Smithsonian
Institution
National Museum of Natural History
Research
Training Program
Selection
Process
In
an ideal world the Smithsonian's National Museum
of Natural History could open the "behind-the-scenes"
doors to every person interested in making a contribution
to science.
In
reality, space and time limit the number of opportunities
available. To select the 10 - 24 undergraduate
students who will be invited to join the summer
session of the Research Training Program, application
documents are reviewed through a seven-step process
designed to identify those individuals who will
benefit the most from a research experience at
the NMNH.
Annually
approximately 200 students apply for participation
in the summer program. To learn more about the
process used to select student participants for
the Research Training Program, review a general
summary of the seven-step process or see the detailed
listing of each step.
Selection
Process Summary
Selection
Details
1.
Pre-screening
2. Semi-finalist scoring
3. Applicant pool evaluation
and score normalization
4. Review by project advisors
5. Finalist judging
6. Mentor selection / confirmation
7. Applicant notification
Recruitment
and Selection Overview
SELECTION
PROCESS SUMMARY
All
applications are first pre-screened. Inappropriate
applications are eliminated or forwarded to other
Smithsonian offices for placement (as post-doctoral
fellows, visiting scientists, short-term visitors,
or high school interns). The remaining applications
are reviewed and scored by two members from the
NMNH scientific staff. Criteria considered during
the preliminary review includes basic requirements
for participation such as undergraduate status,
complete application information, acceptable GPA
(generally above 2.0 based on 4.0 scale), positive
recommendations, and received in accordance with
the deadline.
The
majority of applications eliminated in the prescreening
are rejected because the application file lacks
information necessary to effectively evaluate
the applicant (e.g. letters of recommendation
or cover letter).
Following
prescreening, applications are scored and ranked
by a panel of scientific reviewers made up of
members from the NMNH research staff. Each application
is reviewed and scored by two different reviewers.
The rating factors are academic performance, academic
background, interest in natural history research,
motivation to participate in the program, career
goals, career potential, letters of recommendation,
and special experience or interests. The top 40
- 50 applicants are forwarded on to critical review
by project advisors and a panel of judges.
The
RTP final selection committee nominates the program
participants and assigns research advisors. When
assigning project advisors, the committee first
considers the students' preferences as listed
in the application form and second considers the
research expertise of NMNH scientific staff that
best parallels the students' goals and interests.
In most cases students are assigned one of their
top choices.
After
the final selection committee has reached their
decision, project advisors approve participant
nominations and student/advisor teams. All applicants
are notified of status on March 8. No information
about applicant status is released until 8 March.
PRE-SCREENING
All applications are first pre-screened. Inappropriate
applications are eliminated or, in special cases,
are considered by other Smithsonian offices for
placement in other positions. The majority of
applications eliminated in the prescreening are
rejected because the application file lacks information
necessary to effectively evaluate the applicant
(e.g. letters of recommendation or cover letter).
During
pre-screening applications are reviewed and scored
by two members from the NMNH scientific staff.
Criteria considered during the preliminary review
includes basic requirements for participation
such as undergraduate status, complete application
information, acceptable GPA (generally above a
50% rating such as 2.0 based on 4.0 scale), positive
recommendations, and received in accordance with
the deadline.
Pre-screening
begins February 2 and concludes that same day.
Semi-finalists are generally announced before
February 4. Application documents received after
the prescreening concludes are not considered.
SEMI-FINALIST
SCORING
Following prescreening, semifinalist applications
are scored and ranked by a panel of scientific
reviewers made up of members from the NMNH research
staff. Applications are reviewed and scored by
two different reviewers. Reviewers read and score
no more than 50 applications.
The
rating factors are: academic performance, academic
background, interest in natural history research,
motivation to participate in the program, career
goals, career potential, letters of recommendation,
and special experience or interests.
Semifinalist
scoring concludes after one week of review.
EVALUATION
AND NORMALIZATION
All semifinalist scores are normalized to eliminate
reviewer biases. Reviewers tend to score differently
with some generally awarding higher scores and
others lower averages. Therefore, scores are computer
normalized to equalize rankings across review
sets.
To
ensure adequate representation across divisions
and disciplines the top scoring applications are
compared using four categories: research discipline,
award restrictions, academic status, and compensating
factors.
PROJECT
ADVISOR REVIEW
The top 40 - 50 applicants are identified and
available for critical review by project advisors.
Potential advisors are not required to review
applications during the selecting process. However,
at this point in the review, potential advisors
can review and comment on any application in the
applicant pool.
FINALIST
JUDGING
Based on the normalized scores of semifinalists,
and in some cases comments from potential advisors,
40 finalists are identified. Finalist application
documents are scored and ranked by a panel of
seven judges representing each of the NMNH research
disciplines.
The
RTP final selection committee nominates the program
participants and assigns research advisors. When
assigning project advisors to serve as mentors
to RTP participants, the committee first considers
the students' preferences as listed in the application
form and second considers the research expertise
of NMNH scientific staff which best parallels
the students' goals and interests. In most cases
students are assigned one of their top choices.
MENTOR
SELECTION / CONFIRMATION
After the final selection committee has reached
their decision, potential mentors are contacted
to approve participant nominations and student/advisor
teams. In some cases mentor availability changes
during the selection process due to unpredictable
research schedules. Confirmation of student/mentor
teams can proceed for several weeks.
APPLICANT
NOTIFICATION
Students selected for participation in the summer
session of the Research Training Program are generally
contacted personally to discuss the terms of participation.
All
applicants are mailed notification of status on
March 8. No information about applicant status
is released until March 8.
RECRUITMENT
AND SELECTION OVERVIEW
Recruitment
of Participants
The NMNH, with no resident undergraduates, must
recruit all students from outside the Institution.
The goal of recruitment is to advertise the Research
Training Program as widely as possible utilizing
a variety of media including web postings, mailings,
and active participation in career fairs so as
to attract students who might not otherwise consider
an appointment at the Smithsonian. Special emphasis
is placed on reaching out to potential participants
from underrepresented groups through personal
contacts, partnerships, advertisement, participation
in career fairs, and attending special conferences
(e.g. Society for Advancement of Chicanos and
Native Americans in Science).
Today
we rely on web postings to advertise the program
but in prior years
recruitment posters were mailed to over 7,500
institutions, representing about 2,000 different
institutions with a specific emphasis on small
universities and minority colleges.
Participant
Selection
The Research Training Program is committed to
recruiting and selecting women and minorities
to serve as future role models in the natural
history sciences. Selecting protocols are regularly
evaluated and restructured so as to continuously
work toward this goal. The selection process is
designed to identify students who will benefit
the most from participating in the curriculum
of the Program including those who are: motivated
to participate in, and learn about, NMNH based
research topics; interested in a career in the
biological, geological or anthropological sciences
(including research, teaching, or collections
management); and equipped with a sufficient educational
background to understand, and truly benefit from,
the wealth of information, concepts, and methodologies
presented.
Each year approximately 200 applications are anticipated
from students seeking to join the Program.
A
complete application portfolio includes a one-page
cover letter describing the applicant's educational
background, interest in natural history research
and current career goals; an application form
providing an educational and professional biography;
and two letters of recommendation.
Application
Submission Update
The
traditional deadline to apply for participation
is February 1st. Evaluation of applications and
selection of participants is accomplished during
the month of February and all applicants notified
of status by March 8th. Not all positions are
filled by the notification date due to mentor
travel schedules and complexities in matching
research teams. Once notified of their nomination
to participate, selected applicants have until
March 24th to accept or decline a position in
the Program. Placement of alternates in declined
and unassigned positions begins March 25th and
continues through April 1st. The selection and
notification schedule has proven very successful,
especially in securing target students for positions
before they commit to other summer opportunities.
Selection Process
Complete Summary
To
minimize bias and to ensure that all applications
are equally evaluated, the selection of participants
for the Research Training Program follows an impartial
seven step review process: 1) prescreening, 2)
application scoring, 3) normalization, 4) mentor
review, 5) final judging/selection, 6) mentor
approval, and 7) applicant notification.
Key
review elements are: academic background, academic
performance, science experience, motivation to
participate in the RTP, career goals, career potential,
letters of recommendation, and compensating characteristics
/ personal attributes (used to particularly credit
unique or target applicants).
The
selection process begins with a pre-screening
of all applicant files to eliminate incomplete,
inappropriate, and non-competitive applications,
at least one-third of the applicant pool. Two
members from the scientific staff read and review
all applications. Next, applications are scored
and ranked by a scoring committee made up of NMNH
research scientists. Applications are divided
into review sets. Scoring committee members review
only one set. Two different reviewers score each
application. Scores are converted to rank and
computer normalized. Next, the 40 top scoring
applications are evaluated to ensure that there
is adequate representation across research divisions
and disciplines. To ensure a diverse group of
undergraduate students, including representatives
from different academic levels; ages and backgrounds;
cultural, social, and ethnic groups; US states
and territories, some adjustments may be made,
resulting in a finalist set of 50. After this
initial ranking, mentors are invited to review
the entire applicant pool, including the finalist
set, and to provide recommendations. A committee
composed of seven scientists representing each
of the NMNH research disciplines then reviews
finalists. This committee nominates student/mentor
teams plus 8 alternate teams. The top candidates
are linked with appropriate mentors corresponding
to their mutual interests, prior experience, and
stated preferences including the student's mentor
selection. Mentors are then consulted about the
committee nominations and adjustments are made
as necessary. Invited participants and alternates
are contacted personally by telephone to discuss
placement and answer their particular concerns
and questions. Most mentors initiate contact immediately
following selection to begin designing the research
projects.
Each
year the Research Training Program begins Memorial
Day weekend and concludes ten weeks later.
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