L’Oréal USA For Women In Science Fellowship Program
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Eligibility
Q. Where can I find the application and a full list of eligibility criteria?
A. The application can be found online at www.lorealusa.com/forwomeninscience
Please note that candidates must be available during the week of October 4-7, 2016 for the For Women in Science Awards Week if chosen as a winning Fellow.
Q. In order to be eligible for the L'Oréal USA For Women in Science fellowship, must I be a postdoctoral associate?
A. Yes. Applicants to the L'Oréal USA fellowship program must be current postdoctoral associates or begin their postdoctoral position by December 31, 2015.
Q. I am scheduled to complete my Ph.D. within three months of beginning my post-doctoral program. Am I eligible for the fellowship?
A. In order to be eligible for the fellowship, a candidate must have a PhD degree that was conferred on or before December 31, 2015.
Q. Candidates with which types of degrees are eligible?
A. Candidates holding a Ph.D., D.P.H., or Sc.D. are eligible to apply. Candidates holding any other degree, including M.D. and D.V.M., are not eligible.
Q. I am a resident of Puerto Rico. Am I eligible to apply?
A. Yes, the fellowship is open to post-docs from the United States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Q. I am not a United States citizen, but I have a visa (J1, H1-B, F1, etc.). Am I eligible to apply?
A. No. Applicants must be American citizens (born or naturalized) or permanent residents (green card holders). Unfortunately, visa holders are not eligible to apply.
Q. If I have applied for a green card but have not yet received it. Am I eligible to apply for the L’Oréal USA For Women in Science fellowship?
A. No. Applicants must be American citizens (born or naturalized) or have obtained their green card by the time of application submission (no later than February 5, 2016).
Q. My research will take place primarily outside of the U.S. Would I still be eligible?
A. Applicants must be affiliated with a U.S.-based academic or research institution and their research and studies must be conducted primarily within the U.S.
Q. Are all scientific disciplines eligible?
A. Applicants must be involved in the life, physical/material sciences, engineering, technology, computer science and/or mathematics fields. Additional eligible areas of study include: immunology, all areas of chemistry, earth science and medical research. Psychology, science education and social science are not eligible for this Fellowship.
Q. Are applicants who hold faculty positions eligible?
A. No. Applicants who hold any faculty positions are not eligible. Only candidates in full-time postdoctoral positions are eligible to apply.
Q. I currently do not have any mentoring experience in relation to supporting women and girls in science but I am willing to serve as a mentor in the future. Can I still apply?
A. Yes, we will consider candidates who can successfully demonstrate their interest in and commitment to mentoring and supporting women and girls in science in their application essay.
Q. I read in the eligibility criteria that winners must commit to at least twenty hours of activity in support of women and girls in science (e.g. mentoring, classroom visits, media, events). When does this need to occur by?
A. Winning fellows will have one year from the awards ceremony to complete their twenty hours of service.
Required Documentation
Q. How many letters of recommendation are required with the L'Oréal USA For Women In Science completed application?
A. A completed application requires three letters of recommendation. One letter should be from a mentor or former advisor. One letter must be from your post-doctoral advisor.
Q. How should the letters of recommendation be submitted?
A. Letters of recommendation can either be submitted electronically through the online application submission site or can be mailed directly from all references to:
L'Oréal USA For Women In Science
C/O AAAS
Attn: Yolanda George/Education and Human Resources
1200 New York Avenue, NW, 6th Floor
Washington, D.C. 20005
Mailed letters must be postmarked by Friday, February 5, 2016.
Q. Are both undergraduate and graduate school transcripts required?
A. Yes, official undergraduate and graduate transcripts are required (one sealed copy from each institution). E-mailed transcripts will not be accepted. Official transcripts should be mailed directly from the institutions and postmarked no later than February 5, 2016 to:
L'Oréal USA For Women In Science
C/O AAAS
Attn: Yolanda George/Education and Human Resources
1200 New York Avenue, NW, 6th Floor
Washington, D.C. 20005
Q. I completed my undergraduate or graduate education outside of the United States, but I am a US citizen or permanent resident. Can I submit a transcript from a different country?
A. Yes. However, all transcripts must be translated into English. Your international institution should send a translated and sealed official copy directly to AAAS at the above address. If your institution
cannot provide a translated version, you may use an official translating service to translate the transcript. This transcript must then be notarized and sent directly to AAAS from the Notary.
Q. How will I know when my transcripts are received?
A. Candidates will receive an email from AAAS once their documents have been uploaded into the system.
Q. What are the guidelines regarding the length of the Proposed Research Plan and the Candidate’s Statement?
A. The Proposed Research Plan should not exceed three pages in length. These three pages should include both the Research Plan as well as any and all references. The Candidate’s Statement and Community Service Statement should each not exceed one page in length.
Q. What should be included in the candidate statement?
A. The candidate’s statement should explain how the L’Oréal USA For Women In Science fellowship will help you conduct or continue your research studies, including professional development activities, and why the fellowship is important to the funding of your research.
Q. What kind of information should be included in the budget and the budget justification?
A. The budget should include details of how the applicant intends to allocate the L’Oréal USA For Women In Science fellowship. A budget template is provided on the application. Additional funding sources which support the applicant’s research should be identified in the budget summary.
Q. Are there any requirements in terms of typeface style, size and margins?
A. Yes. Any attachments associated with this application (Research Proposal, Candidate’s Statement, Mentoring Essay, and Budget Justification) must be clear, legible and follow these requirements:
Use one of the following typefaces: Arial, Courier New or Palatino Linotype at a font size of 10 points or larger; Times New Roman at a font size of 11 points or larger
A font size of less than 10 points can be used for mathematical formulas or equations, figure, table or diagram captions and when using a Symbol font for Greek letters or special characters
Margins must be at least one inch
Q. What should be included in the mentoring essay?
A. The essay should include information about your mentoring activities or other community service efforts related to supporting the success of girls or women in science. If you have not conducted community service or mentoring activities, include what activities you would plan for your Fellowship year if you were an awardee.
Award Payment and Use
Q. Are there specific guidelines related to the use of the L'Oréal USA For Women in Science fellowship funds?
A. The award is intended to support the applicant’s research project and provide career advancement. Fellowship funds should be used to support tuition fees, attendance at meetings and conferences, laboratory supplies, publications costs, computer and technical support, equipment and instruments. Indirect or fringe costs are not permitted including health insurance, rent, utilities, university overhead, etc.
Q. Can the L'Oréal USA For Women in Science fellowship be used to cover salary?
A. It is assumed that a candidate’s salary is already being covered by their postdoctoral position. If the applicant is requesting a portion of the fellowship funds to cover their salary, justification must be provided as to why it is not already being covered. Salaries for technicians and students may be included in the budget proposal; however, the justification must indicate how these individuals will directly support the applicant’s research.
Q. What is the payment structure/timing of the fellowship grant?
A. The L’Oréal USA For Women In Science grant will be paid in two installments. The first grant distribution, typically half of the total value of the Fellowship, will be paid at the Fellowship award ceremony. The remaining balance will be mailed following submission and review of the required interim status report which is due six months after the initial grant distribution. Alternative schedules for fund distributions must be requested and explained in writing and must be approved by L’Oréal USA and AAAS. Fellowship funds will be available for use beginning on the day of the Awards Ceremony in early October, 2016.
Q. Are there any restrictions regarding the use of the fellowship funds?
A. No more than one-half of the total fellowship award may be expensed before the submission of the interim fellowship report.
Q. Who receives the fellowship funds?
A. The fellowship is awarded to the institution, similar to other grants. Please check with the grants office at your institution before submitting this application.
Q: What happens if the fellowship recipient changes institutions during the course of the fellowship year?
A. If the fellowship recipient changes institutions during the course of the fellowship year, L'Oréal USA and AAAS must be notified. If the new position meets the requirements, any remaining funds must be returned to the AAAS for redistribution to the successor institution.
Q. What happens to equipment purchases if I change institutions during the course of the fellowship year?
A. Any equipment purchased with the fellowship funds are the property of the fellowship recipient and with approval from L'Oréal USA and AAAS can be moved to an institution where the fellowship recipient is conducting the proposed research. If the fellowship recipient is no longer conducting the proposed research, AAAS will make a determination about the future use of the equipment.
Q. What if the nature of my funding proposal changes after the submission of my application?
A. Any changes in the use of fellowship funds will require the approval of L’Oréal USA and AAAS.
Q. Can the fellowship period be extended beyond one year?
A. The L'Oréal USA For Women in Science fellowship award is effective for one year. Any extensions must be requested in writing and must be approved by L’Oréal USA and AAAS.