Blewett Fellowship FAQs

1. Is the expectation that there would be a full-time commitment to research?  
The preference might be for full time, but there might be special circumstances where less than full time might be desirable. 

2. My fellowship research will require that I reside at CERN.  Am I still eligible to apply?
Yes, the fellowship can be used while utilizing facilities outside the U.S. and Canada as long as you are working for a U.S. or Canadian institution and satisfy all the other eligibility requirements.

3. When will funding begin?  Can it start in January rather than September?  
Funding may begin in January rather than September.  We anticipate making payments in quarterly installments. 

4. Does the mentor have to be at the same institution?  Do I need a letter from the mentor?
No, the mentor does not have to be at the same institution, however, the letter from the mentor should state that they do intend to mentor the applicant and give some sort of plan for doing so.  

5. Do you need a letter from the sponsoring institution, too?
Yes, we would like a letter from them as well, to be sure that everyone is supportive of your application and your work.

6. Who is the “official from the administration”?  
The applicant will certainly need an affiliation with the institution during the period of the fellowship and it would be nice if this were an ongoing relationship.  We want to be sure that the institution is willing to accept the award (payments will be made to the institution not the individual) and will not charge any overhead.   The representative of the institution could be the chair or dean or provost or president, just so there is someone in the academic chain of command who supports the applicant.  Some department chairs change on July 1, so please be sure that whoever is named is aware that you are applying. 

7. May I budget in money to help pay a graduate student to collaborate with me on the project?  
Yes, you may include a stipend for a graduate student to work with you. 

8. I am a post doc now.  Am I eligible to apply for this fellowship?  
This fellowship is not intended to extend the post-doctoral period of a person currently employed.  It is intended to assist women who have had to interrupt existing research careers and who now wish to return to those careers.

9. I applied for the fellowship.  When can I expect the outcome to be announced?
Decisions will be electronically communicated to applicants by August 1.

10. I did not receive the fellowship and would like to know why.  Are comments on the applications available to applicants?
While we understand each applicant's desire to know how to better her application, we must respect the time of the volunteers on our Selection Committee.  The Blewett Fellowship attracts many applicants each year and the selection process is very time-consuming.  At this moment, we do not request committee members to provide written assessments of each application.