NSF/HBCU Summer Workshop on Disordered Materials

NSF Summer School on Computational Modeling of Disordered Materials for
Historically Black Colleges and Universities

The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) is organizing an NSF-supported summer workshop on computational modeling of complex materials in collaboration with the University of Texas at Arlington and Ohio University. The workshop is expected to be held at the Long Beach campus of USM from June 3, 2019 to June 7, 2019. The purpose of the workshop is to provide a hands-on training and programing experience to STEM undergraduate and graduate students in computational sciences by exposing them to a host of modern computational methods and simulation techniques with an emphasis on atomistic and molecular modeling. Participants will be introduced to the basics of computer programming using a high-level language, such as Fortran, MatLab and Python, in linux programming environment for conducting simulations using classical/quantum-mechanical molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo methods. A brief introduction to machine learning and data-driven approaches to materials computation will also be provided as a part of the workshop.

Financial and other supports
• $500 stipend and free accommodation
• Travel support from home institution (up to $750)
• Breakfast and lunch
• On successful completion of the workshop, participants may be eligible to receive a laptop computer for  conducting mini research projects in their home institution

Eligibility
Participants must be currently enrolled as a student at an HBCU or a minority-serving institution (MSI) or associated with an HBCU/MSI as a full-time faculty member. Students must achieve sophomore/junior/senior standing in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Computer science, or Materials Science/Engineering. Women and minority students from non-HBCU/non-MSI may be considered subject to the availability of positions. Faculty members from HBCUs and MSIs, who can be accompanied by a student or students, are particularly encouraged to apply. Review of applications will begin immediately and must be received by March 31, 2019 for full consideration. It is expected that successful applicants will be intimated no later than April 30, 2019.

How to Apply
Students should apply by sending a two-page curriculum vita, a statement of future study goals (max. one page), an unofficial transcript, and a letter of recommendation directly sent by a faculty member at their college or university, who can account for their academic abilities. Faculty members from HBCUs/MSIs should send an expression of interest by email. All documents and the letter of recommendation must be submitted by email as a pdf file to both partha.biswas@usm.edu and attafynn@uta.edu with a subject header “HBCU applicant name”.

Notes
25 positions. If you have any questions about the program or the application process, please contact Parthapratim Biswas (partha.biswas@usm.edu) or Raymond Atta-Fynn by email (attafynn@uta.edu).