Southern Methodist University
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Early Career Testimonials
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National Science Foundation Early Career Testimonials National Science Foundation early career programs provide substantial support that educates, trains, and prepares the scientific workforce in the United States of America. Across all 50 states, these programs ensure that our scientists and engineers are globally competitive. Included herein are testimonials from individuals who have received support from the NSF early career programs, demonstrating the breadth of impact that these programs have on our workforce. Identifying information including name, institution, and year and type of award received are provided (anonymous when requested). The testimonials are provided as given; no post-editing was conducted. After the posting of the solicitation for the upcoming GRFP fellowship, additional testimonials were collected in the following open letter. In over 400 testimonials, individuals from around the United States demonstrate the impact of this program on our scientific workforce. Link to open letter: https://jasonjwilliamsny.github.io/grfp2025/
Table of Contents
NSF - Research Experience for Undergraduates and Graduate Research Fellowship Program .....................................................................................................................................1 Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) ...................................................................8 Postdoctoral Research Fellowship ........................................................................................11 Faculty Early Career Programs ..............................................................................................12
NSF - Research Experience for Undergraduates and Graduate Research Fellowship Program Program Overview • •
The National Science Foundation supports approximately 10,000 undergraduate researchers annually through REU programs. The GRFP funds approximately 2,000 new graduate fellows each year and has support over 75,000 scientists since its inception.
The following are from individuals who participated in the NSF - Research Experience for Undergraduates program and the Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP), which provide early exposure to research and sustained graduate-level support. Anonymous, New York (REU, 2021), Minnesota (GRFP, 2023) “In college, I had the opportunity to participate in a research experience for undergraduates that was funded by the National Science Foundation. In that experience, I learned a lot of math and also a lot about myself. It gave me a sense of what mathematics research is all about and helped me to understand my place in the research community. I am now a mathematics graduate student and am supported by the NSF's Graduate Research Fellowship Program. The GRFP has been a tremendous support in my early scientific career because with it, I've been able to focus more on my research. This support is crucial to ensuring a bright future for the American scientific community.”
In 2021, I received the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship as a graduate student at the University of Minnesota. This enabled me to work in collaboration with my PhD advisor to develop a project from my own mind. While this has been challenging, I have learned so much about how to ask good questions, prioritize research activities, advocate for my ideas, and work with a diverse group of scientists. My research interests have always been in plant evolution and natural history, and I entered graduate school with a foundational skill set in computational methods. My NSF GRFP allowed me to expand my skill set while playing to my strengths, and my advisor supported my exploration of field botany, biochemistry, gene expression, genomics, and remote sensing. If I had been restricted to working on a grant awarded to my advisor, my PhD experience would have been much more limited and I would as though I did not get everything I wanted out of an already challenging PhD training experience. As I enter the last stage of my PhD, I am incredibly grateful for the chance to develop my own ideas, and take on and grow a piece of knowledge. There is so much that we still don't know about the natural world, and the NSF GRFP facilitated the growth necessary for me to enter the next stage in my career as a confident, independent, and forward-looking scientist.”
Summer, California, (REU, 2023) “Participating in a paid chemistry experience opened up the world of academia to me. I learned how to problem solve through new pathways and techniques. Without my NSF-REU I wouldn’t be at the point in career that I am now.” Christina, Virginia (REU, 2022), Minnesota (GRFP, 2025) “The REU was my first chance at formal research experience at an R1 institution; it introduced me to the fundamentals of neuroscience research that I intend to study today. I wouldn’t be able to financially support such a research-intensive internship, in a state across the country, without the support of the REU. The GRFP has been a transformative support as a first-year graduate student— it provides me the flexibility to choose advisors who best align with my interests, regardless of their lab’s funding situation. As a neuroscientist interested in decision making, I must acknowledge that these opportunities did and continue to provide critical support for my decision to pursue neuroscience research. They are the opportunities that set early career scientists up for rigorous, collaborative, and interdisciplinary research who’s impact reverberates throughout society.” Aaron, Michigan (REU, 2018), Minnesota (GRFP, 2021) “I owe my entire scientific career to projects funded by the NSF. As an undergraduate student completely confounded by the academic system, I thought that I could only pursue a career with the potential for financial stability. I was inexperienced and naive, until I was able to participate in the Plant Genomics REU at Michigan State University. This was an intensive summer internship experience that allowed me to live the life of a graduate student and full-time researcher. As a fresh 20-year old, I created new knowledge, made discoveries, and cultivated a skillset in machine learning, evolutionary biology, and genomics that put me on a new path forward. I made friends from all over the country and the world in the other interns, graduate students, and researchers, got to make fond memories in a new state, and became comfortable in my independence and creativity in a way that I had never been allowed to do before. I learned that I could live at the edge of knowledge and innovation, teach and mentor students, and make real impacts on my community and humanity through scientific discovery and advocacy. For me, the REU experience was unique and inspiring, and it radically changed my perspectives on what a career should look like. Indeed, many of my peers also participated as NSF REU interns and were propelled into academic research careers. REUs are a truly unparalleled experience, and there are fewer and fewer organized internship opportunities for undergraduates questioning or developing their research interests. They should continue to be supported and even expanded, to help inspire the next generation of scientists. Otherwise, undergraduates like me likely will choose to continue down prescribed pathways in private-sector medical, engineering, and wet lab careers.
Anna, California (REU, 2023), Illinois (GRFP, 2025) “I participated in UC Riverside‘s materials chemistry REU program the summer after my sophomore year in 2023. Working with a PhD student for 9 weeks on an inorganic nanomaterials project, I thought it was a wonderful program. Through this REU, I gained exposure to new chemistry, instruments, and techniques, but most importantly I learned much more about communicating final scientific results, such as through a poster. It was through this program that I was able to travel and present at my first conference, which was the Southern California Conference for Undergraduate Research (SCCUR). Overall, I could tell how impactful this was to my year’s entire cohort as well. There were roughly 25 people in the program, largely from local community colleges, and for some, it was their first time performing research. Speaking for all of us that participated, the UC Riverside REU was crucial to my undergraduate career, and it truly jumpstarted my journey into academic research. I was also just recently awarded a GRFP that will begin in Fall 2025 at Northwestern University. Although the fellowship hasn’t officially begun yet, I can still sense the impacts that this provides, particularly with the major cuts in funding at the university already. Being provided with my own funding, I have much more opportunity to pursue research that I am passionate about in order to further advance my career.” Anonymous, Wisconsin (REU), Minnesota (GRFP, 2021) “I was an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where I was a math major considering going to graduate school for math. I was strongly recommended to do an REU and was really fortunate to be part of the 2021 MSRI (now SLMath) REU program on parking functions. This program provided me space to figure out whether or not I would enjoy research enough to commit to going to graduate school. Not only did I end up deciding that I would go get a PhD in math, I also was able to learn and connect with so many peers and faculty that were able to speak boldly into what my potential is. Growing up as a first generation student, I am not able to receive this sort of support or have these connects/resources from my family. Therefore, I would not be the successful graduate student I am today without the support of those I learn from through my REU with MSRI. I am now going to be a fourth year graduate student at the University of Minnesota (UMN). I was really fortunate to receive the NSF-GRFP. It's allowed me to have the freedom and luxury to focus on my research and service work. Therefore, having support from NSF has allowed me to give back to the community and build up the next generation of math students. For example, one of the service things I do is co-organize a student organization where we provide professional development to STEM majors, but specifically for math students at UMN. Most math majors focus on coursework in the classroom, and have very little understanding of what sorts of jobs they can go into after graduation. The group I volunteer with connects them with professionals and experts, equip them to make connections with faculty, and industry people. Without the NSF-GRFP, I would not be able to dedicate as much I have to this student group. The fellowship also allows me to freedom to travel to meet with collaborators. I don't think we should underestimate the impact of NSF-GRFP.”
Nathalie, Tennessee (REU, 2022), Illinois (GRFP, 2025) “The NSF-REU program I participated in was an invaluable experience in my development as a scientist. I got to work on a research topic that was not represented at my home institution, grow my network of mentors and friends, lay the foundation for my senior thesis, and try out full-time research before applying to grad school. I know that without my REU experience, I probably would not have pursued science beyond my undergraduate degree.”
Anonymous, Illinois (REU), Florida (GRFP, 2022) “NSF has been instrumental in my development as a researcher in science and engineering fields. My ability to participate in NSF sponsored research and educational outreach programs has enabled me academic freedom to engage in solving problems at the forefront of energy conversion, sustainability, and efficient electronics. My NSF REU internship exposed me to new fields in research that lead to the development of an independent proposal that was awarded the NSF GRFP and has funded my graduate education in Materials Science and Engineering. The awarding of this grant has allowed me to pursue extensive research in collaboration with Argonne National Laboratory, something that would not have been possible with out the additional support provided by the NSF.” Caroline, Florida (REU, 2022; GRFP, 2025) “I participated in an NSF REU in Summer 2022 at the University of Florida. I worked with Dr. Sindia Rivera-Jiménez on a project in the field of Engineering Education Research. This may sound dramatic, but this experience changed my life. Before the REU, I was unsure about whether to pursue graduate school after completing my Chemical Engineering Bachelor's Degree. The REU allowed me to discover my passion for STEM Education research and showed me that a career in Engineering Education was an option. After the REU, I knew that the best path for me was to continue my education and earn a PhD in Chemical Engineering while performing Engineering Education Research. I returned to the University of Florida in Fall 2023 to continue working with Dr. Rivera-Jiménez. I now research the experiences of engineering community college transfer students in order to better support students on this pathway. I received the NSF GRFP in Spring 2025, which supports me in my education and research. I am extremely grateful for the support from NSF programs because this support allowed me to explore my interests, identify my passions, and determine my career path.” Anonymous, California and Massachusetts (REU, 2022-2025) “These grants have allowed me to not only pursue my research interests all over the country, but they’ve also lead to ground breaking discoveries and multiple published papers. This has also allowed me to present this work at a national level which has inspired more critical inquiry to important topics in physics.”
Alejandra, Rhode Island (REU, 2024) “I participated in an NSF-REU at Brown University’s Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences last summer. This experience was life-changing and fundamental to my growth as a first-generation student aspiring to pursue graduate education. Through this REU, I was able to gain first-hand research experience at a world-renowned university, network with leading scientists in my field of interest, and present my research at national conferences around the country. Since participating in this REU, I have continued my research training at my current institution (Southern Methodist University) and I am still using the research, organizational, and networking skills I acquired at Brown every day. Prior to participating in this REU, my only experience with research was a small independent project that I conducted at my community college. But my time at Brown showed me what life as a full-time researcher in academia truly looks like, and my experience there taught me that I have was it takes to go forward and keep pursuing my dreams. Without the NSF-REU or other government-funded programs and awards, students like myself would never have these invaluable opportunities for personal, academic, and professional growth. I believe wholeheartedly that it is of utmost importance that we maintain funding and support for the next generation of students and early career scientists because it is their work, research, discoveries, and innovations that will carry everyone into the future.” Anonymous, Michigan, (REU, 2023) “The REU program was extremely impactful in my academic career. During one summer I received immense support from faculty and gained experience in a research area that wasn’t available at my home institution. The supportive environment helped me gain confidence in my research skills and motivated me to pursue a PhD. Moreover, the numerous professional development activities we had were incredibly useful in making a decision about whether to pursue an academic career or not, as well as understanding the process of applying to a graduate program”
Connor, Michigan, (REU, 2023) “During the summer before my senior year, I had the opportunity to conduct research in a university setting for the first time through the funding provided by an NSF REU. These experiences opened my eyes to what science looks like and who actually participates in the process of generating new knowledge about our world. The program helped introduce me to people in my field who were at different phases of their career and gave me the confidence to continue pursuing my scientific curiosities. I had conversations and forged relationships with other students from various parts of the country. As a chemistry major, I also had the opportunity to learn from people who study meteorology and physics about how what I study is important to many different parts of society.”
Heather, New Jersey, (REU, 2018) “My experience in the PCCM REU program at Princeton University (https://pccm.princeton.edu/reu) gave me the confidence to apply to PhD programs, one of which I am soon completing (thesis: nanomaterial design for ballistic impact mitigation). Applying to prestigious institutions with from an undergraduate institution with low brand recognition is difficult, but my participation in the NSF REU program allowed me to successfully market myself to prestigious graduate programs and accelerate my career. The ~15 students in my REU cohort now grad students, industrial scientists, and professors - continue to support each other seven years later. Such cross-institutional relationships are difficult to establish as and undergraduate. The NSF REU program has a huge investment return and should continue to receive ample funding.” Madelyn, Michigan (REU) “The REU I participated in at UMichigan was the Program in Climate and Space Science Observation (PICASSO) program, where I did research in space weather and solar physics the summer after my sophomore year of college. At my undergraduate school, I majored in physics with a general interest in astrophysics and little direction from there. Through my REU, I was introduced to space and solar physics, which I immediately fell in love with. I was granted opportunities I would’ve never imagined, such as presenting in meetings with project members from NASA Goddard and receiving a fully funded trip to present my research poster at the 2023 AGU conference. Through professional development sessions and close mentorship, I grew immensely as a scientist. It is the main reason I am pursuing my Ph.D. in space science at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and my mentor from Michigan even wrote one of my rec letters. REU’s are extremely important for students to explore topics and opportunities they may not have available at their college, as it can completely shape their path!” Dhivya, California, (REU, 2023) “My NSF-funded REU program allowed me to gain experience working with more advanced equipment than I would have otherwise at my primarily undergraduate institution. I greatly benefitted from being exposed to technical expertise and a wider network during the early career stage, which encouraged me to pursue my current field. The research group that I worked in during my REU is now my current lab as a graduate student, which likely would not have happened if not for the NSF REU program.”
Anonymous, California, (REU, 2023) “As a third year at my institution, I had the honor and privilege of being eligible for an NSF-IRES program. Through this program, I participated in a six week internship in data science and proteomics in Stockholm, Sweden. Myself and five other students spent six weeks in a preassigned lab, assisting the graduate students and performing analytical research for our supervisors. I was assigned to the lab of one of the most prominent biomaterial engineers in England, who had an offshoot lab at the Karolinska Institutet. It was through this internship that I became convinced to pursue a PhD, which is what I am currently doing. I had been on the fence about whether or not to pursue a PhD (my other option being medical school to become a heart surgeon, so radically different paths). Being immersed not only in a new academic environment but also one where all my colleagues were PhD candidates was extremely formative for me. I would not be pursuing my current field of study if not for this program. I believe that NSF and the associate assistance for early career academics are of the utmost importance to encouraging students to explore other options. I would not have considered a career in academia for myself had I not been able to give it a “trial run”, in essence. Please, listen to the young researchers of the country. Keep funding these programs.” Anonymous, Michigan, (REU, 2023) “I am currently a chemical engineering PhD student. I likely would not be in this position if I did not have the opportunity to participate in a NSF-funded REU. Through the people I met during the REU, I learned what a research career can look like. It inspired me to start imagining different futures for myself, which motivated me to seriously consider graduate school. I know that the only reason I was able to participate in the REU is because all my expenses were covered. I am college-educated because of generous financial aid; I wouldn’t have even considered a summer research opportunity if I had to pay for it. The stipend I received meant that I didn’t have to decide between exploring a potential career path and affording the next year of college — I was able to do both. And because of my experiences during a REU, I am now a part of the scientific community.”
Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) The following are from individuals who participated in the Graduate Research Fellowship program, which supports outstanding graduate students who are pursuing full-time research. Anonymous, New York, (GRFP, 2023) “Receiving NSF support as a graduate student is a major reason why I was able stay in my PhD program. Within a month of being awarded the GRFP, the lab where I spent my first two years as a graduate student essentially fell apart. It was an incredibly abusive environment, and tensions had mounted so high that almost instantaneously all of the graduate students had left in the hopes of finding a new group in the department. I was in a state of shock and had no clear plan to move forward. Having three full years of guaranteed financial support from the NSF made me feel so much more at ease during this difficult process, and was a huge reason why I didn't give up on my degree entirely. Now I am settled in a new lab, on track to earn my PhD on time, and glad to know I am helping save my PI some of the cost of taking on a new graduate student. These fellowships are more than just financial awards, sometimes they're a lifeline when you need it most.” Juliana, Texas, (GRFP, 2023) “The fellowship provided me with the financial stability and flexibility to pursue bold, groundbreaking research directions that I may not have otherwise been able to explore. Just as importantly, the support allowed me to balance the demands of graduate school with my responsibilities as a parent. With the GRFP, I had the freedom to focus deeply on my research while also providing more stability for my family. This fellowship has not only advanced my scientific journey but has also given me the confidence and support to envision a future as a leader in my field.” Anonymous, Pennsylvania, (GRFP, 2021) “While completing my PhD, the GRFP provided me with the flexibility to conduct fundamental and exploratory research without having to worry about financial support from additional grants. Ultimately, the exploratory work I did paved the way for the experimental demonstration of something that was at first, just a concept. Now it is a novel class of experimental study. Additionally, being a GRFP recipient paved the way for me to receive other fellowships that allowed me to receive mentorship and broaden my network beyond my primary research group.”
Jacob, Illinois, (GRFP, 2020) “Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools, known colloquially as chatbots, advertise PhDlevel intelligence to attract users and gain their trust. At the same time, newly minted PhDs are being offered competitive pay to “tutor” GenAI tools at explaining complex topics in an accessible manner. It is clear that the demand for subject matter experts is greater now more than ever. PhD training involves immersion in topics of scientific and cultural significance that are built upon centuries of knowledge. The majority of the doctoral journey is spent catching up on this topic by reviewing key literature that outlines what is understood and emphasizes what is as of yet unknown. The ultimate aim is to then master a topic before presenting a novel contribution to the field. The process of mastery can be so time consuming and difficult that 5 years is now an optimistic estimate for a PhD student to graduate. Beyond this ultimate aim, PhD students are also expected to earn their funding through teaching assistantships and supplemental income which is why doctoral training has become a 5+ year endeavor. The National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program and other sources of public funds provide essential relief for the most promising young researchers enabling them to reach the forefront of their field faster and get to innovating more quickly. In this rapidly evolving technological landscape, the NSF GRFP is more vital than ever. While GenAI tools can assist in accelerating learning and democratizing access to information, they are ultimately shaped and refined by the very experts the program supports. The fellowship empowers researchers not only to pursue deep, original inquiry but also to serve as stewards of knowledge in an era where clarity and credibility are paramount. Continued investment in the NSF GRFP ensures that the next generation of scientists, engineers, and thought leaders are equipped to guide innovation responsibly, ethically, and with the depth of understanding that only rigorous training can provide.”
Danielle, Michigan, (GRFP, 2020) “As a Latina and first-generation college student, being accepted to graduate school was an accomplishment in itself. Having the opportunity to then apply for the NSF-GRFP and being awarded this prestigious fellowship was unimaginable, but set me on the path for success in graduate school and as an Assistant Professor. This fellowship provided me with three years of funding during graduate school so I could focus on my dissertation research. Through this program, I was able to collect, analyze, and share the testimonios of Latine undergraduate students in STEM, highlighting their stories of marginalization and resilience. These testimonios focused on the experiences of those most impacted by systemic injustice and have shaped our understanding of how Latine students develop science identities. Without this funding, I would not have been able to conduct this research, nor had the opportunity to earn a M.S. in Postsecondary Education alongside my Ph.D. in Chemistry. This program also supported me in securing a position as an Assistant Professor after graduate school as this funding distinguished me from other competitive candidates and prepared me for writing independent and collaborative proposals as a primary investigator. Today, most, if not all, of the work I did during graduate school would not be funded by NSF. Equity-centered STEM education research is important for advancing justice in STEM, and programs like these are especially important for early-career
scholars. Without research and funding opportunities like these, the STEM workforce will become less diverse and scientific advancement will be hindered.” Anonymous, Minnesota (GRFP, 2023) “The NSF-GRFP fellowship not only has given me financial support as I pursue a PhD in mechanical engineering, but it has also shown me that I am a part of a community that is willing to invest in a better future. My research harnesses a synergistic cooperation between materials and structures to open the door to new design spaces and applications. By incorporating shape memory polymers into yarn and textile structures I am creating a tailorable response beyond the nominal material behavior. Making the behavior of the shape memory polymer yarns predictable and tailorable will allow designers to better capitalize on this material-structure relationship. Beyond research, because of the generous support I have received, I am able to be generous in return. I am pursuing opportunities to not only develop skills to be an excellent instructor, but also serving on the Mechanical Engineering Graduate Student Council, engaging in outreach activities such as science demonstrations and lab tours, and forming a fellowship group for Christian engineering students and faculty (who are underrepresented in STEM). I look forward to teaching and inspiring the next generation of engineers.”
Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program Overview • •
NSF postdoctoral fellowships support early-career Ph.D.’s in developing independent research directions Postdoctoral training is a critical transition stage for retaining top scientific talent in the United States.
The following are from individuals who participated in the NSF-Postdoctoral Research Fellowship program, which provides recent PhD graduates with the opportunity to expand their skills and knowledge in science and technology. Anonymous, North Carolina, (PRF, 2015) “The NSF-PRF helped established U.S. as the global leader for science and technology, and nurture young scientists. It is a precious program that should be kept to keep US competitive.” Anonymous, Texas, (PRF, 2023) “The financial support I received from the NSF, together with the professional support from SMU, allowed me to take full control of my career. As an NSF funded postdoc, I was able to chart my own research path and branch into new areas at the intersection of AI and quantum computing. Without that support, I doubt my career would be as productive or as fulfilling as it is today. Now, as I move into a tenure-track position at another R1 university, I worry about how many future scholars might lose out on these career-defining opportunities if early-career NSF funding is cut. Ensuring those opportunities remain available is essential for the future strength and vitality of our research community.” Madeline, California, (REU, 2017; GRFP, 2020; PRF, 2023). “The national science foundation early career programs have been the foundation of my growth as a scientist. As an undergraduate student, the REU program gave me the opportunity to complete a summer research project in a different field than that at my undergraduate institution. This opportunity led me to decide to apply to graduate school. As a graduate student, I received the news that I was selected for the GRFP during the 2020 COVID lockdown. The fellowship allowed me to seamlessly continue my research despite the obstacles that the pandemic created, and allowed me to complete a successful dissertation comprising four first-author publications at a typical graduation timeline. As a postdoctoral researcher, the NSF fellowship has been incredibly helpful in allowing me to expand my research skills. I have learned new instrumentation and learned to apply my skills to new research questions. Overall, these programs have allowed me to develop into the best scientist that I could have become. As I look forward, I believe it is very important for these programs to continue if we want the United States to remain a leader in scientific research across the globe.”
Faculty Early Career Programs Program Overview • • •
The CAREER program is NSF’s most prestigious award for early-career faculty. Awards typically provide five years of support to establish independent research programs CAREER awards support both research and education, amplifying impact across universities and communities.
The following are from individuals who participated in the NSF-Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) program or the NSF- Launching Early-Career Academic Pathways in Mathematical and Physical Sciences (LEAPS) programs. Both are designed to provide support for research conducted by pre-tenured faculty. Gail, Georgia (GRFP, 2001), Pennsylvania (CAREER, 2008) “Early career awards were pivotal to my development. Without NSF support, I would not be here. The GRFP allowed me to innovate “signal processing” math to the new area of DNA analysis, where at the time, no faculty in my GT department had funding for this area. This investment ultimately paid off with my CAREER award which brought new techniques to understand microbial communities and transformed our understanding of the microbiome. Some tools that I developed and efforts that I helped in are used in fundamental techniques for microbiome analysis which underpins industry, academic, and government work in health and the environment. Not only did the research pay off, but I ultimately became a professor because of early career support and have (co)-trained dozens of students on their theses with many entering into industry and supporting the US economic development. Also, I have taught around a thousand students in engineering courses. In addition, I have helped organize free virtual offerings during the covid era that have benefited 10,000 researchers worldwide. I was also a GK-12 fellow for a year (and subsequently had a DRK-12 grant) that enabled me to translate my research to K-12 classroom concepts, educating and inspiring a new generation of innovators. While these programs have helped innovation, they have also helped me weather personal hardships as well, by giving me the extra freedom and confidence to pursue risky but worthy endeavors. To put it simply, I would not have been able to have an impact on US research, innovation, and cutting-edge training without NSF early career support. These programs are essential to the U.S.’s future as a technology leader, and there should be much funding provided to these programs. Research: https://exelmagazine.org/article/gut-bacteria-grow-old-too/ GK-12: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92PHwMWsVCk” Anonymous, Texas, (NSF-LEAPS) “The NSF-LEAPS program was instrumental in helping me initiate new projects in chiral nanomaterials with diverse applications in my lab at SMU. Based on the NSF-LEAPS funding, our laboratory has contributed to 7 conference presentations with multiple publications in preparation. So far, this grant has helped propel the STEM careers of 2 graduate, 5 undergraduate, and 1 postdoctoral fellow.”
Anonymous, Texas, (CAREER, 2018) “The NSF CAREER award is the most important milestone of my academic career. It provided the critical support I needed to develop a cohesive research agenda, build my lab’s capabilities, and mentor students in high-impact projects. With this grant, I’ve been able to move from promising ideas to a clear, scalable program of inquiry that advances the field and broadens participation in research.” Anonymous, Texas, (CAREER, 2022) “The NSF CAREER program provided a huge boost to my research group's long-term research plan, and allowed the group to expand and attract extremely talented new members. While my project is still on-going, so far it has provided funding for 3 postdocs and 4 graduate students and for 11 published or under review papers. The CAREER program is also special in both it's focus on early-career researchers and for the duration of the funding (5 years vs. a more typical 3 year grant). These factors provide a much-needed boost to beginning faculty members, allowing them to focus more on research rather than endless grant-writing and help them to achieve promotion/tenure at their respective institutions. The program has certainly done this for me, as I was awarded tenure and promote to associate professor in 2024. While I did not accept the NSF GRFP, I did accept the related DOE CSGF graduate fellowship, which is similarly an early-career pathway-to-academia (or national lab) award. These graduate awards are also extremely important as they free students from onerous TA duties, while also allowing them significant scientific freedom as they are not restricted by their PI's funding priorities. This allows students to come up with novel ideas and carry them forward into their future careers.” Anonymous, Texas, (CAREER, 2025) “The NSF CAREER provides young faculty support and funding to help them create ground breaking research that can keep U.S. as the global leader for science and technology. It is a precious program that should be kept and further supported to keep US competitive.”