Purpose

The KSTF Young Scholars Fellowship seeks to support early career scholars engaged in critical research in education. We encourage applications from scholars in all disciplines that promise to make significant scholarly contributions to areas that are consistent with the mission of KSTF, which is improving high school mathematics and science teaching in the United States. More specifically, we support those who can contribute to understanding recruitment, preparation, induction, mentoring and/or retention of high quality high school science and mathematics teachers.

Award

The fellowship of $110,000 will be awarded in 2009. Typically, the award is $55,000 for two years. Usually up to three fellowships are awarded. KSTF expects that fellows will not receive any other financial award to support the research project described in the Young Scholars Fellowship application during the 2-year fellowship tenure.

This is a non-residential fellowship. No part of the award may be used for overhead or indirect costs. Scholars may conduct their research at their home institution or at another research site that they have arranged. During their fellowship tenure, fellows will be required to attend and present their research at the KSTF Conference and/or professional development meetings of the Knowles Science Teaching Fellows. In addition, all KSTF Young Scholars will meet up to two times each year. KSTF will provide additional travel funds for fellows to attend these meetings.

Eligibility

• Applicants must have received their Ph.D., Ed.D., or equivalent research degree by the start date of the fellowship (July 1, 2009).
• Applicants from universities and colleges may not be tenured before the start of the fellowship (July 1, 2009). Applicants from other research institutions must be within 6 years of having been awarded their final degree.
• Applications must be made by the individual applying for the fellowship. Group applications will not be accepted.
• The proposed project must be a research project.

Stipulations

• Fellows must receive approval for their project from a human subjects review board prior to the release of the initial payment of fellowship funds.
• Fellows must forward notice from their institution which states that the institution approves and commits to this project prior to the release of the initial payment of fellowship funds.
• Fellows must provide progress reports to KSTF prior to the release of subsequent payments of fellowship funds.

Selection Process

Preparing the Application

There are two steps to the application: a pre-proposal due 5:00 pm, EST, June 30, 2008 and a full proposal due 5:00 pm, EST, December 1, 2008. 

For the pre-proposal, you will be asked to provide the following information:

• Information about how you learned of the KSTF Young Scholars Fellowship
• Contact information, including information on your current position
• Information on your most recent or highest degree
• A 1000-word letter of intent describing your research question, a brief description of the proposed project and potential data sources, the significance of the research and the relevance of the project to KSTF’s mission.
• A copy of your CV.

The pre-proposal must be submitted electronically at fms.kstf.org.  Pre-proposals will be reviewed by a panel of reviewers in July, 2008.  Once reviews have been completed, applicants will be able to log on to read reviewer feedback and may choose at that time whether or not to submit a complete proposal. Completed proposals will only be accepted from applicants who submitted a pre-proposal by June 30, 2008. 

There are ten components to the full proposal, listed below.  All components must be submitted electronically at fms.kstf.org. You will be asked to upload a writing sample from past research and your CV or resume; all other components of the application must be pasted into the online form in double-spaced, 12 point, Times New Roman font. At most one page of tables, figures or other graphics may be uploaded separately. You are encouraged to prepare all application materials in advance and then paste them into the application. However, you will be able to save work in the online submission system and return to it at a later time. Paper applications will not be accepted. All application materials must be submitted in English.

Please Note: KSTF will reject any application that does not conform to these guidelines. Please read and follow the guidelines carefully to insure that your application is not rejected prior to review. The online application system has a word count feature that may differ slightly from the word count given by your word processor.

Proposal

The following is a list of proposal components that must be submitted electronically via the on-line application system. The online system will close at 5:00 p.m., EST, on December 1, 2008.

1. TITLE: You will be asked to provide a title for your project.

2. ABSTRACT: You will be asked to provide an abstract of the project (375 words maximum).

3. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: You will be asked to provide a project description (3750 words Maximum).

• Include the goals of the project, its contribution to the field, and the significance of the work, especially as it relates to the mission of KSTF.
• Place the project in context and outline the theoretical grounding and relevant literature.
• Describe the research methods, including data collection, analysis, and interpretation techniques.
• Describe the importance of potential findings to educational research and practice.

Your project description will be read by scholars of education with varying backgrounds; please write your description in terms understood by a broad educational audience and avoid the use of esoteric terminology. If your project description requires tables or figures, you may upload one page separately.

4. SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY: You will be asked to provide selected references that are relevant to your proposed project (600 words maximum).

5. PROJECT TIMELINE: You will be asked to provide an estimated work schedule for the project that fits within the two-year timeframe of the fellowship (600 words maximum).

6. ESTIMATED BUDGET You will be asked to provide an estimated budget of how you would use the fellowship funds if awarded (750 words maximum).

7. EXISTING OBLIGATIONS: You will be asked to describe other obligations that you will have during the fellowship tenure, e.g. expected teaching load, student advisory responsibilities, other research projects, service commitments (750 words maximum).

8. EXAMPLE OF YOUR PAST RESEARCH: You will be asked to upload a writing sample of your research.  This writing sample should, if at all possible, be relevant to KSTF's mission, demonstrate your promise as a researcher and your ability to complete the proposed project. The example is limited to a total of twenty (20) pages including figures, references and appendices. You may submit a chapter of a book, an article, or other research. Your writing sample may be published or unpublished. If you do not have an example that is within the twenty-page limit, you may edit a longer piece. You must submit English translations of your "Example of Past Research" if it was published in any other language.

9. CV: You will be asked to upload the most recent version of your CV.

10. LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION: You will be asked to provide the names and contact information for three individuals from whom you have requested letters of recommendation. Please inform the persons writing the letters of recommendation to send them directly to KSTF either by email or U.S. mail.  By email they should be sent to scholars@kstf.org. By US mail the letter should be sent to Young Scholars Research, KSTF, 1000 N. Church Street, Moorestown, NJ 08057. All three letters of recommendation must be received by the December 1, 2008 deadline for your application to remain eligible. You should ask your references to comment on the value of your proposed project, as well as their estimation of your ability to complete the project. Providing them with a copy of your proposal or project summary would be to your benefit.  You will be able to log on and check whether the letters have been submitted or not, but you will not be able to read the letters.

If you are awarded a Knowles Science Teaching Foundation Young Scholars Fellowship, you will be asked to agree to the following:

• submit a letter from your institution stating that they are aware of and supportive of the research you will be doing; 
• sign a written agreement to perform the research described in this application;
• that no funds will be used for overhead or indirect costs;
• that you will work to complete the proposed project for two consecutive years;
• that you will attend up to six meetings as requested by the Knowles Science Teaching Foundation (KSTF);
• that you will provide reprints, progress reports, and financial reports as requested by KSTF;
• that you will cite KSTF as a provider of research support on all publications resulting from this research (correct citation will be provided)
• to release any information contained in your application or attachments to KSTF.

Questions or comments should be directed to scholars@kstf.org or 856-608-0001

Knowles Science Teaching Foundation

Young Scholars Research Fellowship Program

1000 N. Church Street

Moorestown, NJ 08057

The online application system will close at 5:00 p.m., EST, December 1, 2008.

LATE OR INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.