Program Overview

The EIFP is a summer program that partners selected Engineering Graduate Research Fellows with host companies to conduct on-site research for 10-12 weeks.  Fellows can apply for the program during the fall of the previous year and selections are made by NSF in the spring.  Applicants may apply for up to three possible research positions.  To kick-off the fellowship period, awardees are required to attend a two-day workshop held in Washington, D.C. during the month of May. During this workshop, Fellows gather to learn and participate in exercises about innovation and entrepreneurship as well as to meet their industry mentors and other EIFP Fellows.  Other workshop activities may include visits to Capitol Hill to witness science and technology policy in the making.

During the summer, each EIFP Fellow will work directly under an assigned industry mentor and with other team members as appropriate.  The Fellow will work on a well-defined research project that has been decided upon prior to the fellowship period.   In addition to the assigned research project, the Fellow will participate in regular professional development activities such as brown-bag discussions or lectures.  Mentors may expose the Fellow to grant and proposal writing, technical paper writing, licensing strategies, marketing, and product development.  At the end of the EIFP tenure, the Fellow is required to submit a final report summarizing the summer’s activities.

The EIFP program is a great opportunity for companies to host NSF Graduate Research Fellows, some of the brightest and best in their fields.   The program is fully funded by the National Science Foundation and there is no financial cost to the host company.  In order to participate, companies must secure a mentor and create a professional development plan for the Fellow. Companies benefit from this program as they are able to develop talent among the next generation of technology leaders and gain contacts in higher education systems which leads to lasting partnerships that support research and innovation.
    

Registration

        Companies

Eligible companies register and submit available research opportunities for current engineering graduate candidates.  Eligible companies or corporations must be registered and located in a U.S. state with such designation and may be small to large in size. Non-profit organizations, such as those designated as 501(c)(3), are not eligible for participation.

        Fellows

Eligible Fellow candidates register to begin the application process.  The program is open to all NSF Graduate Research Fellows (GRFP) who will be active Fellows (on tenure or reserve) at a U.S. institution during the period of time proposed for the research activity. Fellows must have completed at least two years of graduate school before applying.

To register, GRFP Fellows must use their unique NSF 10-digit Fellow ID. Once registered, the applicant will create an account login and password.  

Application

Applicants submit information online regarding their current academic program, a biographical sketch including past academic and work experience including awards and honors,  transcripts showing their current academic standing, and advisor approval and reference.

Applicants then apply to a specific current posted research opportunity by submitting a Project Description outlining their plan and timeline of proposed research activities.  Applicants may apply for up to three positions. The application deadline is extended to January 31, 2012.

Award Notifications

NSF will review the submitted applications and the posted research opportunities to select the final participants and to place them in the appropriate research settings.   NSF will notify ASEE when final selections are made.  ASEE, in turn, will notify successful applicants of their fellowship award. We ask that candidates and companies do not contact each other directly until selections have been made by the NSF.

Appointment Agreement

ASEE will then supply an Appointment Agreement first to the company and, upon their signature, to the Fellow. Once both signed agreements are received, the applicant becomes an EIFP Fellow. Program benefits are then awarded to the Fellow for a continuous term of 10 to 12 weeks.

Work Plan

Within 60 days of the Fellow's selection, the Host Company's research mentor will submit a Comprehensive Work Plan to ASEE.  Guidelines for the Work Plan are included in the agreement packets.

Reporting

At the end of the EIFP fellowship period, both the mentor and the EIFP Fellow are required to submit a final report summarizing the achievements of the appointment. Mentors will submit reports to ASEE that discuss interactions with the EIFP Fellows and describe specific research outcomes that are directly or indirectly related to the participant under their guidance.

Last Updated: January 09, 2012 08:43 PM