Q. Am I eligible to apply for the fellowship before I obtain my graduate degree?
A. Predoctoral researchers are welcome to apply however; applicants should not combine a Grass Fellowship with writing a Ph.D. thesis.
Q. Am I eligible to apply for the fellowship if I have already obtained a faculty position?
A. Postdoctoral researchers who plan to start a faculty position after completion of a Grass Fellowship are eligible to apply. In past years, similar applicants have purchased vendor-loaned equipment at a discount. The Grass Fellowship is a great opportunity to obtain preliminary results and evaluate equipment for your new lab.
Q. What is your policy regarding visas for foreign researchers?
A. Due to IRS regulations governing this program, applicants who are not US citizens or resident aliens must hold a valid J-1 visa for the entire duration of the fellowship. If selected, applicants requiring a J-1 visa should immediately initiate the visa application. Based on past experience, applicants should contact MBL for guidance and not rely on visa advice from their current institution. The fee to obtain a J-1 visa is reimbursed by the Grass Foundation.
Q. Is it possible to be a teaching assistant in an MBL course during part of the fellowship?
A. The Grass Foundation encourages fellows to take full advantage of MBL’s scientific community as they conduct independent research however, time-intensive activities, such as teaching in a course, is not feasible.
Q. I applied last year and was not awarded a Grass Fellowship. May I reapply a second time for next year's deadline?
A. Absolutely- some reapplicants have been successful in the past! Reapplications must submit a completely new application; we cannot simply reactivate your old application.
Q. If I am selected as a Grass Fellow and my personal situation changes, can I defer my fellowship until the next summer?
A. Due to the timely nature of research proposal, fellowships are non-deferrable. If you are selected but unable to accept the fellowship, you will have to reapply.
Q. Are research projects studying marine organisms given preference?
A. No, the Selection Committee gives preference to ALL research proposals appropriate to the facilities and organisms that can be accommodated at MBL. This list includes marine and freshwater species (e.g., fish, amphibians), invertebrates (e.g., insects, gastropods), and small mammals such as mice or rats. MBL does not have facilities to house large mammalian species.
Q. Do fellowship projects have to be distinct from research I am doing at my home institution?
A. No, fellowships may build on an applicant’s current research OR be in a new research area. Fellowships support ANY area of neuroscience investigation including neurophysiology, biophysics, integrative neurobiology, neuroethology, neuroanatomy, neuropharmacology, systems neuroscience, cellular and developmental neurobiology, and computational approaches to neural systems.
Q. Are there caveats to proposing a project on a different vertebrate species than my current research?
A. Each selected fellow is responsible for writing his/her animal use protocol. Approval of protocols by the MBL Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee requires that each fellow obtain appropriate training before the start of the fellowship or in collaboration with a scientist at MBL during the fellowship.
Q. Is it possible to conduct one’s project in the laboratory of an investigator at the MBL rather than in the Grass Lab?
A. Yes, this is absolutely possible. In this case, the fellow should include an additional (4th) letter of reference from the sponsoring investigator.
Q. After I applied for the Grass Fellowship, I was informed that a paper I cited in my bibliography was accepted for publication. May I submit it to the Foundation?
A. You can email it to us, and we will update your application. Applicants will be notified of the Grass Foundation’s decision in mid-January so there is limited time in which to do so.
Q. I was wondering if there would be a problem if my reference letters arrive before my application.
A. We receive most reference letters ahead of the application. We keep files on each applicant, and when the application gets processed, we attach their reference letters. The yearly deadline for receipt of applications and letters of recommendation is December 5.
Q. Regarding the research proposal, I am attempting to balance the importance of background material versus experimental detail. What are your guidelines?
A. There are no rigid guidelines beyond what is in our instructions. You should choose a balance appropriate for your project, assuming that applications will be read by neuroscientists who may not be specialists in your particular field. Applications will be judged on attributes including overall quality, the applicant’s ability to organize and present pertinent information, ability to develop a strong experimental plan, the feasibility of the project and likelihood of success.
Q. I understand that the fellowship is a 14-week commitment from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Is it possible to deviate from these fellowship dates to attend a scientific conference or go to a wedding, for example?
A. Late arrivals, early departures or planned absences during the Grass Fellowship dates must be approved by the Grass Foundation. Please disclose any known deviations from the fellowship dates on your application or as soon as possible to the Grass Fellowship Program Director.
Q. Does the Grass Fellowship provide a stipend?
A. Since the Grass Fellowship provides a rich intellectual environment and support for independent research, it does not offer a stipend during the fellowship learning experience. It does provide laboratory space, animals (purchase and per diem care), equipment (either through vendor loans or shipping costs from your home institution), a research budget of $2000 (for supplies) and a miscellaneous budget of $1500. Additionally, the fellow, their spouse or legal domestic partner, and dependent children are provided housing, a daily meal allowance and round-trip travel to MBL.
Q. Does the Grass Fellowship provide childcare for dependents during the fellowship?
A. No, however, there are numerous children’s programs available through MBL or in the Woods Hole area (http://www.mbl.edu/services/serv_childcare.html).
Q. Can we bring our pets?
A. There are a limited number of pet-approved cottages at the MBL. There is a $250 per pet refundable deposit for those approved to have pets in their cottages and a limit of two pets per cottage. Pet deposits and travel costs for pets are not provided by the Grass Foundation.
