U.S. Department of Education GAANN Fellowship Program in
the Chemistry Department at the University of Pittsburgh
The Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) Fellowship is a prestigious program designed to train the next generation of teachers and scholars in critical areas of national need. The GAANN program at Pitt Chemistry provides interdisciplinary training in the field of Chemical Biology, broadly defined. For those with a commitment to advancing both research and teaching in chemical biology, the GAANN Fellowship offers an unparalleled opportunity to build a foundation for impactful careers.
Program Features:
- Cross-Disciplinary Research: Fellows will collaborate with two research groups to develop and conduct interdisciplinary research projects.
- Evidence-Based Teaching: Fellows will receive training in evidence-based teaching practices, with opportunities to co-teach lectures with faculty members and/or develop curriculum materials.
- Inclusive Research and Teaching Training: Fellows will receive training in promoting ecological belonging and apply these principles within their research and teaching environments.
- Generous Support: Fellows are supported by an annual stipend of up to $37,000 (based on financial need; we expect most Fellows will receive a stipend around $37,000), full tuition coverage, and health insurance.
Application Requirements:
- U.S. citizenship, U.S. nationality, or permanent residency.
- Enrollment or admission in, or intention to apply to, the Pitt Chemistry Ph.D. program.
- A commitment to pursuing a career in teaching and/or research in chemical biology or related fields, with a record of high academic achievement.
- Demonstrated financial need (we expect most current and prospective students would be in the category of needing financial aid).
- Commitment to all GAANN fellowship training activities.
- Application Materials (please also see the FAQ):
- A two-page statement detailing career objectives, past experiences and future plans on teaching, research, and diversity and outreach initiatives. The research plan must involve collaboration between two research groups, ideally one in chemical biology or related fields and another in a complementary field. The plan should involve joint mentorship or close collaboration between the two groups.
An updated CV.- Two or three letters of support (less than one page each). Two should come from faculty members to be involved in your future research plan, and (required only for current Chemistry PhD students) one from a faculty member who will mentor you on teaching and/or curriculum development.
- Click here for APPLICATION or scan QR code
Fellowship Selection Criteria:
The GAANN oversight committee (Profs. Haitao Liu (PI), Kevin Binning (co-PI), Kaz Koide (co-PI), Peng Liu, Kay Brummond, Kitty Liu) will review the applications and make recommendation to the PI for final selection of GAANN fellows. The committee will consider the following criteria in their recommendation:
- Record of research, teaching, advancing diversity, and outreach activities, as outlined in the statement and CV.
- Strength and feasibility of plan of research, teaching, and diversity and outreach initiatives, as evidenced by the statement and letters of support.
- Potential to attract new external support.
- Clarity of career objectives.
Contact: Inquiry should be addressed to PI of the GAANN grant: Prof. Haitao Liu, Professor of Chemistry, Email: hliu@pitt.edu
FAQ
What are the expectations for cross-disciplinary research training?
GAANN fellows have several options for fulfilling this requirement, with common approaches including: joint advising by two faculty members or having a primary advisor while engaging in collaborative research with another research group. In the latter case, fellows are expected to regularly participate in the collaborating group’s scholarly activities and to contribute to joint publications.
What are the expectations for teacher training?
Beyond the standard TA training provided to all graduate students, GAANN fellows are required to engage in additional teacher training activities. These include participating in ecological belonging workshops (ca. 2 - 3), applying the concept of ecological belonging to their own teaching, attending db-SERC teaching seminar series (min. 8) or similar-themed events, co-teaching with a faculty member, and/or developing new curriculum materials (e.g., lab modules, lecture notes, or outreach activities) with a faculty mentor. Typically, fellows’ total teaching duties during the GAANN support period is expected to be about one-fourth to one-third of one term's TA teaching load.
What is the amount and duration of support?
GAANN fellows receive one year of funding (stipend, tuition payment, and health insurance), which may be renewed contingent on satisfactory progress and funding availability. The stipend is around $37,000/year but will be reduced if Fellows have additional source of support available to them.
What should be included in the letter of support?
The letter should explicitly affirm the writer's commitment to mentoring you in research and/or teaching, highlighting your prior accomplishments in research, teaching, and diversity and outreach initiatives. For research advisors, the letter should also include an outline of plans to pursue external funding based on the result of GAANN support.
