Procedure for Applying to the RTI Fellow Program

Application Process Outline

1. The process begins with obtaining support for your nomination to the Fellow Program from your Supervisor, Unit Vice President, and Executive Vice President. This support should be obtained before beginning to prepare a full application. For new prospective hires who wish to join the Fellow Program they also will need to be nominated by the cognizant Executive Vice President(s) and complete an application.

2. After receiving support from the respective Vice President and if you feel the need to, you may consult with the Lead Fellow of the Fellow Program, who administers the Program, regarding the preparation of an application.

3. Prepare an application in binder form using the following template:

Tab A -- Table of Contents
Tab B -- A supporting letter from the Executive Vice President submitting the nomination. (Note: Provide six completed application binders to the Executive Vice President who will insert the support letter prior to submission to Monica Hall, the Fellow Program coordinator.)
Tab C -- A brief description of your qualifications (six pages maximum). This part of the application summarizes the qualifications for the position of RTI Fellow. A brief summary of background and employment history are provided in the curricum vitae. Section 1 describes your scientific achievements and leadership accomplishments during your career. Section 2 describes your current research activities. Section 3 describes your proposed activities as an RTI Fellow.
- Section 1: Scientific Achievements and Leadership Accomplishments
  - Scientific Achievements. In this section, examples of scientific achievements accomplished while employed at RTI (or elsewhere if a prospective RTI employee) are described. The following elements should be addressed:
    - Discovering or developing new technical knowledge or scientific methods -- Describe significant areas of your work that has discovered or developed new knowledge or methods. Include references to seminal publications that support this element.
    - Applying existing scientific knowledge or methods in unique, innovative ways -- Describe the knowledge or methods and how you applied them in unique and innovative ways. Include references to seminal publications that support this element.
    - Realizing scientific achievements that prove critical to a scientific discipline -- Discuss your achievements in terms of how the published research has significantly impacted the status quo of scientific thought or caused a paradigm shift in the field. Include references to significant publications that support this element.
    - Leading successful technical efforts by multidisciplinary teams -- Describe or list collaborative research efforts with colleagues within and outside of RTI, both in lead and supporting roles for significant multidisciplinary approaches to research problems. Document with references to publications.
    - Contributing significantly to the scientific literature, meetings, and conferences -- Succinctly summarize your contributions.
    - Contributing significantly to new methods or techniques in a scientific discipline -- Provide a narrative on the significant contributions and why they are considered significant. Include references to publications that support this element.
  - Leadership Accomplishments
    - Receiving recognition from colleagues as an expert who solves difficult or complex scientific problems -- Describe the nature of the recognition received and by whom.
    - Mentoring other scientists -- Describe the mentoring relationship and subject area for each person listed in Tab G.
    - Sharing knowledge and influencing scientists in other disciplines -- Describe how knowledge was shared and scenarios where you influenced scientists in other disciplines. Include references to publications that support this element, if any.
    - Actively participating in related technical or professional societies -- Provide a brief description of the nature of this participation.
    - Demonstrating an overall record of leadership through publications in scientific or technical journals -- Describe your publication record in terms of the number of collaborations, disciplines, variety of journals and institutions engaged while achieving your research accomplishments. Discuss the citation frequency and impact factor of the journals where you have published your research.
    - Receiving awards of special recognition from prestigious technical societies -- List the awards and provide the basis for the award
    - Consulting with government/industry/scientific colleagues at their request -- Briefly describe the more significant consultative relationships that you have with colleagues.
    - Crossing disciplinary boundaries, applying expertise in emerging scientific areas -- Describe the research where you have worked collaboratively across disciplinary boundaries into emerging scientific areas. Include references to the more significant publications that support this element.
- Section 2: Current Research
- Section 3: Proposed Activities

Tab D -- A curriculum vitae to include the following:
- (Your name) with complete employment record. Key positions of employment held for the past (number of years) are noted here. List employer, dates, and description of position.
- Summary of leadership and participation in research projects
- List of all awards, honors, patents and other recognition
- List of publications and major scientific presentations (invited speaker, plenary lectures, etc.)
- List of important scientific appointments (outside of RTI – editorial boards, government committees/boards, scientific review committees/ panels/task forces, including requested service by peer-reviewed journals)
- List of conferences, symposia, work groups, congressional briefings as a participant or Chair
- List of invited lectures, teaching courses, seminars at government, universities, or private organizations
Tab E -- Support letters from individuals in senior scientific positions outside RTI who can address your qualifications (up to three letters)*
Tab F -- Support letters from RTI colleagues and clients (up to three letters)*
Tab G -- Support letters for addressing your mentoring activities (up to two letters from individuals outside RTI, and up to two letters from RTI staff)*
Tab H -- Copies of five of your most important publications that exemplify significant and critical scientific accomplishments
Tab I -- Any available patents (up to five of the most important patents)
Tab J -- General outline of proposed work plan for the first three years of participation in the RTI Fellow Program
Tab K -- Other pertinent information

* Before a formal nomination is submitted, you should provide the Lead Fellow, via Monica Hall, the names and addresses of individuals, noting the appropriate category above, who should be contacted to provide supporting letters on your behalf. The Lead Fellow will solicit these support letters and include them with the nomination materials provided to the review panel.

4. The Lead Fellow will process the nomination for admittance consideration. Nominations for appointment to, and promotion within, the RTI Fellow Program will be reviewed by an anonymous review panel appointed by the Lead Fellow specifically for the purpose of considering that nomination. In general, each review panel will include at least two representatives from RTI, with at least one representative from RTI's scientific staff, and one member from outside RTI to provide an independent and objective assessment of the scientific accomplishments and leadership of the nominee. All review panel members will be knowledgeable in the scientific area of the nominee and will be briefed by the Lead Fellow on the nomination process and the qualifications for each level in the Fellow program.

The review panel has the right to request, through the Lead Fellow, any additional information pertinent to its evaluation. In granting such requests, the anonymity of the review panel will be preserved.

5. The review panel will review the qualifications of the nominee and upon completion of the review will provide a confidential, written report of its recommendation to the Lead Fellow. The recommendation is reviewed for completeness and then is forwarded to RTI’s President who will make the final decision and inform the applicant of the decision.

Executive Vice Presidents may also nominate RTI Fellows in their research organization for promotion to a higher level within the RTI Fellow Program. For these individuals, the supporting documentation should only address the accomplishments and additional qualifications achieved after being appointed to their current level within the program.

James A. Trainham
jtrainham rti.org
919-990-8481