MY EXPERIENCE APPLYING FOR A FULBRIGHT Scott Bradford
MY EXPERIENCE APPLYING FOR A FULBRIGHT Scott Bradford BYU Fulbright Information Seminar 2016 February 25
OUTLINE • My Grant • What I Did • A Few Things I Would Do Differently • BYU Leave Application Process
MY GRANT • • • Research/teaching award to India: Fulbright-Nehru. 75% research. Host: Economics Unit of the Indian Statistical Institute, Delhi Centre. • Research: Analyze the connection between migration and poverty, using India as a learning laboratory. • Teaching: Will teach a class at an exciting new private university there.
WHAT I DID OUTLINE • • • Attended seminar like this and funding boot camp. Made contacts in India. Spent a lot of time with Fulbright website. Structured my statement to match what they are looking for. Tried to get good combination of letters.
WHAT I DID Attended seminar like this and funding boot camp. • Key point from seminar: Make contacts there and have them write letters.
WHAT I DID Attended seminar like this and funding boot camp. • Boot camp got me going on my proposal early and gave me insights on how to write a strong application. Insights include: • Explain clearly your research to people outside your field. • Describe need for your research. • Proposals are about the funder’s needs, not yours. • Stress benefits in beginning and end of your statement. • Creating music differs from playing notes. Want your statement to flow and be music to funder’s ears. • Key points in argument for why your project is worth funding: • I understand situation: both the research area and the nation in which I will work. • I have clear goals, given the situation. • I have the right methods. • I am qualified. • This project will bring many benefits.
WHAT I DID Made contacts in India. • • After attending conference in 2011, felt inspired to consider leave in India. Contacted ISI and explained my desire to do a leave. They were happy to have me but did not have funding. Asked to do a seminar in July and secured agreement to host me if I came.
WHAT I DID Spent a lot of time with Fulbright website. • • • Looked at list of current Fulbrights in India. Looked at excerpts of successful proposals. Got familiar with their multi-step review process. Watched webinars and listened to podcasts. Reviewed ahead of time application guidelines and detailed instructions: 16 pages.
WHAT I DID Structured my statement to match what they were looking for. • Application instruction lists questions that they want statement to address. • • • What do you propose to do? State clearly your objectives, methodology, and the nature of your research. What is the academic and professional context of the project? What professional experience has prepared you to successfully accomplish this project? Why does it need to be done? What significance does it hold for your discipline, your development, the host country’s benefit? How will you carry out the proposed research? (Such as methodology, logistics, time frame) How feasible is your project in terms of resources and amount of time allocated? Why does it need to be done in this country? What research facilities and resources are found in the host country? How could local political or cultural issues impact your work? How will your results be disseminated? (Such as publications, conference presentations, joint collaboration, exhibitions)
WHAT I DID Structured my statement to match what they were looking for. • Outline of my statement • Introduction • Why India • The Research Project • • • Contribution to the Literature • My Qualifications and Initial Efforts • New Modeling Applied to India Teaching and Outreach Research Time Frame Other Experiences That Have Helped Prepare Me for Fulbright Benefits • Review of Research Benefits • Social and Cultural Benefits Conclusion
WHAT I DID Structured my statement to match what they were looking for. • Reviewed Fulbright vision and tried to weave that into it. • Fulbrighters share knowledge, are open to new ideas, and are committed to international engagement. They exhibit power of international academic exchange to transform lives, bridge cultural gaps, and promote more peaceful and prosperous world. • They want you to be cultural ambassador and to help build ties between the countries, as well as doing research and teaching. • Here having a family can help: Mentioned how my wife and children will make connections that I would not, thus creating cultural ties. • Mentioned other overseas experiences. • • • Mission, in which I learned to live amongst foreign people got used to not having US comforts. State Department Japan speaking tour. These types of experiences also help with another Fulbright criterion: ability to adapt.
WHAT I DID Tried to get good combination of letters. • Letters of recommendation. • One Indian at the Institute that will host me. We have not been co-authors, but he had praised my background and knew one of my economics colleagues here. One Harvard scholar who knows me well, my Ph. D advisor from 20 years ago. Department chairman, for teaching. Gave them copy of my proposal. One of them asked for key points he might put in the letter. • • • Got a host letter. • This discussed my research and why it has worth and discussed my teaching a class, presenting at a seminar, and helping with a conference that they host. • Basically, mirrored what was in my proposal. Note: Letters can be submitted after the deadline.
WHAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE • • Talked to previous scholars: Hites in Education School had done a Fulbright in India the year before. Completed draft early enough to get Kristen’s feedback. Had a non-economist read it. Allowed a full day just to get the application submitted.
BYU LEAVE APPLICATION PROCESS • • Takes a while. Just got the OK on Tuesday. Make the case for how the leave will boost your research. • • • I submitted a detailed research proposal and discussed how this leave would create co-author relationships. In approving my leave, BYU made clear that they want to see significant publications by end of 2018. State goals and how one can tell whether you have met them.
- Slides: 14