Merit Criteria, Eligibility And Diversity In The Nsf Graduate Research Fellowships

For nearly fifty years, the National Science Foundation has awarded merit-based Graduate Research Fellowships to outstanding students who are early in their graduate studies in NSF-supported fields. This paper looks at three aspects of the program: the introduction of NSF’s two merit criteria, changes in eligibility guidelines, and diversity in the program. It then considers the impacts of some recent changes in the program. While the impacts are positive, considerable outreach is still needed.