Hubble Fellowship Program

Policy and Budgetary Information for Fellows and Host Institutions

2008-2009

1. Introduction

This document outlines policies and procedures to be followed by new and continuing Hubble Fellows in regard to establishing, or renewing, their Fellowships and the associated arrangements with Host Institutions and Faculty Contacts. It also includes details of the procedures for submitting budget proposals to STScI.

2. General Fellowship Policies

Hubble Fellowships are analogous to research fellowships or similar limited-term appointments at the postdoctoral level at universities. They are not intended to be, nor to compete with, permanent professional career positions.

Each Hubble Fellowship grant is awarded to support an individual Fellow's research program. Fellows are expected to work full-time on their research programs, and to be in residence at the Host Institution during the entire period of the Fellowship appointment.

3. Duration of Fellowships and Important Deadlines

The Hubble Fellowship is a 3–year appointment, subject to annual review and renewal.

Renewal of the Fellowship for the second year is generally automatic, and is subject to submission of an annual report and Faculty Contact letter. The report and letter will be submitted to STScI no later than May 31, 2008. See section 5 for detailed instructions.

Renewals for the third (final) year will likewise be based on a STScI review of the annual report and Faculty Contact letter, but will require demonstration of significant research accomplishments. The report and letter are due at STScI by May 31, 2008. See section 6 for detailed instructions.

Renewal requests will be reviewed by the Hubble Fellowship Program Office and the Grants Administration Office at STScI, and are subject to availability of NASA funds and approval by the STScI Director.

Note also that annual budget proposals must be submitted electronically (in addition to the other materials described above) in order for funds to be awarded during the subsequent academic year. Budgets for the 2008-2009 academic year should be submitted by all Fellows (new as well as renewing) through their Faculty Contacts and Host Institutions by June 30, 2008 (as described below in sections 12 and 13), or two months in advance of the desired starting date, whichever date is earlier.

4. Commencement of the Hubble Fellowship (New Fellows only)

New Fellows should, in general, commence their appointments in September 2008. Individual cases requiring different starting dates will be negotiated jointly with the Fellow, the Host Institution, and the STScI Hubble Fellowship Program Office.

Starting dates earlier than September are possible, but limited by the time necessary to complete administrative procedures for the grant to the Host Institution. Starting dates later than September are also possible, but in all cases Fellowships must commence no later than the end of calendar 2008.

Fellows who have not completed all requirements for their Ph.D. degrees at the time of application must provide proof of completion before commencing their appointments. Please mail a copy to Linda Greenwell, STScI, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218.

New Fellows relocating to the U.S. from foreign institutions should note that the relocation travel must be on U.S. Flag Carriers to the extent possible, if funded through the Fellowship (see section 12 below).

The 2008-2009 budget request is to be submitted electronically through STGMS by June 30, 2008.  See section 12 and 13 for details of budget preparation.

5. Renewals for the Second Year (Fellows finishing their first year only)

Fellows requesting their second year renewal are subject to an annual performance review and must provide:

1) a report based on their scientific research activities since commencing their Fellowships in the fall of 2007 and

2) a letter of support for the renewal from their Faculty Contact

The "Performance and Evaluation Report" will be prepared and submitted electronically, using the template provided in the Space Telescope Grants Management System (STGMS; see section 13 below). The report will be completed by the Fellow and the Faculty Contact or Sponsored Programs Office will submit it through the STGMS. Questions concerning reporting procedures should be addressed to: Linda Greenwell, Grants Administration Office at ST ScI, Phone 410-338-4836, Fax 410-338-4211, E-mail lgreen@stsci.edu.

Submission of the report should be completed by May 31, 2008.

In addition, the Fellow should request that the Faculty Contact write a brief (signed hardcopy) letter assessing the Fellow's research performance during the first year. This letter should be mailed by the Faculty Contact directly to Dr. Ronald Allen, STScI, 3700 San Martin Dr., Baltimore, MD 21218, with the same May 31 deadline.

Fellows will be notified of their renewals for the second year shortly after this deadline.

The 2008-2009 budget request is to be submitted electronically through STGMS by June 30, 2008.  See section 12 and 13 for details of budget preparation.

6. Renewals for the Third and Final Year (Fellows finishing their second year only)

Fellows requesting their third and final year renewal are subject to an annual performce review and must provide:

1) a report based on their scientific research activities since commencing their Fellowship in the fall of 2006

2) a letter of support for renewal from their Faculty Contact

The "Performance and Evaluation Report" will be prepared and submitted electronically, using the template provided in the Space Telescope Grants Management System (STGMS; see section 13 below). The report will be completed by the Fellow and the Faculty Contact or Sponsored Programs Office will submit it through the STGMS. Questions concerning reporting procedures should be addressed to: Linda Greenwell, Grants Administration Office at ST ScI, Phone 410-338-4836, Fax 410-338-4211, E-mail lgreen@stsci.edu.

In addition, the Fellow should request that the Faculty Contact write a brief (signed hardcopy) letter assessing the Fellow's research performance during the past year. This letter should be mailed by the Faculty Contact directly to Dr. Ronald Allen, STScI, 3700 San Martin Dr., Baltimore, MD 21218, with the same May 31 deadline.

The 2008-2009 budget request is to be submitted electronically through STGMS by June 30, 2008.  See section 12 and 13 for details of budget preparation.

Fellows entering their third year should note that Hubble Fellowships are awarded for a fixed term of three years, and therefore no budget expenditures may be made after the end of the Fellowship appointment at the end of the summer of 2009, even if  unexpended funds remain. (The only exception is that, upon prior approval from the Hubble Fellowship Program Office, funds may be used to support page charges for papers that were submitted to the journal prior to the termination of the Fellowship appointment, but accepted for publication at a later date.)

It should also be noted that equipment purchases are generally not be approved during the final six months of the Fellowship (see section 12 below).

The annual review will be conducted at STScI and will be based primarily on the Fellow's level of scientific activity and achievement, as reflected in the Performance Report (including the publication list) and the letter from the Faculty Contact. In the event that the Fellow's scientific activity is judged inadequate, the Fellowship would be subject to discontinuation at the end of the second year.

Fellows will be notified of their renewals for the third and final year shortly after the above deadline.

At the end of the third Fellowship year, a final report describing the Fellow’s accomplishments during the three years will be submitted using the electronic "Performance and Evaluation Report" form.  The Faculty Contact should send a signed hardcopy letter to Dr. Allen assessing the performance of the Fellow throughout the 3-year term.

7. Publications and Other Research Accomplishments

It is expected that the results of the Fellows' research will be published in the refereed literature. Hubble Fellows must identify themselves as such in a footnote attached to their names on the title page of each publication, similar to "¹Hubble Fellow."

Each publication must note the following acknowledgment of the Hubble Fellowship grant:

"Support for this work was provided by NASA through Hubble Fellowship grant #_____ awarded by the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., for NASA, under contract NAS 5-26555."

If the publication was based wholly or in part on HST observations, one reprint must be sent to the STScI Library.

Fellows should also keep the Hubble Fellowship Program Office informed of their research projects, special discoveries, awards, or other significant developments, as they occur during the academic year.

8. Annual Hubble Symposium

All Hubble Fellows are expected to present their research at the annual Hubble Symposium, held at STScI in Baltimore (dates to be determined). Funds to support travel to the Symposium should be requested in the annual budget submission.

9. Stipend

The annual (12-month) stipends for the 2008-2009 academic year are:

In addition, Hubble Fellows may receive health insurance, relocation costs (new Fellows only), and support for travel, equipment, and other direct costs of research, as discussed in section 12.

Note that Fellows are not permitted to accept any additional stipend, salary, or other remuneration of any kind from any other fellowship, grant, or appointment (including a teaching appointment), throughout the duration of the Fellowship. Additional honorary named appointments intended to be linked with the title “Hubble Fellow” are similarly not allowed.  Fellows are expected to devote full time to their individual research projects. (These policies do not prohibit Fellows from proposing for observing time on HST or other facilities, and receiving grants to support related research activities, but any such grants may not provide any salaries or stipends for the Fellow.)

10. Visa Requirements

Non-U.S. nationals who are offered awards must have valid Exchange Visitor Visas or Immigrant Visas for the duration of the Hubble Fellowship appointment. If an awardee applies for an Exchange Visitor Visa, the sponsorship will be under the Host Institution. If the Fellow chooses to apply for an Immigrant Visa, STScI cannot be a participant in the Visa request.  All costs (including attorney fees) associated with the Visa application process are the responsibility of the Fellow or their Host Institution. These costs are not reimbursable by the Hubble Fellowship Program. 

11. Taxes and Insurance

The Host Institution and the individual Hubble Fellows are responsible for complying with all regulations related to State and Federal Taxes.  You are strongly advised to consult with a tax accountant regarding your individual situation.

Non-resident aliens--awardees holding Exchange Visitor (J-1) Visas--are advised that Federal Income Tax may be withheld by the Host Institution, and appropriate inquiry should be made.

A health-insurance program must be provided by the Host Institution for the Fellow or purchased separately, and may be provided for the Fellow's dependents, if any. Funds for this purpose should be requested in the submitted budget (see example below), up to the stated limits. Although Hubble Fellows receive stipends (rather than salaries), the Host Institution may apply its applicable negotiated Fringe Benefit rate to the stipend in order to fund the health insurance. Note, however, that the institution's Indirect Cost Rate may not be applied to either the Fellowship stipend or the Fringe Benefits. If the health insurance is not provided through the applicable Fringe Benefits rate, it may be purchased separately by the Institution or Fellow, up to a limit of $11,000 per year.  Note that the $11,000 per year is for the specific purpose of purchasing health insurance only.  It will not to be used to pay individual medical, dental or prescription bills.  Fringe Benefits must be in accordance with the Standard Policies and Practices related to handling postdocs at the Host Institution.

It is the responsibility of each Fellow to become familiar with the policies of the Host Institution concerning taxes and health insurance.

12. Funding of Hubble Fellowship Grants

Contingent upon availability of funds from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, STScI will fund each Fellowship by awarding a grant to the Host Institution, with the Faculty Contact serving as the Principal Investigator.

Fellowship grants are awarded each year for a 12-month term. A Fellow may receive up to a maximum of 36 months of support over the duration of the Fellowship.

In addition to the stipend, health insurance, and relocation costs (as appropriate), funds will be awarded annually for professional travel during the appointment, computer services, publication costs, and other direct research costs of the Hubble Fellow, including purchase of scientific and/or computing equipment. A budget for each succeeding year must be submitted electronically prior to the award of additional funds for the program (see next section).

Note that the funds awarded for the stipend, health insurance, relocation, and travel to the Hubble Symposium must be used for these specific purposes. Any unexpended funds  budgeted in these categories may not be reallocated to other direct costs, but should be used to reduce the budget request in these categories for the subsequent year (or returned to STScI if unexpended at the end of the three-year term). Unexpended direct costs may be carried over into subsequent years and may be used in addition to the new allocation of direct costs.  Direct costs unexpended at the end of the three-year term must be returned to STScI.

All travel must be approved in advance by the Faculty Contact.  Foreign travel must also be approved in advance by the STScI Grants Administration Office (via a request through the Host Institution's Office of Sponsored Research). Travel outside the U.S., its territories, and Canada is considered foreign. All foreign air travel must be via U.S. Flag Carriers to the extent such service is available. All travel, and especially travel outside the U.S., must be for legitimate research purposes such as presenting papers at scientific conferences, observing, or scientific collaborations that demonstrably require the presence of the Fellow. Requests for funds to support travel to a non-U.S. Fellow's country of origin during holiday seasons will receive special scrutiny by the Faculty Contact and by the Hubble Fellowship Program Office.

All equipment purchases must be approved in advance by STScI. Equipment is  considered to be any single item costing more than $5,000. Note that equipment expenditures are generally unallowable during the final six months of the three-year Fellowship (except in special circumstances, when approved in advance by STScI).

The Host Institution must submit a detailed budget for the 2008-2009 academic year by June 30, 2008, using the electronic STGMS system as described in the next section.

Costs that may be entered into STGMS are illustrated in the Budget Worksheet below. Please note that the amounts proposed for health insurance (if fringe benefits cannot be applied), relocation, other direct costs, and travel to the Hubble Symposium are limited to the maximum amounts shown on the Budget Worksheet. Moreover, the Institution's Indirect Cost rate may not be applied against either the Fellowship stipend or the fringe benefits or health insurance. Please note that STScI recommends applying the fringe benefit rate over purchasing health insurance, if possible.

A brief Budget Narrative statement included in the electronic submission, will explain the basis used for calculating the funding amounts requested for fringe benefits or health insurance, relocation, direct costs, and travel.

13. STScI Grants Management System (STGMS)

The Faculty Contact, on behalf of the Hubble Fellow, and the Host Institution is expected to use the STScI electronic Grants Management System (STGMS) for submission of the annual budget. STGMS should also be used for submission of the annual performance and interim financial reports. The Faculty Contact is the Administrative PI of each Fellow's grant. The Host Institution's Authorizing Official (AO) or the AO's Designee must establish the sponsored research office in the STGMS.

The required software for STGMS may be downloaded from http://GMS.StScI.edu.  User documentation is also available at this site. Most Host Institutions have already downloaded the software, and local system administrators can usually be contacted for assistance.

STScI must provide all accounts for Faculty Contacts in the STGMS. He/she should then obtain a password from the AO or AO Designee at the Host institution and log into the system. Budgets should be prepared using the Budget Editor within STGMS. Local administrators should be able to assist in the preparation of the budget. The AO or AO Designee at most institutions is the person who actually uses the "submit" function. Performance reports can also be submitted through STGMS. The Faculty Contact may ask the AO or AO Designee which privileges they have and how administrative actions are processed at your specific Institution.

14. Changes in Host Institution

Normally each Fellow will be in residence at the chosen Host Institution throughout the three-year Fellowship term. Under special circumstances, however, it is possible that a Fellow could relocate to an Institution other than the original Host Institution. A written request and justification for such a transfer must be made to STScI. Subject to approval from the STScI Director through the Hubble Fellowship Program Office, the grant to the Host Institution will be closed on an equitable basis (termination for convenience), and the grant awarded to the new Host Institution.

Note that, in general, such a transfer will not be approved if the new Host Institution in question has already accepted a new Hubble Fellow for the current year.

15. Family and Medical Leave

The Hubble Fellowship Program recognizes that some Fellows may require leave for situations such as a serious health condition, and/or the birth/adoption of a child during the three-year fellowship period.  The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) policies of the Fellow's Host Institution should be followed for such leave.  If requested prior to (or, if a health condition, coincident with) the situation, ST ScI will extend the fellowship grant period accordingly.  Please contact the Grants Administration Office if you have any questions regarding the above.

16. For Further Information

Questions concerning allowable costs, budget preparation, foreign travel approval or report submission should be directed to: Linda Greenwell, Grants Administration Office, at STScI. Phone 410-338-4836, Fax 410-338-4211, E-mail lgreen@stsci.edu.

Inquiries regarding scientific or policy matters should be addressed to: Ronald Allen, Hubble Fellowship Program Office, at STScI. Phone 410-338-4574, E-mail rjallen@stsci.edu.

17. Education and Public Outreach Supplements

Although Hubble Fellowships are primarily awarded to support research related to the mission of the Hubble Space Telescope, Fellows are eligible to compete for the annual Education and Public Outreach (EP/O) grants, which are also available to successful HST General Observers and Archival Researchers.

Information on these two programs is available at the following web site: http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/eds/funding.shtml. A brief overview is as follows:

• HST Cycle 16 E/PO Grant Program. These grants are awarded competitively to HST observers and archival researchers (and Hubble Fellows).

If you have questions about either program, please contact Bonnie Eisenhammer in the STScI Office of Public Outreach, Phone 410-338-4798, E-mail bonnie@stsci.edu in STScI's Office of Public Outreach. Fellows should note that the nominal Principal Investigator for an E/PO Grant proposal would be their Faculty Contact (who is also the PI for the Fellowship grant).

18. Summary

Important deadlines and other important items:

• New Fellows for 2008:
• Submit first-year budget to STScI by June 30, 2008 using STGMS.
• Provide proof of completion of Ph.D. degree before start date of Fellowship, if the Fellow was still a student at the time of application.

• 2007 Fellows Finishing First Year
• Submit annual report to STScI by May 31, 2008 using STGMS.
• Faculty Contact must send letter to STScI by May 31, 2008.
• Submit second-year budget to STScI by June 30, 2008 using STGMS.

• 2006 Fellows Finishing Second Year:
• Submit annual report to STScI by May 31, 2008 using STGMS.
• Faculty Contact must send letter to STScI by May 31, 2008.
• Submit third-year budget to STScI by June 30, 2008 using STGMS.
• Fellowships and funding expire in summer of 2009 ("no-cost extensions" are not allowed, except as discussed in section 6).
• No equipment purchases permitted during final six months of Fellowship.
• Submit Final Report and final Faculty Contact letter to STScI at end of Fellowship in 2009.

• All Fellows:
• Participation in the Hubble Fellows Symposium at STScI.
• Monitor your grant expenditures and be sure not to overspend in any budget category.
• Keep us informed of any new exciting research developments, or of any concerns, as they arise.