Application Requirements, Form and Selection Criteria

A Grant-in-Aid is a grant of funds to a full-time graduate student of ASHRAE-related technologies. It is awarded once each year for use in the following academic year.

Multiple awards (typically 10 to 25) are made each year in the amount of $10,000. The awards are administered by the students’ University but are meant solely for the students’ personal use while pursuing an HVAC&R related education.

The goal of the Grant-In-Aid program is to encourage outstanding graduate students to become involved in ASHRAE research and establish careers that include active engagement within and continued contributions to Society activities. The evaluation criteria for candidates include academic performance, quality of the student’s research plan, the advisors’ recommendation, and an overall assessment of the likelihood for future involvement of the student within ASHRAE.

In order to be eligible for an award, the applicant must be a full-time graduate student who is either currently working on or proposing to work on a research project that has relevance to ASHRAE. The student must also have a faculty advisor who will supervise the research. Applicants from all ASHRAE regions worldwide are eligible.

Applications shall be made to the Manager of Research & Technical Services on the student's behalf by the faculty advisor and will be reviewed and selected by the Research Administration Committee at the ASHRAE Winter meeting. Applications must be received at ASHRAE Headquarters by DECEMBER 15 to be considered.

Applicants will be notified of the results of the competitive evaluation by April 1. Funds will be available to the grant recipients shortly after July 1.

The student shall complete pages 1-3 of the application and submit it to his/her advisor.

• Student History: Name, address, post-secondary education including current degree program, grade point average, rank in class, membership in professional societies, previous work experience, (transcript to be attached), other financial aid being received.
• Description of Research Project: Significance of research, outline of plan of procedure, plans for publication of research results.

The advisor will then supply the following data on page 4 prior to submission to ASHRAE:

• Information on Institution and Faculty Advisor: Is the Faculty Advisor an ASHRAE member, and if so, for how long and at what grade? Indicate nature of activity in Society affairs. Faculty Advisor's assessment of applicant.

Application forms and additional information can be obtained from the ASHRAE website (http://www.ashrae.org//) or the Manager of Research & Technical Services at ASHRAE headquarters. Requests may be made via mail, fax (404-321-5478) or e-mail (mvaughn@ashrae.org). Application forms should be returned to:

MORTS
ASHRAE
1791 Tullie Circle, NE
Atlanta, GA 30329-2305
404-636-8400

The goal in the selection process is to choose candidates who have the greatest potential for involvement in ASHRAE and contributions to the ASHRAE membership. The information submitted on the application form is reviewed and scored by the Research Administration Committee (RAC) in the following manner with a maximum score of 100:

• Academic Performance: Overall Grade Point Averages (GPA) should be reported on a scale of 1.0 to 4.0 basis with Excellent = A = 4.0; Average = C = 2.0. Students who attend institutions that use a different grading system should, with the help of their faculty advisor, translate their grades to a base having a maximum value of 4. Both undergraduate and graduate GPAs should be reported along with the number of credits associated with each GPA. Up to 25 points are awarded for the GPA. The quality of the undergraduate and graduate program may be used as part of the criteria for awarding the 25 points.
• Research Plan: Significance of research, outline of plan of procedure, and plans for publication of research results should be described. A maximum of 25 points are awarded for this element of the application.
• Faculty advisor recommendation: The Faculty Advisor should make a recommendation based upon student involvement related to ASHRAE or other related society activity, academic achievements, ability to carry out the research project. Up to 25 points are awarded based upon these recommendations.
• Potential for future ASHRAE involvement: The evaluation of this criterion is based on the student and faculty involvement within ASHRAE, the relevance of the research project to ASHRAE, the history of ASHRAE involvement of the institution. The student is strongly encouraged to be a student member within ASHRAE and participate in ASHRAE activities such as an ASHRAE student chapter and local chapter. The faculty advisor is expected to be an ASHRAE member and should demonstrate a history of and/or future potential for involvement within ASHRAE activities. For students and faculty residing outside of North America, membership in the appropriate ASHRAE associate society will be considered to be equivalent. 25 points are awarded for the potential for future involvement by the nominee.

**ASHRAE must be notified if an applicant or awardee leaves school, changes projects or changes faculty advisors.

2008/06/23
Forms/GIA-GRAD.doc