b@r!um

Not in pure math. In my year, almost 80% of the awards in pure math went to undergrads. I counted.

juillet

I did a count of the awards in pure mathematics in 2012. There were 18 undergrads and 15 who were graduate students. So while undergrads did outnumber graduate students, they didn't make up 80% of the awards (it was 53%)

I also did the same for 2011 - 26 undergraduates and 16 graduate students. Undergrads made up 62% of the awardees.

I would say any year in which undergrads made up 80% of the awardees in any area would an unusual year.

spectastic

18 undergrads and 15 grad students total for pure math? as in across the nation?? can you send me the link?

juillet

The awardee list is here: https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/grfp/Aw...oadAwardeeList

I was off by a bit - 4 to be exact.

By my count, there were 78 awards in the mathematical sciences in 2012:

23 - Algebra, number theory, and combinatorics
1 - Analysis
14 - Applied mathematics
4 - Computational mathematics
1 - Computational statistics
2 - Geometric analysis
6 - Mathematical biology
3 - Other (Control and dynamical systems, mathematical physics, metagenomics)
1 - Probability
12 - Statistics
11 - Topology

I'm not a mathematician so I played it conservative and counted algebra, number theory, and combinatorics; analysis; geometric analysis; and topology in "pure mathematics." There are 37 of them. So it seems that I miscounted and somehow missed 4 people - I was going down a list with a couple of other topics interspersed. But even if all 4 of them were undergrads, that's still only 60%.

molliebatmit

^It is entirely too entertaining to sort that list by field of study and look for people I know.

spectastic

67 chemical engineers, and only 30ish civil engineers. around 70 m e, about the same for EE. Not a lot for materials. Considering the distribution amongst engineering majors, chem e's actually get a lot of representation.

my school only had 5 people win it last year - yikes... cinco!

b@r!um

When I counted, I found 9 graduate students among 41 fellowship recipients in 2011, plus maybe 3 where I couldn't decide because undergrad = proposed grad = current institution. I just recounted and got the same answer. Maybe you miscounted?

juillet

I think some miscounting is to be expected, since I was going quickly, but I think I might have counted two students in an "other" area that was wedged between two pure areas. Here are the graduate students:

1. Anderson, Theresa (Algebra or number theory)
2. Collins, Daniel Jack (algebra or number theory)
3. Negron, Cris (algebra or number theory)
4. Wolff, Sarah (algebra or number theory)
5. Wood, Victoria (algebra or number theory)
6. Heilman, Steven (analysis)
7. Robinson, Richard (analysis)
8. Healey, Vivian (geometry)
9. McMillan, Benjamin (geometry)
10. Pechenik, Oliver (combinatorics)
11. Fletcher, Sarah (combinatorics)
12. Tebbe, Amelia (combinatorics)
13. Chodosh, Otis (geometry)
14. Perry, Alexander (algebra or number theory)

Maybe not pure math (the "others"):
Appelhans, David (computational math modeling)
Parzygnat, Arthur (topological quantum field theory)

I would argue that topological quantum field theory is probably a pure math field, but again, I am not in math.

And the unknowns - same undergrad and grad institution:
Berger, Emily Rita
Brodsky, Sara Brina
Palmer, Aaron
Viscardi, Michael

14 out of 42 is 33%, making the undergraduate students 66%. I'd also like to point out that we can't be positive that those who listed that they are currently at the same institution as their undergrad aren't in an MA program that they continued into, but assuming they aren't, that's still not 80%. It's a majority, but not 80%.

ccpsux

hey,
one quick question about NSF fellowship. It it allowable for a new NSF fellow to enroll in a grad school discipline that's not the same as what she has designated in her application? For instance, is possible for a NSF fellow X to choose electrical engineering grad school even though X has put down computer science in her application?

jaixon

@ccpsux you need to check this out

US NSF - Frequently Asked Questions about GRFP Fellowship Terms and Conditions for NSF GRFP Fellows Terms and Conditions for NSF GRFP Fellows March 2012 (nsf12062)

Changes to major "Field of study" isn't allowed, but changes within a major field is possible. For example in engineering, there is no problem in switching between mech engineering , ee or biomedical engineering. If X applied under "Comp/IS/Eng - Computational Science and Engineering" and now wants enroll as an Electrical engineer, hmmm.. I dont know. Its best to ask them directly at info@nsfgrfp.org.

About the talk regarding undergraduates winning more fellowships, last year in EE, more grad students (>60%) won among the 58 odd fellowships given out, while 2011 more undergrads won (52 total) but not by a great margin.

ccpsux

@jaixon

thanks so much for the help. My bad on not checking the site more carefully. Two quick questions though:

1) While I have some idea of the kind of research I would like to pursue, it's hard to category in such granularity like "Comp/IS/Eng - Computational Science and Engineering."
How should I pick?
2) For the undergrad part, it asks what's my primary major. Well, my primary major is computer science, but then it doesn't have such option. It's already asking what my minor field of study is, which I don't have since my undergrad computer science curriculum is much broader. Again, how should I pick here?

jaixon

I assume you have some research experience. The best person to ask would be your research advisor if you have one or someone who knows what you have done/planning to do. Those questions are there so that they can assign the right reviewer for your application. So be as specific as you can.

ccpsux

@jaixon

thanks for the reply. So, are you saying in the undergrad case, the choice is tied down more to the general theme my research experience is related to rather than to my actual major?


Anyhow, it's kind of absurd that they ask for both undergrad and grad as if it's possible for both to be different. It doesn't make sense for some one to conduct research that she's not interested in for grad study, right?

jaixon

@ccpsux

NSF would want you to have a clear set of goals as a graduate student. They would want all those who win the fellowship to go all the way and get their Phd. Unlike NDSEG, NSF doesn't give much importance to the merit of your proposal. The reviewers just need to be convinced that you can think clearly and is motivated. They evaluate you as a person .The application is structured in a way that the reviewers get an idea of your potential. So previous research is important, along with GPA and lor's.
Most of the time, your graduate research is an extension of what you have done already as an undergrad/1st yr grad ( at least that's what you'll be telling them in your application). You'll need to write a proposed research essay anyway. That proposal should fall in the field of study that you intend to pursue as a graduate student. The proposal that you write is nonbinding. If you win you can always do the research that you want in graduate school (with in the major field of study)

juillet

ccpsux - I would say yes, it is. I'm actually not even in a psychology program per se - my PhD will be in sociomedical sciences, with a minor in psychology (even though I had to take just as many psychology credits as SMS credits). But I applied under Psychology - Social Psychology and that's what my NSF was awarded in.

And it is very possible for both to be different. I have a friend who majored in philosophy in undergrad but studied psychology for her PhD (and is now a postdoc). I have lots of friends who studied something different in graduate school than they did in undergrad, sometimes by getting a master's along the way, but often not.