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Frequently Asked QuestionsThis page addresses general aspects of the Fellowship, the Fellow and Mentor roles and application process. For more detailed information about the application process, refer to the Request for Application. For other issues not addressed on this website, please contact us. The FellowshipWhat are the goals of the Fellowship? What are typical Fellowship projects? Where are the Fellows located? How many Fellowships are available each year? What's the difference between a Career Transition and Executive Management Fellowship? How long has this Fellowship existed? What is the duration of the Fellowship? Are the Fellowships available every year? How much is the Fellowship stipend? Who pays for travel to the immersion seminar and quarterly retreats? What impact has the Fellowship had on the career path of former Fellows? The Application Process: FellowsWhat is the deadline for application? Who is the ideal candidate for a Fellowship? Are social scientists eligible for the Fellowship? Is previous experience in the private sector necessary to be a strong candidate? How many people apply each year and how many are selected? May I apply if I am not a U.S. citizen? Do I have to be already associated with the University of California to apply? Do I need to have a Mentor before I apply? Do I need to propose a project in the Application? When do interviews take place? After the interviews, if I am selected for a Fellowship, do I have a voice in where I am placed? The Application Process: MentorsWhat is the deadline for application to be a Mentor? Does the Fellowship fund continuations of existing work (previously funded from other sources) Do I need to have an individual in mind as my Fellow, or will you match me with a candidate? When are Mentors notified of the status of their proposals? The FellowshipWhat are the goals of the Fellowship? The UC Discovery Fellowship is funded by the University of California Industry-University Cooperative Research Program (IUCRP) as part of its mission to 1) foster and support novel early stage research; 2) accelerate the transfer of technological advancements to California industry; 3) enhance the training of California's future workforce and industry leaders; and 4) enhance California's economic competitiveness. The Fellowship intends to achieve this by supporting development of a new cadre of professionals within the University of California Campuses and National Laboratories. These professionals will help build research linkages with California's R&D economy that will accelerate delivery of knowledge from publicly funded research in science, engineering and other disciplines relevant to industry and thus strengthen California's R&D economy. What are typical Fellowship projects? With assistance from his/her Mentor (or Mentor Team) and the Program Team managing the Fellowship, each Fellow develops an innovative, integrative, and practical plan for expanding and accelerating the ways in which the University connects with its regional industry and the economy. For examples of recent projects, see the projects page. The Fellowships are funded by the University of California Industry-University Cooperative Research Program (IUCRP). Where are the Fellows located? Fellows will spend most of the 12-month period at a UC Host Campus or UC-affiliated National Laboratory. The 2008-9 Fellowship will begin in early September 2008 with an eight to ten day professional development seminar at UC San Diego. The seminar will engage industry, university, and government leaders drawn from the San Diego region and across the state. Fellows and Mentors will also participate in quarterly Two-Day Retreats, which rotate through different regions of the state. These retreats will focus on the larger opportunities, issues, and challenges that shape regional and institutional goals, agendas, and accomplishments. Retreats will enable Fellows to present ideas and pilot projects for discussion and collaborative assessment; address challenges with which they are dealing; and facilitate sharing of knowledge and identification of best practices. How many Fellowships are available each year? This varies with the level of funding available and the size and quality of the applicant pool. In the first year (2006-07), nine Fellowships were awarded. Four of these Fellows were renewed through a competitive application process for a second year, and they were joined by five new Fellows. The 2008-09 class of UC Discovery Fellows has been selected, and will be announced on this website in August 2008. What's the difference between a Career Transition and Executive Management Fellowship? Both tracks require a year-long commitment to a UC campus. The Career Transition Track requires full-time commitment while the Executive Management Track requires at least a 30% commitment by a current UC employee. See the Application for more detailed information. How long has this Fellowship existed? The first Fellows were appointed in July 2006. The Fellowship has been renewed for a third year by the IUCRP Steering Committee. Additional years of funding for the Fellowship will be dependent upon availability of funds and programmatic priority. What is the duration of the Fellowship? Fellowships are for one year. Depending on the availability of funds, Second Year Awards are available on a competitive basis to Fellows who successfully complete their initial one-year UC Discovery Fellowship, who have demonstrated a strong commitment to the goals of the Fellowship and possess an excellent track record of accomplishments. Second year awards have been made available for the purpose of enabling participating institutions to institutionalize the staff positions needed to transition successful UC Discovery Fellows to campus-supported career positions. Second Year Award amounts have been up to the lesser of 50% of the total cost of salary for a full-time FTE plus medical/dental/vision benefits or $50,000. The maximum support for any Fellow cannot exceed two years. Are the Fellowships available every year? Additional years of funding for the Fellowship will be dependent upon availability of funds and programmatic priority. How much is the Fellowship stipend? For the 2008-9 Fellowship year, Career Transition Fellows (full-time) will receive $65,000 plus support for medical/dental/vision benefits upon request. Executive Management Fellows (minimum 30%-commitment) receive support for release time of up to $70,000 (based on percent of base salary and well-justified Campus/Laboratory financial need) and proportional support for medical/dental/vision benefits. Who pays for travel to the immersion seminar and quarterly retreats? The IUCRP will cover the costs of travel, meals, and housing required by the Fellowship, according to standard University rates and policies. What impact has the Fellowship had on the career path of former Fellows? The Fellowship provides the opportunity to expand one's network with university and industry leaders throughout California. See Past Fellows for what alumni of this program are doing. The Application Process: FellowsFor full details, see the Request for Applications. What is the deadline for application? The deadline for applications for the 2008-09 year was February 15, 2008. Returning Fellow applications were due on May 2, 2008. Future deadlines are subject to change, please check the most recent Request for Application for details. Who is the ideal candidate for a Fellowship? Qualified candidates must:
Are social scientists eligible for the Fellowship? Applicants must hold an advanced degree and exhibit exceptional competence in a field of science or engineering. I do not yet have an advanced degree but I am planning to complete my degree by September, may I still apply? We expect Fellows to devote a full year to the Fellowship. Any overlap with completing a degree may prevent full commitment to a year in the Fellowship. Reviewers will look closely at Fellowship applicants' degree completion date so applicants should provide sufficient documentation from the preferred Mentors (if applicable) and thesis advisor or thesis committee member to explain (1) the likely completion date for the advanced degree (2) the amount of overlap with the UC Discovery Fellowship and (3) any mechanism proposed to manage the overlap. Is previous experience in the private sector necessary to be a strong candidate? This is not a requirement, but see the current Fellows page for their diverse backgrounds. How many people apply each year and how many are selected? Complete applications were received for the 2008-9 Fellowship year from 21 Mentor and 24 Fellow candidates. The number of Fellowships awarded depends on funding availability for the 2008-09 year. May I apply if I am not a U.S. citizen? Yes. Visa sponsorship, however, must be handled through the host UC campus. Do I have to be already associated with the University of California to apply? IUCRP does not require Career Transition Fellows to have a previous association with a UC campus. Executive Management Fellows, however, are expected to be UC employees. Do I need to have a Mentor before I apply? Mentors and Fellows can either apply independently and complete the matching process later, or they may indicate a preference for a specific partner in their application. Each application will be reviewed independently and it is possible that your preferred partner may not receive a priority ranking sufficient to allow him or her to participate in the program. Applicants are encouraged to be flexible with regard to campus and Mentor assignment. Do I need to propose a project in the Application? Career Transition Fellow applicants are not required to propose a specific project. Applicants for the Executive Management Fellowship must indicate specific emerging opportunities at their Campus/Laboratory which would enable them to address the goals of the Fellowship, and all applicants must propose strategies to address the goals. See the Request for Application for more detail. When will applicants be notified about the status of their application and candidacy for a Fellowship? Applicants for the 2008-9 Fellowship class will be notified no later than mid-June 2008. When do interviews take place? Interviews for the 2008-9 class were scheduled in April 2008. After the interviews, if I am selected for a Fellowship, do I have a voice in where I am placed? Applicants must indicate in their application which of the ten UC campuses and UC-affiliated National Laboratories they are willing to consider if selected. Fellowship finalists must match with a Mentor from among the pool that has been given a priority ranking. Applicants are encouraged to be flexible with regard to campus and partner assignment. I am not currently residing in California. If selected as a Fellow, will I be reimbursed for relocation costs? The Fellowship does not include support for relocation or housing. Should you require assistance in finding local housing, please contact your Mentors. The Application Process: MentorsUC Discovery Mentors are:
And provide:
Mentors are expected to be actively engaged in their Fellow's project. In addition they are expected to participate in the Mentors Workshop, attend the required sessions during the Fellows' Immersion Seminar, and attend the first day of each of the four quarterly retreats which will be held at multiple locations around the state of California. Mentors should ensure that the Fellow has a suitable workspace, and access to the people and resources necessary to conduct his or her Fellowship. Two or more Mentors paired with one Fellow. Fellows often find Mentor Teams useful as a mechanism to gather various perspectives and to broker relationships with various groups and constituencies on campus. What is the deadline for application to be a Mentor? The deadline for applications for the 2008-09 year was February 15, 2008. Does the Fellowship fund continuations of existing work (previously funded from other sources)? Approved projects must satisfy the goals of the UC Discovery Fellowship (see “What are the goals of the Fellowship?” above). Do I need to have an individual in mind as my Fellow, or will you match me with a candidate? If you have already identified a proposed Fellow, both Mentor and Fellow should indicate that preference in their applications. Each application will be reviewed independently and it is possible that your preferred partner may not receive a priority ranking sufficient to allow him or her to participate in the program. If you have not identified a proposed Fellow, you should describe the types of skills and expertise you want in a Fellow. If your application is successful, you will have the opportunity to complete the matching process and select a Fellow from among the pool of Fellows who received a priority ranking. When are Mentors notified of the status of their proposals? Applicants for the 2008-09 class were notified in June 2008. |
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