SCIPE AI in Civil Engineering

Undergraduate Research Scholarship 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

Requirements

To be considered for a SCIPE AI in Civil Engineering Undergraduate Scholarship, an applicant must meet the following requirement.

  • Be enrolled as an undergraduate student at the time of application
  • Have completed at least one year of their undergraduate program as of March 2024
  • Have at least one full year remaining in their program as of June 2024
  • Be able to spend at least one month of the summer semester in residence at UT Austin/TACC in the year of award

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.

The SCIPE FAQ provides additional information necessary to correctly complete the application. For additional questions, please email scipe@tacc.utexas.edu.

What the Applicant Provides

The candidate will apply via an online application system called NSF ETAP. The candidate will create an account, search for the opportunity, and provide the following information:

  • Contact and demographic information.
  • 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 SCIPE AI in Civil Engineering awardee.
  • 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 ethic (NOTE: Through the application process, you will provide the names and contact information of your recommenders. They will be responsible for uploading their letters of recommendation to the application website). At least one reference must come from a person directing your research (i.e., major professor or dissertation director). The letters must:
    1. Not exceed two pages per reference
    2. Be signed and on letterhead
    3. Be uploaded as a PDF
  • The letters must address:
    1. Originality of the applicant's proposal.
    2. Role played in assisting the applicant with the proposed research.
    3. Assessment of the applicant’s potential to conduct original research, communicate effectively, and work cooperatively with peers and supervisors.
    4. Assessment of the potential of the applicant’s proposed research to make unique contributions to his/her/their chosen discipline.
    5. Relationship of the work to the application of parallel systems for high-performance computing, data analysis, and/or visualization.
    6. 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.