New NSF Traineeship Program To Be Administered by Schools

The University will apply for funds under a new $6 million National Science Foundation program of graduate traineeships in engineering, Frederick K. Willenbrock, associate dean of the division of Engineering and Applied Physics, announced yesterday.

Though details of the application have not been settled, the University will request as many traineeships as NSF is willing to provide, Willenbrock said.

NSF plans to endow 1200 traineeships for 1964-65. Trainees will receive stipends of approximately $2500 per year, plus $500 for each dependent. Tuition will be covered by an additional $2500 cost-of-education grant, given directly to the school.

Enrollment the Same

Willenbrock said the traineeships would not be used at Harvard to increase graduate enrollment in Engineering and Applied Physics, but for financial aid only. "There are always a large number of deserving students in the division whom we cannot support for lack of funds," he said.

The traineeships will supplement the current NSF Graduate Fellowship Program. There will, however, be no national competition for this program, as there is for NSF Fellowships. Awards and renewals will be handled directly by Harvard.

Expansion Planned

If funds are available, NSF hopes to expand the program for 1965-66 to include graduate students in mathematics and the physical sciences, according to Francis G. O'Brien, associate director of the traineeship project. Eventually, students in biology and some social sciences may also be included.

The new program was recommended by the President's Science Advisory Committee in Dec., 1962, as part of an effort to increase scientific and engineering manpower. That Committee hopes the number of doctoral degrees awarded in engineering, mathematics, and the physical sciences will be increased to 7500 per year by 1970. Less than half that number were awarded in 1960.