2012 Applicants

[Guest2012]

Id rather not at this point.

[StudyScotland]

I got the email but no phone call yet. I am currently studying abroad overseas and not sure if they will want to make the international phone call with the time difference... I sent SMART an email today letting them know my UK phone number incase they did want to call..

[2012graduate]

StudyScotland - I understand how you feel, I find it funny because some of the same concerns that you have are the ones that I had when I applied early in my collegiate career in the same place that you are now when I studied abroad at Edinburgh Napier University. Just be patient. My advice to you is to get a skype account number w/ a voicemail that is a US number to prevent frustration to the recruiters. You want to make it as less stressful as possible for your recruiter.

If you make it to the point where you have to fill out security clearance paper work, (this varies based upon when they decide to notify students of this process), make sure you are prepared financially. For those in the U.S. finger print card are roughly $20-25 for 2 but overseas you can believe it will cost you almost $100/ 50pounds including the hassle of explaining to customs as to why you are sending your fingerprints to the US. So go ahead and start looking for a US embassy that will do your finger prints just in case you make it to that round.

I wish someone would have told me that, so I hope this information helps.

[2012_UMD]

I'm a physics Ph.D. student at the University of Maryland and I was just contacted for an in-person interview at a facility in VA. If you've applied locally, you apparently get the opportunity to shake hands! I'll let you guys know anything I learn from the interview about the state of the application process.

[mitts]

I have been contacted by three facilities, 2 of which were not on my list and I am really trying not to relocate. I am very nervous about the local interview. Has anyone had a phone interview from a facility yet and how did it go?

[Tico Suave]

I have a phone interview on Friday and I will let yall know how it goes. Any advice for me?

[mitts]

Heads up, Just had phone interview, it was just like job interview because they had a specific position to fill. There were several people on the phone. They had several people to interview. Fingers crossed.

[2012_UMD]

I have a phone interview on Friday and I will let yall know how it goes. Any advice for me?

Treat it like an interview. I've spent some time loooking at what type of research goes on at the facility I'm being interviewed at, and I'm coming with a few talking points about my background and skill set that touches on these. You want to answer the unasked questions they have, namely, "How much will we NOT have to train this person?"

If you don't have a background along the lines of the research being performed, highlight your ability to learn things quickly, in particular things from fields outside your background. Likely, you won't be doing the types of research you've done before, since most research experiences in industry or academia have different outcome goals than DoD research. Emphasize your ability to learn new software, new experimental techniques, new mathematical tools, new topics in science and engineering blah blah blah ...

Does that help?

[guest1086]

Just out of curiosity, has anyone in the life sciences (e.g. biochem, genetics, biology, etc.) been contacted for interviews?

[Guest]

Re: Just out of curiosity, has anyone in the life sciences (e.g. biochem, genetics, biology, etc.) been contacted for interviews?

I am a first semester PhD in Bio (research in genetics), got the e-mail notifying me that I have made it to the next round, but have not yet been contacted for an interview by a sponsoring facility. Best of luck.

[Terp_Fan]

Applicants who interviewed, what are your stats/background? Also, what sponsoring facility was the interview with? Thanks.

[Pyswiz]

Have any graudate students applying for 5 yrs of funding actually been interviewed?

[StudyScotland]

2012Graduate: I am also studying at Napier in Engineering. I will be back in the states in May for my internship with Boeing this summer.

I havent heard anything from ASEE yet, has any other Engineers gotten any responses? I am in Civil Engineering and I hoped that having my 4 years in the Navy reserves and being named one of ASCE's top 10 new faces in Civil Engineering would help to stand out.

If it comes to having to find an embassy, which I hope it doesn't, hopefully there is one in Edinburgh if I would need to go ahead and finish the process before I arrive back in the states. I should already be fine from my security clearance I have been in through the military already.

[2010scholar]

I got the email but no phone call yet. I am currently studying abroad overseas and not sure if they will want to make the international phone call with the time difference... I sent SMART an email today letting them know my UK phone number incase they did want to call..

Just be prepared for a phone interview with SMART if you make it past this point without phone calls, they will set up a time with you though so you'll just have to wake up in the middle of the night or whatever it is for you. I was awarded in 2010 and was only contacted by 1 facility during this phase and it was through email. The place that contacted me isn't the place that picked me. So don't be discouraged of you don't receive a phone call. I hope this calms some nerves out there.

[2010scholar]

If* oops!

[Guesteres]

not sure if anyone is in this situation

i also applied to the ONREIP and was offered an internship in China Lake, California... Ive also made it to the next round in SMART but no phone calls yet.

Just curious if anyone applied to ONREIP and if anyone knows anything about China Lake

I am in polymer science working in problems of adhesion, spectroscopy but have backgrounds in colloids and physical chemistry and engineering as well

[nreip]

I got an offer from NREIP. Someone called me before to talk first so I knew the offer was coming. Don't know anything about China Lake though. Did they not get in contact with you?

Also, did you receive the hilarious sequence of emails this morning? I imagine it could be a bit of a roller coaster for someone who didn't already know they had the job.

[NotSureAbout NID]

not sure if anyone is in this situation

i also applied to the ONREIP and was offered an internship in China Lake, California... Ive also made it to the next round in SMART but no phone calls yet.

Just curious if anyone applied to ONREIP and if anyone knows anything about China Lake

I am in polymer science working in problems of adhesion, spectroscopy but have backgrounds in colloids and physical chemistry and engineering as well

I know nothing about NREIP, but I do know China Lake is out in the middle of nowhere Mojave Desert. The nearest city is Ridgecrest which is very small with only minimal services. Las Vegas is about 3.5/4hrs away and LA is about 2.5/3hrs away. Can't speak about the work being done there, from what I understand its cool stuff, but living ther might not be your cup of tea. Unless you're used to living in the middle of nowhere. I am currently in the Edwards AFB/Palmdale, CA area, and I can barely stand living out here, could not imagine living near China Lake.

[Guesters]

I can tough out 10 weeks for workin on something interesting.

[Guest]

Edwards is bad if you're not used to the desert, but Palmdale/Lancaster is fairly large and has everything. On the other hand, China Lake really is in the middle of nowhere. It will be a major life decision.

[Guest 2012]

not sure if anyone is in this situation

i also applied to the ONREIP and was offered an internship in China Lake, California... Ive also made it to the next round in SMART but no phone calls yet.

Just curious if anyone applied to ONREIP and if anyone knows anything about China Lake

I am in polymer science working in problems of adhesion, spectroscopy but have backgrounds in colloids and physical chemistry and engineering as well

First off, I know nothing about ONREIP.

From what I have heard of past SMART scholarship recipients, sciences like chemistry and biology are not highly awarded--many more awards seem to go to various divisions of engineering and physics. If you have a strong background in polymer chemistry (I am chemistry as well), it might be in your best interest to take the ONREIP offer, if you can stand the desert. I personally think I would enjoy that. but to each their own.

If you have an equally strong background in p chem and engineering, then you might be an interesting or well-rounded enough candidate to garner the interest of multiple agencies with SMART in which case you may want to hold out for an offer from the ASEE. If your decision with ONREIP must be made before notifications of SMART scholarship recipients are sent, then it is definitely a tough call. Perhaps you could ask for an extension on award acceptance notification with ONREIP. Since you have been offered the internship, the most that could happen is they say no and expect an answer on the original date.

Another point to consider is the number of people who have been stuck working with agencies under the SMART scholarship doing things they despise. China Lake seems to do some interesting work, while some people (see the recipients forum) have been doing things like office work, or worse yet, nothing. Hopefully that is the minority, but since the majority is keeping quiet about their experiences, it is difficult to gauge. I am optimistic, which is why I applied, that this is the case, and I think most people probably end up doing research on interesting topics with the sponsoring facility, which is why I applied in the first place!

Sorry for the long response, but I hope I have at least said something useful, especially considering the fact that I really know nothing about ONREIP other than what was said in your and subsequent posts.

Good luck with your decision, and to everyone still under consideration for the SMART scholarship.

[GuestL]

To address Guest 2012's comment about asking ONREIP for an extension, I asked them for one last year and they did not give it to me. They send out their acceptances so early it makes decision making very difficult. I declined the offer, so I can't tell you much more past that.

[2012_UMD]

Applicants who interviewed, what are your stats/background? Also, what sponsoring facility was the interview with? Thanks.

I'm a second year graduate student in Physics (past my quals a semester early), strong undergrad background (honors student, 3.8, 3 years of experimental research), and strong current research project in computational biophysics and spatial data analysis/simulation of dynamical systems.

I just did a personal interview with the Army Geospatial Center in Alexandria, VA. They were my top choice of all of the facilities I looked at. Felt very much like a job interview: they discussed the work environment, benefits, compensation, upward mobility, etc. Incredible experience, felt more like they were courting me as a candidate than considering me as an applicant. I've applied to four other fellowships and was initially thinking I'd take a different one if I had the chance (because the SMART has strings attached), but they did a good job changing my mind and convincing me that they'd be an awesome place to work for either way.

The Deputy Chief there said that her deadline to select candidates was Monday, March 12th, so after that all the names will be submitted to the SMART office I believe. My fingers are crossed for myself and all of you guys!

[guest2013]

I received an email a couple of weeks ago telling me I made it to the second round, but haven't had any contact since then. I this a sign that I'm likely not going to get an offer? I'm an undergrad, so I'm sure it's tough for me anyway, competing with people pursuing doctorates. Thanks!

[mrbill333]

Lack of contact from any organization does not necessarily mean that you aren't being considered. There are reports from people getting an award without any contact from a SF.