The goal of this exercise is to learn how to locate graduate student support by following the steps in a series of mock searches of the websites of funding agencies.
1. Browse the EPA grant database.
2. Locate a specific grant in the academic discipline of your choice.
4. Contact the Principal Investigator.
Go to the EPA Website (Link will open in a new window) and click on the ""Programs" link.
Select “Research” to find the list of funding research programs.
Select the “National Center for Environmental Research (NCER)” research program.
The “Grants” link will lead you to the “STAR” Grants description. EPA indicates that this program contains graduate student support. Select “Year”
The most recent years are likely to include grants that are still active. Select “2001 Awards”
There are 21 distinct research focus areas. Select “Wildlife Risk Assessment”.
TopScroll down the awards related to Wildlife Risk Assessment to view awards that interest you.
Select “Models and Mechanisms Understanding Multiple Stressor Effects of Amphibian Population.”
The project abstract often includes information on:
The Principal Investigator(s) (PI)EPA does not always list email addresses for its principal investigators. You need to use a search engine to locate the website of the university where the PI works.
Brent D. Palmer from the University of Kentucky is this project’s PI.
TopLocate the institution’s website using either: The email address of the PI if it is provided in the abstract or an Internet search engine
Once you have located the university’s home page, browse the site to find the academic unit to which the PI is affiliated. Because the EPA abstract does not always provide the academic unit of the Principal Investigator, you may want to use the site’s search engine to locate him/her.
Select “Search UK” to open the search box
Insert “Brent Palmer” and select “Search”
Palmer’s academic unit is the Biology Department. Use the “Back” button to return to the UK homepage
The most likely location for the Department of Biology is under “Academic Programs.” Select it.
The location for the Department of Biology is the “College of Arts & Sciences.” Select it.
Site index is an excellent way to see the text version of an entire site, so you can easily locate your target. Select “Site index”.
The index provides lists in alphabetical order. It lists all the academic programs. Select “School of Biological Sciences.”
There are three research groups in the Department of Biology. Select “Faculty” to locate Professor Palmer.
UK provides a list of all Biology Department faculty. Scroll down the list until you locate Professor Brent Palmer. Proceed to next page.
When Prof. Palmer’s name was selected, the “Organismal and Integrative Biology” home page appeared. This is Palmer’s research group. Familiarize yourself with this research group and with Professor Palmer’s research interests.
Browse relevant links such as:
Brent D. Palmer”.
Co-investigators Shepherd and Elskus for the EPA grant.
Toxicology,
Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience of Sensory Systems.
From Professor Palmer’s page, there are 9 links to additional information about him. Investigate them to learn about Prof. Palmer’s research and grants.
Browse the links on:
Current Research Funding
Endocrine Disrupters
Research Description, etc.
The “Current Funding” link indicates that Palmer currently has three awards including the EPA award. Select it for more information.
Here is the UK-generated abstract of the same EPA grant. Review the award abstract to ascertain whether it might provide additional information.
This abstract lists each investigator’s department. Most of the project faculty are housed in the Biological Sciences Department. However, note that Andy Sih has an appointment at U.C. Davis. Select the “Back” button to read about the other grants or research.
The “Research Description” link provides a description with other links such as the “environmental endocrine disrupters”.
The toxicology link out of the “Organismal and Integrative Biology” home page leads us to the “Graduate Center for Toxicology” and other important links that reference additional funding opportunities (N.B., the NIEHS Training Grant!!).
There is also information on other sources of funding, such as training grants from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS).
TIP: Often by researching the entire department and its research facilities, you may locate additional graduate student funding. Some of this funding may be tied to specific grants and it may be obscure to the novice who searches the target University’s website.
Once you have learned about the project director/professor’s research, research facilities, funding and colleagues, you will be able to determine
1) The degree to which the professor’s or his colleague(s)’ research interests you and/or your student.
2) How best to approach the professor in an email or other communication.
Your email or letter should incorporate a discussion of the professor’s work. This discussion will indicate that you have been reviewing his/her website and have an interest in his/her research. In most situations, this display of interest will indicate to the professor that you are eager to conduct research in his/her chosen field.
For project directors to succeed in their funded research endeavor (the EPA grant of our example), they must employ a team of dedicated and enthusiastic research assistants. If a student wants to be one of those research assistants, he/she should indicate a serious interest in this research.
Here is a sample letter or email that you can adapt when contacting Professors.
Dear Professor NAME,
I am a graduating senior, majoring in ACADEMIC MAJOR at the NAME OF THE UNIVERSITY. For the past three years, I have worked in a laboratory as part of my participation in the NAME OF THE UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH PROGRAM. Recently, I came across your research project on the world wide web. Your website (or your descriptions) were very exciting. I am eager to pursue an investigation of RESEARCH TOPIC, and I would like to have the opportunity to discuss your efforts. I am particularly intrigued by your use of SPECIAL PROCEDURE OR TECHNIQUE OF INTEREST.
After seeing your website, I read your article on NAME OF JOURNAL. Will you be presenting at the annual RR meetings ? I have secured funding so that I might attend. If you have time, and if you are planning to attend the meeting, I would very much appreciate having the opportunity to speak with you in person. I realize that you must be very busy, and I do not wish to impose on you. So, I will certainly understand if you cannot meet with me. I look forward to learning more from you and I appreciate your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
J. Smith