[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 14 (Wednesday, January 22, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3013-3015]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-1339]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Docket No. 001214351-3009-04]


Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program; Financial Assistance for 
Graduate Students

AGENCY: National Ocean Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is 
announcing funding availability for graduate students pursuing masters 
or doctoral level degrees in oceanography, marine biology, or maritime 
archaeology through the Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program and is 
inviting applications for such scholarships. The intent of this program 
is to recognize outstanding scholarship and encourage independent 
graduate level research in the above mentioned fields.

DATES: Applications must be received by March 10, 2003 no later than 5 
p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Scholarship awards will be announced in 
July 2003.

ADDRESSES: Applications should be sent to the Dr. Nancy Foster 
Scholarship Program, Attention: Office of the Assistant Administrator, 
13th Floor, National Ocean Service, 1305 East-West Highway, Silver 
Spring, MD 20910. Information on the scholarship program may be 
obtained from the Web site: http://fosterscholars.noaa.gov

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program, 
Office of the Assistant Administrator, 13th Floor, National Ocean 
Service, 1305 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301-713-
3074).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Authority: The Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program is authorized 
at 16 U.S.C. 1445c-1 to recognize outstanding scholarship in 
oceanography, marine biology, or maritime archaeology, particularly by 
women and members of minority groups, and encourage independent 
graduate-level research through financial support of graduate studies 
in such fields.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance: This program is listed 
under CFDA 11.460, titled Special Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Projects.
    Program Description: The Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program 
provides support for independent graduate-level studies in 
oceanography, marine biology, or maritime archaeology, particularly by 
women and members of minority groups. Gender and minority status is not 
considered when selecting award recipients. However, special outreach 
efforts are employed to solicit applications from women and minorities. 
Scholarship selections are based on financial need, academic 
excellence, recommendations, and research and career goals. The program 
is administered through NOAA's National Ocean Service and is funded 
annually with 1% of the amount appropriated each fiscal year to carry 
out the National Marine Sanctuaries Act.
    Funding Availability: For the 2003-2004 academic year, Dr. Nancy 
Foster Scholarships may provide, subject to appropriations, support of 
up to $32,000 per student: a 12-month stipend of $20,000 in addition to 
a tuition allowance of up to $12,000. A maximum of $64,000 may be 
provided to masters students (up to two years of support) and up to 
$128,000 may be provided to doctoral students (up to four years of 
support). For the 2003-2004 academic year, NOAA expects to award up to 
five scholarships.
    The annual stipend will be paid directly to the scholar. The 
stipend is intended to defray cost-of-living expenses, and not to 
support research costs. NOAA anticipates the student and their faculty 
advisor will secure research funds independent of the scholarship. 
Tuition and academic fees will be negotiated between the academic 
institution and the Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship program manager at 
NOAA prior to the receipt of funds. This negotiation is intended to 
leverage scholarship funds and enhance opportunities for scholarship 
recipients. In those instances in which tuition and academic fees are 
not totally waived by the academic institution, the tuition allowance 
in an amount equal to the tuition and fees not waived (but not to 
exceed $12,000) will be paid directly to the scholar for remittance to 
the academic institution. If tuition and fees are reduced or waived by 
the academic institution, then that portion of the

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tuition allowance not needed (i.e., up to $12,000 in the case of a 
total waiver) will be retained by NOAA for future scholarships. No 
money will be paid directly to the student from the tuition allowance 
for purposes other than the payment of tuition and fees.
    Specific instructions regarding the disbursement, management, and 
reporting requirements for all stipend and tuition allowance payments 
will be provided to the scholarship recipients upon selection for the 
award. The awarding of funds beyond the first year will be based on 
availability of funds, continued eligibility of the student, periodic 
certification by the academic institution that adequate academic 
progress is being made, and compliance with applicable reporting 
requirements. At its discretion, each academic institution may 
supplement a scholar's stipend from institutional funds in accordance 
with the supplementation policy of the institution.
    Matching Requirements: There are no matching requirements for an 
award.
    Type of Funding Instrument: Grant.
    Eligibility Criteria: Only United States citizens currently 
pursuing or intending to pursue a masters or doctoral level degree in 
oceanography, marine biology, or maritime archaeology, including the 
curation, preservation, and display of maritime artifacts, are eligible 
for an award under this scholarship program. Prospective scholars do 
not need to be enrolled, but must be admitted to a graduate-level 
program in order to apply for this scholarship. Funds will not be 
released until the applicant provides certification (from the student's 
institution) supporting the student's acceptance to a graduate program. 
Studies must be conducted on a full-time basis. Recipients of 
scholarship awards may be employed at the time of the award if it is a 
requirement of their degree program or directly related to their 
research effort. Other forms of employment will not be allowed and 
scholars will be required to submit a letter certifying that they are 
in compliance with this requirement. Eligibility must be maintained for 
each succeeding year of support and annual reporting requirements, to 
be specified at a later date, will apply.
    Award Period: This solicitation applies only to applicants whose 
studies begin in the fall 2003. Stipends will cover a 12 month period. 
Masters students may be supported for up to two years, and doctoral 
students for up to four years.
    Indirect Costs: No indirect costs will be paid on this award.
    Applications: This notice contains all necessary information and 
announces a closing date of March 10, 2003 for the submission of 
applications. Applications must be received March 10, 2003 no later 
than 5:00 Eastern Standard Time. Scholarship awards will be announced 
in July 2003.
    Applications: Each application must include these following items. 
Failure to submit these items exactly as described in each section 
below will disqualify the application from consideration.
    (I) General Information Sheet
    (II) Statement of Intent
    (III) Institute Certification or Letter of Acceptance (for those 
applicants who are currently enrolled in a graduate program for which 
support is requested, or who have received acceptance for fall 2003 
enrollment in a graduate program for which support is requested)
    (IV) Transcripts
    (V) Three Letters of Recommendation
    (VI) Declaration

I. General Information Sheet

    Personal Data: Provide your full name, country of citizenship, 
current address, permanent address, and home and work telephone 
numbers. If you can be reached by fax or e-mail, include that 
information. Optional--for statistical collection purposes only: 
Indicate your gender, and race or ethnicity.
    Degree Sought: State your proposed field of study (oceanography, 
marine biology or maritime archaeology) and degree type you are seeking 
(e.g., M.S., M.A., Ph.D). Include the month and year you expect the 
degree to be awarded. State the name and location of your institution.
    Education: List the academic degrees you have received, or expect 
to receive by the start of your proposed graduate studies for this 
program, including the date and institution.
    Statement of Financial Need: State the estimated amount needed for 
tuition and fees. List all resources you have available to assist you 
in your graduate studies (e.g., grants, student loans, scholarships, 
personal funds). You must be specific. List all resources by date and 
amount received. Indicate whether the funding source will continue 
throughout the 2003-2004 school year. Also indicate any work 
requirements associated with these resources.

II. Statement of Intent

    The Statement of Intent is a self-description of your academic, 
research, and career goals, and how your proposed course of study or 
research will help you achieve these goals but more importantly, this 
is your opportunity to present yourself, your beliefs, and your 
aspirations. Include any background information you believe is 
pertinent, and provide insight into why you have chosen the goals you 
are pursuing. This statement should not be a research proposal or 
scientific abstract. This statement will be used to evaluate you as an 
individual, not necessarily as a scientist, and your motivation for 
applying for this scholarship. This statement should demonstrate your 
organizational, analytical, and written communication skills. The 
Statement of Intent should be typewritten , single-spaced on a blank 
sheet of paper, and should not exceed one page in length. Statements 
longer than one page will not be accepted and will result in the 
application being disqualified.

III. Institute Certification

    A letter from the applicant's institution certifying that the 
student is enrolled or has been accepted to a graduate program must be 
submitted with the application. The letter should consist of the 
following information on school letterhead and be signed by a school 
official: Name and location of the academic institution, the school and 
department that you currently are attending or plan to attend, and the 
month and year your studies will begin if you are not currently 
enrolled. If you have a graduate advisor, list his/her name, address, 
telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address, if available, in the 
Institute Certification portion of your application. Current 
transcripts will not be accepted in lieu of Institute Certification. 
Failure to include the Institute Certification specifically as 
indicated above will result in the application being disqualified.

IV. Transcripts

    Provide transcripts for all previous university/college-level 
studies. Photocopied transcripts are acceptable. Transcripts must be 
included with all other application materials. Those mailed separately 
will not be accepted. Failure to include transcripts from all previous 
university/college-level studies will result in the application being 
disqualified.

V. Three Letters of Recommendation

    Each application must include three, but only three, signed letters 
of recommendation from individuals who have knowledge of your academic 
record, research effort, work and/or life experience. Relevant unpaid 
work, such as internships and volunteer efforts, is applicable. If you 
have a sponsor or advisor in the program, one of these letters should 
be from that individual. Letters of recommendation sent apart

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from the application will not be accepted. Applications without three, 
signed letters of recommendation or with more than three letters of 
recommendation will result in the application being disqualified.

VI. Declaration

    Applicants must certify that all statements and information in 
their applications are true and correct by copying the following on a 
plain sheet of paper, signing it, and including it in their 
application:
    I, the undersigned, declare, under penalty of perjury, that all 
statements and information in my application are true and correct.

Executed on [insert date].
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Print or Type Name
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Signature
Failure to include this statement, signed by the applicant, will result 
in the application being disqualified.

    Funding Priorities: The priority of the program is to fund 
independent graduate-level studies in oceanography, marine biology, or 
maritime archaeology with scholarships distributed by disciplines, 
institutions and geography, and by the degree type and level being 
sought, with selections within distributions based on financial need, 
the potential for success in a graduate studies program, and the 
potential for achieving research and career goals.
    Evaluation Criteria: The evaluation criteria and their weights are 
as follows: (a) Financial need (40%); (b) academic record (20%); (c) 
recommendations (18%); (d) organizational, analytical, and written 
communication skills based on statement of intent (15%); and (e) 
research and career goals and objectives as described in your statement 
of intent (7%).
    Selection Procedures: An advisory panel of NOAA experts will review 
applications based on the evaluation criteria and provide a numerical 
score for each. The Program Manager will rank the applications based on 
these scores. Applications falling within the top 10 percent will be 
reviewed by a second panel of federal experts from which scholarship 
recipients will be chosen. The second panel will consider the following 
criteria: Availability of funds, distribution of awards across 
disciplines, institutions and geography, the degree type and level 
being sought, and the statement of intent. Therefore, scholarship 
awards will not necessarily be made to the applicants receiving the 
highest scores. The panel will arrive at a consensus decision for 
selection of scholarship recipients.
    Announcement of Awards: The names, academic institutions, degrees 
being sought, research plans, and biographical information of the 
scholarship awardees will be posted on NOAA's National Ocean Service 
Web site and may be published in marketing materials developed to 
advertise the Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program.
    Unsuccessful Applicants: The applications of unsuccessful 
applicants will be destroyed following the selection of the recipients.
    Other Requirements: The Department of Commerce Pre-Award 
Notification Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements 
contained in the Federal Register notice of October 1, 2001 (66 FR 
49917) as amended by the Federal Register Notice published on October 
30, 2002 (67 FR 66109) is applicable to this solicitation.
    Classification: This document contains collection-of-information 
requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). This 
application has been approved by the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) under control number 0648-0432. Public reporting burden for this 
collection of information is 4.5 hours for an application and 45 
minutes per letter of recommendation. These estimates include the time 
for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering 
and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the 
collection of information. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
no person is required to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to 
a penalty for failure to comply with, a collection-of-information 
subject to the PRA, unless that collection displays a currently valid 
OMB control number.
    Applications under this program are not subject to Executive Order 
12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.
    This action has been determined to be not significant for purposes 
of Executive Order 12866.
    Because notice and comment are not required under 5 U.S.C. 553, or 
any other law, for notices relating to public property, loans, grants, 
benefits or contracts, a Regulatory Flexibility Analysis, 5 U.S.C. 601 
et. seq. is not required and has not been prepared for this notice.

    Dated: January 16, 2003.
Alan Neuschatz,
Associate Assistant Administrator for Management, National Ocean 
Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. 
Department of Commerce.
[FR Doc. 03-1339 Filed 1-21-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-JE-P