Frontera Computational Science Fellowships
Application Instructions
Nominations open: November 11, 2023
Nominations close: February 6, 2024, 11:59pm at applicant’s local time
Fellows Announced: April 2024
Funding begins: June 1, 2024
To be considered for a Frontera Computational Science Fellowship, an applicant must meet the following requirements.
- Be enrolled as a graduate student at the time of application
- Have completed at least one year of their graduate program as of March 2023
- Have at least one full year remaining in their program as of June of the year of award
- Be enrolled in a US institution and studying in the United States or one of its territories
- Be able to spend at least one week during the summer semester in residence at TACC in the year of award (roughly June and July, but will vary according to your school’s calendar)
What the Applicant Provides
The candidate will apply via an online application system, providing the following information:
- Contact and demographic information.
- A single PDF (with the naming convention “LastName_FirstName_RD.pdf”) that includes:
- Project title and abstract (max. 100 words).
- Personal statement (max. 500 words) - Tell us about your personal, professional, and educational experiences and future career goals. Include specific examples of any research and/or professional activities in which you have participated, and whether you held leadership roles. Specify your role in the activity including the extent to which you worked independently and/or as part of a team, and how you contributed to the team's activity. Tell us why you would make an outstanding Frontera Computational Science Fellow.
- Research statement (max. 1,000 words) - research idea and how data analysis, visualization and parallel computing resources are critical to addressing the research topic; how the research will advance knowledge and understanding within the field of study; how this opportunity would further research goals and accelerate or expand the impact of the research. Any graphs or charts included in your research statement will not be included in the word count.
- Two letters of reference: It is your responsibility to secure commitment from two references who know your academic abilities and work ethicethic (NOTE: Through the application process, you will provide the names and contact information of your recommenders. They will then be contacted via email and provided with a link to independently upload their letters of recommendation to the application website). At least one reference must come from a person directing your graduate research (i.e., major professor or dissertation director). The letters must:
- Not exceed two pages per reference
- Be signed and on letterhead
- Be uploaded as a PDF
- The letters must address:
- Originality of the applicant's proposal
- Role played in assisting the applicant with the proposed research
- Assessment of the applicant’s potential to conduct original research, communicate effectively, and work cooperatively with peers and supervisors
- Assessment of the potential of the applicant’s proposed research to make unique contributions to his/her/their chosen discipline
- Relationship of the work to the application of parallel systems for high-performance computing, data analysis, and/or visualization, and
- Broader impacts of supporting the applicant, including his/her/their leadership potential in the chosen field of graduate work and as a member of the scientific and technical community.
If awarded, references will be contacted.
Questions?
Applicants should first consult with an advisor or academic department as they often have experience with programs such as this one.
Staff will be hosting two open forum information sessions over Zoom during the application period. Details regarding these sessions will be available in early November.
Fellowship FAQ provides additional information necessary to correctly complete the application. For additional questions, please email fcsf@tacc.utexas.edu.