An Introduction to the STEM Fellowships Landscape
This two-session workshop will introduce STEM PhD students and postdocs to the landscape of fellowship opportunities and guide them through key steps and common problems in the application process. Participants will explore tools for identifying relevant fellowships, practice methods for interpreting what funders are asking for, and begin to take the first steps to craft their applications. The sessions will cover timelines, application components, and strategies for framing research and personal narratives effectively.
UChicago GRAD’s Fellowships team assists graduate students and postdocs in finding and applying for fellowships, a critical skill that will be relevant in grant writing and publishing your research.
Dates & Time: June 23rd and 25th (12:30 – 1:30 p.m.)
Location: In person (On campus)
Intended Audience: STEM PhD and Postdoctoral Trainees
Session Descriptions
Session 1: Introduction to Fellowships, Crafting your Personal Narrative
This session will provide an overview of types of fellowship opportunities available to STEM PhD students and postdocs, how to find them, and how to interpret application prompts. Through guided reflection and small-group discussion, participants will also learn about how to clearly articulate their skills and goals to varied audiences in one of the more difficult genres of fellowship writing, personal statements.
Session 2: Crafting your Research Narrative
This session will focus on key components of a strong fellowship application, including research statements, CVs, letters of recommendation, and budgets. Participants will learn how to frame their research and personal story in response to specific fellowship goals and selection criteria. The session will provide opportunities to hone succinct and persuasive proposal writing.
About the Instructor
Kelly Holob (PhD ’25 in Divinity) is Assistant Director of Fellowships in UChicagoGRAD. She has four years of experience advising undergraduate and graduate students for nationally competitive and smaller fellowships. While trained in the humanities, she especially enjoys helping STEM students articulate their research to funders. UChicagoGRAD promotes and provides application support to graduate students applying for a broad range of awards, including awards from the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Fulbright Student Award Program, and many others.