Resources for PhD students

At the start of my PhD, I went on a scholarship and funding search which led to this list of random things that sounded relevant to me. Even if you have PhD funding, some of these opportunities are super interesting. For example, there are plenty of training and workshop opportunities across many fields. Don’t just look in your own field!

It can be stressful to think about PhD funding if you are self-funded, or under-funded. Try to use your strengths and find funding in creative ways. If you want to try your hand at science communication, check out Massive Science Consortium.

If you have any that you should be added to this list, please email me and let me know. Hope this is helpful!

Helpful blog posts

Here are some posts I’ve written specifically about my experiences.

You can find other posts I’ve written about grad school here.

Keep an eye on the PhD Woes section on this website for stories, advice, and other tips for PhD and graduate students. You can send me any specific questions or topics you would like to see on my Contact Me page.

General information

FindaPhD
Best Graduate Schools ranked by US News
PhinisheD – Online forum for PhD and graduate students
Nature Careers blog
Science Careers website
Female Science Professor blog – This blog holds interesting insights into what it’s like being a female science professor in the US. No new content, but lots of interesting past content.

Some graduate students have unionized in the US. For example, this is the website for UAW 2865 which is a union for tutors, readers, graduate student instructors, and teaching assistants. If you are looking into specific grad programs, check if there’s a union there. Here’s another useful page.

This blog post talks about abusive behavior of advisors. It’s unfortunately relatively common and part of why I want to collect anonymous stories for PhD Woes. Here’s another blog post about someone’s experience with harassment.

Resources and Opportunities

All amounts are in USD unless otherwise noted.

Scholarships and competitions

National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
Funding: 3 years of annual stipend of $34,000, plus $12,000 for tuition and fees
Link: https://www.nsfgrfp.org/

American Association of University Women
Funding: $5–18K
Conditions: Women pursuing full-time study in a master’s or professional degree program in which women are underrepresented, including STEM, law, business, and medicine
Deadline: January
Link: http://www.aauw.org/learn/fellowships_grants/american.cfm

Loreal Women in Science
Amount: Varies by award
Conditions: For women in STEM; May have country specific competition (e.g. Singapore has in the past)
Links:
USA: https://lorealfwis.aaas.org/login/indexA.cfm
UK: https://www.womeninscience.co.uk/

Dan David Foundation Scholarship
Amount: $15K
Conditions: each year has chosen fields for past present and future dimensions, check for definitions
Purpose: Doctoral and Post-doc
Link: http://www.dandavidprize.org/scholarship-applications/scholarship-applications.html

Rector’s Scholarship Fund
Conditions: For students who will have to pay ‘overseas’ tuition
Link: https://workspace.imperial.ac.uk/registry/Public/Student%20Financial%20Support/Rectors%20Scholarship%20Fund%20PhD%20v2.pdf

F31 National Institute of Health (NIH)
Description: Various research awards
Link: http://grants.nih.gov/training/F_files_nrsa.htm

World Future Foundation PhD Prize in Environmental and Sustainability Research
Amount: $10K SGD
Conditions: Singapore-based Chinese entrepreneur group
Link: http://www.worldfuturefound.org/index.html

Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
Description: Funding to go to Japan for research, pre or post doctoral
Deadline: June (for travel by the following March)
http://www.jsps.org/funding/2015/03/the-jsps-london-call-for-the-prepost-doctoral-fellowship-for-foreign-researchers-short-term.html

WOLFoundation
Description: Essay competition
Amount: $1.5K for first prize, $500 for second prize
Conditions: Different theme each year
Deadline: September
Link: http://www.wolfoundation.org/guidelines/

Funding for fieldwork or travel

Association for Women in Science STEM Award
Amount: $1,000 to $3,000
Conditions: For professional development, conferences, workshops (summer program?) (Apply for IMPRSD or YSSP)
Purpose: To cover registration, transportation, housing, per diem
Deadline: Dec/Jan (1 – 2.5 years to completion of PhD/dissertation)
Link: http://www.awis.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=511

Graduate Women in Science National Fellowship
Amount: $1-10K
Conditions: Must be enrolled
Purpose: Funding for research/fieldwork, scientific method, budget
Deadline: January
Link: http://www.gwis.org/programs.html

Rufford Foundation
Description: Grants for conservation work
Link: http://www.rufford.org/

Explorer’s Club
Amount: $500-2,500 (with few awards of up to $5K)
Purpose: Fieldwork
Deadline: November
Link: http://www.explorers.org/index.php/expeditions/funding/expedition_grants

Lewis and Clark
Amount: up to $5K
Link: http://www.amphilsoc.org/grants/lewisandclark

Sigma grants
Conditions: Aid research
Link: http://www.sigmaxi.org/programs/giar/guide.shtml

Training programs

IIASA Young Scientists Summer Program
Description: 3 month research program at IIASA near Vienna, Austria
Deadline: January
Link: http://www.iiasa.ac.at/Admin/YSP/reg-info/

International Advanced Studies in Demography
Description: Courses in demography to enhance PhD research in Rostock, Germany
Amount: Some funding available for students
Conditions: Must already be enrolled somewhere
Link: http://www.demogr.mpg.de/en/education_career/international_advanced_studies_in_demography_3279/
Demography open online courses:
http://ocw.jhsph.edu/index.cfm/go/viewCourse/course/DemographicMethods/coursePage/index/
http://oyc.yale.edu/molecular-cellular-and-developmental-biology/mcdb-150

EcoHealthNet
Description: Workshops and research exchanges
Link: http://ecohealthalliance.org/program/ecohealthnet