Help a Starving Grad Student

So it’s been a pretty awesome turn-out for The Gam Classroom Initiative and several of the projects have been successfully funded.  That doesn’t mean you should let up though.  541 potential Jaques Cousteaus (or Steve Zissous) have been reached, but I’d definitely prefer to see that number in the millions.

That said, if you’ve already given all your heard-earned cash but still want to support a budding scientist, here’s a way you can help out without having to pay a dime.  Christie Wilcox of Observations of a Nerd is a finalist for a $10,000 blogging scholarship, and needs all the votes she can get.  Right now the runaway favorite is a blog about reviewing cosmetic products.  If that wins then not only is a totally worthy science blogger left out in the cold, but I’ll be forced to lose what’s left of my faith in humanity.  Swarm that poll like a pack of hungry dogfish.  Failure to help out will result in me sending this porbeagle to your house.

9 comments

  1. max · October 28, 2010

    Why do you and the original person keep talking about ‘science blogging’? The award doesn’t mention science anywhere. It is just an award for blogging in general. Are you so much of an elitist that in order to keep your faith in humanity a general award for blogging, has to be about science to be worthy?

    • Chuck · October 28, 2010

      There are definitely other worthwhile blogs on there, but as a science blogger and wannabe scientist I’m throwing my support behind a fellow grad student and science blogger. The “lose my faith in humanity” comment is a little joke that happens to reveal my particular bias.
      Other worthwhile blogs in my opinion are IC U Pee (for sheer entertainment value, and the audacity of having something like it as a finalist) and the one about Oakland (for being a nice hub for a city that could use a boost). Just because I happen to be boosting a fellow science blogger doesn’t mean anyone who clicks on that link shouldn’t vote for any of the other blogs.

      • max · October 28, 2010

        You did not answer my question as why why you keep referring to ‘science blogging’. You and her both call the “a $10,000 science-blogging scholarship”. My point is that you are lying by phrasing it as such since the award isn’t for ‘science-blogging’ its just for blogging.

        • Chuck · October 28, 2010

          Actually, you’re exactly right on that count. This was a rather rushed post and I didn’t catch that before putting it up. It’s been corrected, and thanks for pointing that out. I like to at least make sure I don’t have any glaring inaccuracies, as biased as I might be.

      • Southern Fried Scientist · October 28, 2010

        I C U Pee is funny, but rather poorly executed for an art student. The bilingual multimedia story telling blog was pretty cool, too. But Christie has a long history of stellar blogging and quite frankly blows the other blogs out of the water. A couple of them are fairly superficial vanity blogs and the second place one is just product reviews. Useful, I’m sure, but worthy of a blogging scholarship?

        And if supporting science bloggers makes you an elitist, then fine, I’m elitist. A society that values product reviews over fundamental knowledge of the world we live in would make me sad too.

  2. Southern Fried Scientist · October 28, 2010

    The scholarship seems like a double-edged sword. I know most grants that provide tuition support and stipend require that you can only be rewarded one at a time (i.e. NSF GRFP, EPA Star, Nancy Foster Scholarship, among many others). While I voted for Christie, I get the impression that that particular award is designed more to help undergraduates pay for their education.

    • Christie · October 28, 2010

      Actually, that’s not entirely true. Most of the major funders preclude you from having other FEDERAL funding, but not other funding. E.g. EPA STAR: “This fellowship does preclude receiving other federal fellowships simultaneously. However, acceptance of this fellowship does not necessarily preclude acceptance of another private, state, regional, local, or non-profit scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, research assistantship, teaching assistantship, or grant aid.”

      🙂

      • Southern Fried Scientist · October 28, 2010

        Thanks for clearing that up. I know there are several fellowships that would either not allow you to hold both simultaneously or doc the 10K from their award. Glad to know that’s not your case since it looks like you’re the overwhelming favorite to win.

        Best of luck and ignore the dumbass comments from people who think the only time they don’t win is when someone else is cheating.

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