ESIA Fellowship-2022

About ESIA

Education, Science & Innovation Alliance (ESIA) is a North America-based nonprofit organization that fosters all aspects of education, science, and innovation among promising young stars who need extra support to excel in their career growth. ESIA is primarily formed by former students from the Department of Chemistry, Shahjalal University of Science & Technology (SUST). However, some individual outside SUST also shows interest in getting involved in ESIA’s mission. The generous individual donations will provide the necessary financial and mental support to uphold this organization’s mission and vision. ESIA does not have any hidden political, racial, or religious agenda.

ESIA Fellowship Award for Outstanding Students

ESIA aims to bring positive change in the community that will have a lasting effect on disadvantaged societies and individuals. There are many ways ESIA aims to facilitate growth in an individual’s life and in the community that otherwise does not receive any support from a privileged society. One of ESIA’s goals is to encourage students to contribute to science by pursuing higher education. The plan is to expand our effort to directly help different research programs in Bangladesh by providing research grants, helping purchase equipment, and providing scientist expertise to better expand the research modality in Bangladesh to make them more impactful. We decided to offer some fellowships for the current chemistry students at SUST with that in mind. However, ESIA’s footprint is expanding, and future interest lies in the other departments of SUST and beyond SUST and Bangladesh. For now, we are offering 4 fellowships in 4 different categories in the SUST chemistry department. Each fellowship will be worth 20,000/ taka, and it will be given once a year. Each applicant should write a letter of interest in the category applicant feels the best fit for. Masters and 1st-year 1st-semester students will not be considered for these fellowships. Below are the 4 categories that ESIA will offer fellowships-

1(i). Fellows of academic excellence

This fellowship aims to recognize the department’s best students (based on GPA). In addition, it encourages the student to get involved in scholarly activities to achieve academic excellence.

1(ii). Fellows of academic excellence (Female)

This unique fellowship will encourage our female students to be in STEM. Our goal is to award the academically best female student in the department. Unfortunately, since our society builds around male dominance, it is harder for a female student to achieve academic excellence.

1. Community Leadership fellow

   This fellowship aims to find and acknowledge students engaged in community activities such as cultural programs, forming clubs to promote cultural activities or sports, or any activities that benefit the community overall. EISA believes such leaders are significant to society.

2. ESIA Feature Fellowship

This fellowship intends to give funding to students who desperately need financial support to continue their studies. However, this fellowship will be awarded to the student who maintains a minimum level of educational excellence. The aim is to support hard-working students but not help those not working hard to change their fate by studying hard. If a student receives a fellowship from a different funding agency, they will be automatically disqualified for this fellowship.

Guideline for the selecting Awardees

1. Asking for the application

   A notice will be provided on the department notice board, Chemistry Alumni page, and other appropriate media for asking for the applications. The applicant should make a pdf file of all documents (listed below) and send it to the email of the head of the department and ESIA at esialliance2020@gmail.com.

   They need to provide the following documents:

   1. Attached application form

   2. A complete CV

   3. Personal statement (1 page)

   4. Attested academic records (By the chemistry department)

   5. Other certificates achieved at SUST (if any)

   6. Other supporting documents

2. Chemistry Department, SUST 1(i). Fellows of academic excellence

   For academic excellence, the department should consider students’ immediate semester results (for example, the 4th-year 1st-semester result will be considered for the 4th year/2nd semester, the 3rd-year 2nd-semester result will be considered for the 4th year/1st students, and so on).

   Applicants should declare whether they received any other fellowship in a given year. ESIA will preference selecting a candidate who never received any fellowship but is equally qualified enough to deserve this particular fellowship. However, if an applicant receives an insignificant fellowship compared to ESIA’s offer, they can be considered.

   1(ii). Fellows of Academic Excellence (Female)

   Same as the previous fellowship, but this one is for female students. It should fulfill the criteria described for Fellows of academic excellence. If the female student selects for category 1(i), they will not consider for this award.

   1. Community Leadership fellow

      This fellowship will be offered based on students’ extra-curricular activities (cultural, sports, helping community/society) of an applicant. The political and religious activities will not be considered community leadership activities.

   2. ESIA Feature Fellowship

   This fellowship will be offered to those in need of financial support. However, considering this fellowship awardee should maintain an overall CGPA: >3.00 (out of 4.00). Suppose applicants are already receiving any aid or received aid. In that case, the department selection committee should consider and extend this fellowship to the individual who didn’t receive any support that year. Since the nature of this fellowship is to identify an individual who is financially struggling and since this is a sensitive issue, ESIA encourages to keep it strictly confidential.

3. Final Selection

A committee consisting of three faculty members of SUST, Chemistry, and 5 members from ESIA will be formed to review the application. The committee will schedule an interview. The ESIA will offer one student for each category based on the personal statement, academic records, and interview. If the awardee declines the fellowship, the ESIA will consider another applicant for the fellowship. The fund will be transferred to the awardee directly. The ESIA has the full right to offer or decline this fellowship without further explanation.