Commonwealth Scholarship

Just as I've given up hope on UK universities, the commonwealth scholarship for developed countries came under my radar.

"Applications for the 2009 Commonwealth Scholarship for students from the Commonwealth to study in the United Kingdom are now open. The Scholarship is for study at PhD level in the UK in 2009. Candidates may also apply for a “split-site” award for one year’s study in the UK as part of a PhD being taken in Singapore. We should encourage our best students to apply."

Details on the Commonwealth Scholarship may be found at this website: http://www.cscuk.org.uk/2009ScholarshipstodevelopedCommonwealth.asp

After talking to Lucian today at lunch, I'm wondering if I should apply for studies straight away or just stick to my work plan. Cause for concern is that such opportunities and information may not be available to me once I graduate! :( Maybe I can tell pauline to keep me in the loop...

GRSS Funding Received!

17 April 2008

Dear Monkey,

I am pleased to inform you that your application to the above scheme has been approved with the following budgetary allocations:

Overseas Travel - $3000

The amount approved is the maximum limit for Masters student.

Yay hurray! I can start my fieldwork in peace now. However I am still hoping my supplementary funding will come in as this is seriously not enough. What more I am now recruiting field assistants.

So far, I have gotten several geography undergrads who are very keen and I'm so glad. 2 confirmed. 2 more not. 1 nakedhermitcrab keen on coming as well. We'll see how this goes. Glad I don't have to be up in the north alone.

Now I just need to get enough people for the survey in Singapore. A teacher friend of mine in NJC said the research sounds interesting and will send it to the students who need CIP project. Let's hope somebody respond favorably!

On other news, I need to seriously get in touch with the vehicle person in Cameron and hopefully Mr Chua will confirm with my query for June accommodations favorably.

I am actually disturbed by something in the funding letter but cannot write about it.

Funding Resource

Found a most amazing scholarship resource.

http://www.getscholarship.net/

Tips for NUS fund application

I realize after quite a multitude of administrative work within the faculty and university that there are a few things needed, especially when money is involved.

1) Travel expenses must include justifications for every single thing - airfare must include proof of where you got the quotation from, even if it's the document provided by the university.

2) If there are different exchange rates involve, include a print out of the calculation, the rate, the source which you got your calculation from.

3) Always have an updated CV ready.

Research Abstract

I finally submitted my application for the graduate research support scheme which gives a maximum of $3000 for masters students to do overseas field work. It took a few edits but I finally sent it in today. I thought it'd be nice to share / record down what I wrote for the abstract and objective of field work. It's long.

TITLE OF THESIS
Singapore and its Agricultural Hinterlands: Urban Demand Impact on the Environmental Behaviour of Malaysian Vegetable Farmers

ABSTRACT OF THESIS (200 word limit)
With the rapid growth of urban centers globally, urban consumption is proving to have a greater regional and global impact than before. Singapore being a city-state provides the perfect case study for the impact of urban demand on commercial primary production in its regional hinterlands of Malaysia and Indonesia. Previously urban-rural agricultural issues within national boundaries have now become a dialogue between global urban cities and transnational agrarian regions.

Malaysia has moved from a colonial agricultural hinterland of Singapore to currently a transnational hinterland of the city-state. Hence Malaysia’s sustainable agricultural practices now have to respond to both its national imperatives as well as “foreign” environmental benchmark. While there are physical studies done of environmental impacts from agriculture, the factors influencing farmers’ actions, decision-making and environmental behaviour remains a black box for researchers, managers and policy makers alike.

Based on Singapore’s vegetable imports, this study aims to:

1. Examine the driving factors influencing farmer’s environmental behaviour and decision-making process that determines adoption of farming practices.
   
2. Identify the hierarchy of influence that these driving factors have on vegetable farmers and in the implementation of sustainable agricultural practices.
   
3. Show the interrelationship between Singapore’s vegetable consumption trends and Malaysia’s supply of its vegetables by looking at specific aspects of the vegetable trading system.

Modules Sem 2 AY07/08

GE6770 Graduate Research Seminar
GE5660 Independent Study Module
LAB1201 Bahasa Indonesia 1 (S/U)
ST1131 Statistics (Audit)

On the research front:
- Singapore demand side study
- Recce in Pekanbaru, Indonesia
- environmental concepts lit review (ISM)

On the paperwork front:
- IRB
- Research grant ($3000)

On the conference front:
- Apply for SEAGA
- Apply for conference grant

On the publishing front:
- HT

On the teaching front:
- no updates yet

On the stress front:
- dead

I look at the list and I become seized by fear. Paralyzed. I don't dare to move forward, don't know where to begin. It's not that I am procrastinating but I set myself up for this perfectionist syndrome.

The wise thing to do right now would be to choose just one of those and work on that. I've tried picking IRB as my first on the list but I'm thinking that's the wrong thing to do because it involves rewriting my research proposal which is scaring me stiff right now. Everything is tied up with one another. Fuck! I don't know what to do. I'm so scared. Omg I am just overwhelming myself. Why do I do that?! Ok I am going to try something easier... *blank*

Responsibilities of a Grad Student

Being a paid student has lots of responsibilities.

1) Research - primary research and lit review
2) Publish - to get grants and job next time
3) Grants - no money no talk
4) Teach - part of scholarship and experience for job next time
5) Conference - present papers and network for jobs
6) Coursework - still must attend classes
7) Write - at the end of the day still must write the damn thesis
8) Future Career - Must apply for PHD before finish masters

The worst part of all this is that there's an expiry on all the good things in life. Some grants and scholarships have age limit. Even money expire. Damn ageists!

Often, 25 years old is the limit for certain grants and the PHD overseas scholarship from NUS is for those under 30. If I take 2 years to do Masters, I will be 28 when I graduate. That only gives me 2 years leeway for the PHD scholarship from NUS. I think I must apply ASAP.

No wonder people "behind" like me feel the need to expedite matters. Maybe I should do the same too! Perhaps I can finish in one year!

NUS funds

Graduate Student Project Fund allows up to $400 which can be used for travel expenses in my field work.

FASS Graduate Research Support Scheme allows up to $3000 in the course of my candidature.

Conference funds is a whole different thing altogether and I think I only get to spend about $2000 in the course of my candidature.

Now I just have to find super cheap everything to cover my costs and pray that the Toyota Foundation funding comes through.

Other possible funds

Here's a list of funding agencies compiled by the European Tropical Forest Research Network but the list has been rather limiting for me since I'm not really doing forestry perse.

For future reference, the Social Science Research Council (SSRC) also offers a very diverse range of fellowships but for doctoral or post-doc only.

The Association for Asian Studies in the North Americas also has a comprehensive list of grants but I think it's not international.

For future reference, the American Association of University Women do provide quite a list, especially the international fellowship.

At the end of the day, here's the scholarship that funded Danwei in the US. NUS offers a NUS-Overseas Graduate Scholarship with a 5 years contract with NUS to teach after the completion of PhD. Honestly I wouldn't really mind that. Of course I would prefer funding directly from the university in US.

Disgusting as this may be, I am considering writing to HSBC or Bayer to ask for funding for my research. Argh.

Here's something interest: the Southeast Asian Regional Centre for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture! They have a list of grants. There is also an Asian Association of Agricultural Colleges and Universities which provides a link for schools in Indo and M'sia which I can find help for my research!

Toyota Foundation

Have been on the search for funding for my research and field work. While prowling for southeast asian funds, I came across the Toyota Foundation's Southeast Asian Studies Regional Exchange Program (SEASREP).

It seems like the most likely one at the moment as it allows "enrolled graduate students to carry out library or field research on a Southeast Asian country other than their own or on a comparative topic involving two or more Southeast Asian countries."

That sounds very much like my own research. Deadline for applications is on 1 October 2007. Despite the early date, the money will only come next year!

SEASREP also has its own website which includes a very comprehensive FAQ. I think I should get in touch with the people at SEASREP to ask them which grant I should apply for.

IMPORTANT DATES
1 October 2007: Deadline of Applications
January 2008: Selection of grantees
March 2008: Approval of grant funds for 2008-2009
Late March 2008: Announcement of grantees for 2008-2009
Early April to May 2008: Release of grant funds

I better work on my proposal soon and get it out before September!