including a statement about facilities for research
  5. Specific external funding sources that are going to be pursued for future funding. A generic statement such as “will apply for NSF funding” is not Proposals must describe why the proposed research is of interest to the external sources identified (e.g. mention the specific BAA from DOD or any other RFP from other agencies, if appropriate).
  6. A statement about how you plan to meet any additional related expenses such as travel etc.

The proposals are limited to two pages total. In addition, if available, include a brief, up to 2 page CV of the student. If your student has Catron funding currently, you must describe progress under the award (including listing publications/presentations) in one additional page. Note that we will not support first year students – the student must be at a stage where he/she can focus full time on research, i.e. having passed the Ph.D. qualifier or at an equivalent stage in his/her career. Clearly identify on top of the first page: “Application for Catron Graduate Fellowship 2021-22”

Questions: For further questions, please email: Vikram Dalal (vdalal@iastate.edu), Director, Catron Center for Solar Energy Research

Submission: Please send the applications to: Lori Jarmon jjarmon@iastate.edu

Deadline: July 15, 2021

Decision: July 31, 2021.