Resources for NAC Alumni

This page will collect documents and information intended to be of help to NAC Alumni.  If you have questions about this information, or would like to request additional information, please send an email to odi@nrao.edu.

AAS Poster Printing

Now offering to all NAC alum! NRAO will print your poster for you, and ship it to the AAS - at no cost!

  1. Send a PDF of the poster to Angie Babson at ababson@nrao.edu no later than noon Thursday, December 20th
  2. Portrait PPT template

  3. Landscape PPT template

  4. Please let Lyndele know if you plan to take advantage of this offer

GradSchoolShopper - American Institute of Physics (AIP)

This annually-produced information is available at no cost:

https://www.gradschoolshopper.com/gradschool/

Useful and important information on the website includes:


APS

Check out the American Physical Society (APS) Bridge Program at: http://www.apsbridgeprogram.org/

Fee Waivers for NAC Alums

A number of universities offer graduate school application fee waivers to NAC alumni. The following list describes the process for individual schools, but is not inclusive of all waivers. A number of other schools have agreed to provide waivers, with a letter from the NAC.

Please the graduate schools to which you are applying, so that we can contact the school and provide you with a letter requesting a fee waiver.

InstitutionInstructions
Arizona State University
  • No waiver offered
  • Contact JJ and Lyndele to make arrangements for payment or reimbursement
Cal Tech
  • https://www.gradoffice.caltech.edu/admissions/fees
  • Contact Lyndele for Letter of Confirmation of NAC Membership
Central Florida University
  • Request letter from Lyndele
Columbia University
  • PENDING - Spring 2018
  • Contact Lyndele for Letter of Confirmation of NAC Membership
Cornell University
  • Fee Waiver Available - contact Lyndele for Letter of Confirmation of NAC Membership
Georgetown University
  • Does not offer fee waivers
  • Contact JJ and Lyndele to make arrangements for payment or reimbursement
Harvard University
  • Fee Waivers not automatically granted, but will likely be granted if you follow this process:
  • Request a fee waiver form from admiss@fas.harvard.edu
  • Indicate on the form that you are an alum of the NAC program, and note that the NAC program is designed to provide research opportunities for underrepresented minority students
  • Review this website: https://gsas.harvard.edu/diversity-gsas 
  • Contact Lyndele for Letter of Confirmation of NAC Membership
Howard University
  • Request letter from Lyndele
Johns Hopkins University
  • Common Application (allows upload of letter for fee waiver)
  • Request letter from Lyndele
Michigan State University
  • Fee Waiver Available - contact Lyndele for Letter of Confirmation of NAC Membership
  • Students should also complete this form after uploading their materials. IMPORTANT:approval of the fee waiver will close your application, so be sure that you have uploaded all parts of your application.
Notre Dame
  • Fee Waiver Available - Request Fee Waiver application from Physics Department (http://physics.nd.edu/graduate-program/apply/)
  • Contact Lyndele for Letter of Confirmation of NAC Membership
Rutgers University
  • In the "Honors" section of the application, note that you are a National Astronomy Consortium (NAC) student
  • Send an email to Andrew Baker to let him know that you are applying (ajbaker[at]physics.rutgers.edu)
Stony Brook University
  • Fee Waiver available through Center for Inclusive Education (send email to Rosalia Davi at . Be sure to tell Ms. Davi that you are a NAC alum.
  • Check out the CIE and fellowship opportunities at http://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/cie/
University of Arizona
  • In the UA graduate application, you will see the drop-down field "Sponsor/Program Affiliation." 
  • The National Astronomy Consortium (NAC) will be one of the affiliations listed in the drop down menu.  Applicants need to select it.
  • Applicants will receive an email directing them (or the Director of the program) to upload proof of participation in NAC.  Proof of affiliation is required before an application fee waiver can be approved.  SEND AN EMAIL TO ODI@NRAO.EDU to request the proof of affiliation letter.
  • Applicants should complete the entire application and upload all materials and any other supplemental information as appropriate; do not pay the application fee.
  • When the fee waiver eligibility is confirmed (via proof of affiliation) and the waiver is loaded into the on-line system, an email will be sent to the applicant to log back in to the graduate application and “submit” it (the application fee will reflect as “paid”). 
  • Waivers may take up to 7 days to process.
UC-Irvine
UC-Santa Cruz
University of Georgia
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • When applying, select the "SROP" fee waiver option and upload Letter of Confirmation of NAC Participation
  • Contact Lyndele for Letter of Confirmation of NAC Participation
University of Maryland
  • PENDING
  • Contact Lyndele for Letter of Confirmation of NAC Membership
University of Minnesota
  • Students must apply through the BTAA FreeApp Program (University of Minnesota)
  • Meet the eligibility requirements for approval
  • Note priority deadline: November 15; otherwise, December 15
  • Contact Lyndele for Letter of Confirmation of NAC Participation
University of Texas - Austin
  • Request a fee waiver when prompted in the application 
  • If the request is not approved, send an email to at UT with application ID and a note that you are a member of the NAC program (attaching the NAC Letter of Confirmation)
University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • Will need to contact Department directly; a coupon code should be issued based upon NAC participation
  • Contact Lyndele for Letter of Confirmation of NAC Membership

 

GRE - Fees

NAC Alums may request reimbursement of the cost of the Physics GRE, along with score transfer fees to a maximum of 4 schools. Limited funding is available, so please request this benefit as soon as you can before taking the GRE or transferring scores.

Option #1: If you have the ability to pay the fees, pending reimbursement (within a week or two), please send receipts to odi@nrao.edu.

Option #2: If you are unable to cover the fees initially, contact Lyndele to arrange a time to apply online together so that NRAO can pay the fee(s) via credit card.

Employment Opportunities

 

Meeting Registration

 If you need financial assistance in order to be able to participate in a professional meeting, send a proposal to odi@nrao.edu, with the following information:

  • Name of meeting
  • Link to meeting registration
  • Cost
  • How this meeting will enhance your research and/or your academic career
  • Are you willing to represent the NAC in some capacity at the meeting (how might you do so, if applicable)?
  • Expected outcomes (e.g., paper, collaboration, increased knowledge)
  • Do you have support from other sources? Are you applying to other sources for funding?

Travel Awards

Travel grants available! If you need financial assistance in order to be able to participate in an otherwise unsupported invited opportunity (invited presentation, observing visits, etc.), send a proposal to odi@nrao.edu, with the following information:

  • Overview of purpose of trip
  • Information about the invitation (from whom, dates, location, etc.)
  • How this travel will enhance your research and/or your academic career
  • Are you willing to represent the NAC in some capacity at the meeting (how might you do so)?
  • Expected outcomes (e.g., paper, collaboration)
  • Budget (please provide enough detail for the reviewers to determine reasonableness of cost estimates)
  • Do you have support from other sources? Are you applying to other sources for funding?

 

Professional Memberships

NAC alums may request student memberships in the National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP) or SACNAS.

Connect with NRAO

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory and Green Bank Observatory are facilities of the U.S. National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

Founded in 1956, the NRAO provides state-of-the-art radio telescope facilities for use by the international scientific community. NRAO telescopes are open to all astronomers regardless of institutional or national affiliation. Observing time on NRAO telescopes is available on a competitive basis to qualified scientists after evaluation of research proposals on the basis of scientific merit, the capability of the instruments to do the work, and the availability of the telescope during the requested time. NRAO also provides both formal and informal programs in education and public outreach for teachers, students, the general public, and the media.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense..."

AUI collaborates with the scientific community and research sponsors to plan, build, and operate cutting-edge facilities. We cultivate excellence, deliver value, enhance education, and engage the public.