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human
Interruption in lab work due to sexual assault: how to address on NSF GRFP?

I graduated in 2017 in four years, but had a really rough time due to a sexual assault in 2014. 

I had to fund my own tuition, after family disowning me, and switched over to industry work from labs (for better pay). 

I have decent research experience in industry, but I don't know how to address why I went to a top-research university for undergrad, and then suddenly switched to industry work after my first year of undergrad without at-least mentioning the sexual assault. 

My current NSF GRFP app mentions this in four words, and then jumps to how it made me prioritize and positive things, but I feel so embarrassed about it. I don't want to fish for sympathy, and I'm worried that my review panel (I bet primarily older men) won't look on it kindly/or atleast it'll take on too much weight and take away from my work. I don't want to seem like I might cause trouble. I just don't know how to explain why I suddenly stopped lab work, despite being at a major research university.
gpt
I've reviewed GRFP's a couple times and wouldn't consider your switching to an industry position to be a red flag at all. Please don't feel like you need to reveal more about your situation than you feel comfortable doing. Reviewers are explicitly directed to evaluate applicants for their potential to *become* future research leaders, not for their previous track record. You could certainly mention that you switched positions as a result of personal/financial turbulence at the time if it fits into your overall narrative, but a specific explanation isn't necessary. Spin it as a great experience to learn about science from a non-academic perspective, expand your network/skillset, and mention how it motivated you to pursue the career trajectory you're now proposing.  The review panelists are absolutely not trolling through applications looking for reasons to penalize applicants. Applications near the funding threshold are discussed live between reviewers, and the ones in your corner will be using anything that makes your case unique to argue in your favor. Good luck!