DOE CSGF 2013-2014

[bananaphone]

Hey Guys!  Anyone here applying (or thinking about applying) for the DOE Computational Science Graduate Fellowship (CSGF)?  I'm a fellow of this awesome program and would be happy to offer advice or answer questions you may have.

[Janna423]

I am absolutely interested. I will let you know if I need advice! :-)

[marty3]

Any word on what's happening with this fellowship? The application still isn't up yet and I'm a little worried it might disappear like the other DOE fellowship.

[bananaphone]

Any word on what's happening with this fellowship? The application still isn't up yet and I'm a little worried it might disappear like the other DOE fellowship.

 

There were some funding issues last year, which is why there were only 10 awards instead of 20, but they told us those were resolved.  They're pretty candid with us about the state of the program and the last I'd heard was that it was continuing with the hope of 20 new fellows.  I'd give it a little time (I'd bet the shutdown just delayed things a bit).

 

Also, here's the essay prompts from previous years (since the application's not up yet):

 

1. Field of Interest and the Role of Computational Science

Please describe your chosen research area and what contributing role computational science will play. Computational science involves the innovative and essential use of high-performance computation, and/or the development of high-performance computational technologies, to advance knowledge or capabilities in a scientific or engineering discipline.

 

2. Research Using High-Performance Computing and/or Large Data Analysis

What new science or engineering would high performance computing or large data analysis and management enable in your area of interest and why do you think this is the case? In particular, what are the challenges that need to be addressed to make this advancement?

 

3. Program of Study

The fellowship program of study requirement is designed to give you a breadth of competency in fields outside your own that will enhance your ability to perform computational science research. Please describe (in no more than 300 words) how you expect that the courses listed in your planned program of study outside your chosen discipline will contribute to your own research in the future. Describe why you chose these courses and how they will impact your research plans.

[ApplMathProfile]

bananaphone:

 

Is there any way you could upload your essays somewhere? I've been looking around, but I can't find any examples of winning essays anywhere. Also, what are the word limits on all the essays?

 

Thanks in advance!

[giles]

 

There were some funding issues last year, which is why there were only 10 awards instead of 20, but they told us those were resolved.  They're pretty candid with us about the state of the program and the last I'd heard was that it was continuing with the hope of 20 new fellows.  I'd give it a little time (I'd bet the shutdown just delayed things a bit).

 

Also, here's the essay prompts from previous years (since the application's not up yet):

 

1. Field of Interest and the Role of Computational Science

Please describe your chosen research area and what contributing role computational science will play. Computational science involves the innovative and essential use of high-performance computation, and/or the development of high-performance computational technologies, to advance knowledge or capabilities in a scientific or engineering discipline.

 

2. Research Using High-Performance Computing and/or Large Data Analysis

What new science or engineering would high performance computing or large data analysis and management enable in your area of interest and why do you think this is the case? In particular, what are the challenges that need to be addressed to make this advancement?

 

3. Program of Study

The fellowship program of study requirement is designed to give you a breadth of competency in fields outside your own that will enhance your ability to perform computational science research. Please describe (in no more than 300 words) how you expect that the courses listed in your planned program of study outside your chosen discipline will contribute to your own research in the future. Describe why you chose these courses and how they will impact your research plans.

 

Thanks for the essay prompts.I recently submitted my application for the NSF GRFP. NSF expects to see quite a lot in the essays about the "broader impacts" of your work, especially things like outreach activities and research/teaching integration. I see a bit of "broader impact" type material in the first essay prompt ("...to advance knowledge or capabilities in a scientific or engineering discipline.") Do you think it would be a good idea to add in some description of possible outreach and teaching integration activities, or would I be better served to devote more application to description of technical and scientific details?

 

Also, as ApplMathProfile said, if you could somehow post your essays so we can see an example of what a winning essay looks like, that would be awesome. Thanks!!

 

SG

[bananaphone]

ApplMathProfile:

Is there any way you could upload your essays somewhere? I've been looking around, but I can't find any examples of winning essays anywhere. Also, what are the word limits on all the essays?

 

It's no more than 300 words for each essay, so very brief.  I'm happy to answer questions about my approach in the essays but I don't think I want to distribute the actual essays.  However, you can probably find exerpts from a lot of winning essays on the CSGF website by looking at the research statements of the current fellows.  When we're awarded the fellowship we're supposed to write a 300 word research statement (which happens to be the same length as the essays).  I was pretty busy at the time so I just cut and pasted from my applications and I'd bet that other fellows did that too.

 

giles:

NSF expects to see quite a lot in the essays about the "broader impacts" of your work, especially things like outreach activities and research/teaching integration. I see a bit of "broader impact" type material in the first essay prompt ("...to advance knowledge or capabilities in a scientific or engineering discipline.") Do you think it would be a good idea to add in some description of possible outreach and teaching integration activities, or would I be better served to devote more application to description of technical and scientific details?

 

I wouldn't put the outreach/teaching in the DOE CSGF, focus on the science for the CSGF.  They really want to see that you understand what it means to be a computational scientist and what questions can HPC help you answer.  So, how can you advance HPC or utilize HPC to advance your field?  Their vision of the fellowship is to train scientists how to do this.  I tried to emphasize that my research would benefit from advances in HPC, coursework/training in HPC would benefit me, and that these are things that my field typically wouldn't teach me so I'd gain a lot from the fellowship.  Definitely put some thought into the courses you propose.  They take the courses very seriously and want to see that you'll learn the math/CS fundamentals.

[clandry]

Interesting, I've never heard of this fellowship. What are the primary points of emphasis for this fellowship? 

The computational sciences is broad, so I am unsure what it is they may be looking for.

My specific interest is in Computational Fluid Dynamics, particularly in the domain of turbulence modeling.

 

If you're awarded the fellowship, are you constrained to doing computational research only?  

[bananaphone]

Interesting, I've never heard of this fellowship. What are the primary points of emphasis for this fellowship? 

The computational sciences is broad, so I am unsure what it is they may be looking for.

My specific interest is in Computational Fluid Dynamics, particularly in the domain of turbulence modeling.

 

If you're awarded the fellowship, are you constrained to doing computational research only?  

 

I can't say for certain what they are looking for, but I can expand a little more on my previous comment about advancing/utilizing HPC.  Some of the fellows I've met were doing HPC long before getting the fellowship and were at the bleeding edge of HPC (e.g., they'd done simulations using thousands or hundreds of thousands of processors), their research was advancing the state of PHC.  Other fellows had much less HPC experience but their field was be more experimental and they'd proposed to study something novel using HPC.  I would classify the former as "advancing HPC" and the latter as "utilizing HPC".  Personally, I highlighted some of the current computational limitations in my field and talked about how advancements in HPC would allow me to study some interesting questions.

 

Quite a few of the fellows do CFD, so they're definitely interested in your field.  You should put this on a door in your lab/office.

 

They don't constrain you to just compuational work if you're awarded the fellowship (although I'm sure they'd prefer you continued doing computational work).

[clandry]

I can't say for certain what they are looking for, but I can expand a little more on my previous comment about advancing/utilizing HPC.  Some of the fellows I've met were doing HPC long before getting the fellowship and were at the bleeding edge of HPC (e.g., they'd done simulations using thousands or hundreds of thousands of processors), their research was advancing the state of PHC.  Other fellows had much less HPC experience but their field was be more experimental and they'd proposed to study something novel using HPC.  I would classify the former as "advancing HPC" and the latter as "utilizing HPC".  Personally, I highlighted some of the current computational limitations in my field and talked about how advancements in HPC would allow me to study some interesting questions.

 

Quite a few of the fellows do CFD, so they're definitely interested in your field.  You should put this on a door in your lab/office.

 

They don't constrain you to just compuational work if you're awarded the fellowship (although I'm sure they'd prefer you continued doing computational work).

Im not sure how familiar you are with CFD, but do you know if your friends do more of the applications side of CFD or the fundamentals (e.g., code development for higher order solvers)? 

[bananaphone]

Im not sure how familiar you are with CFD, but do you know if your friends do more of the applications side of CFD or the fundamentals (e.g., code development for higher order solvers)? 

 

The people in fluids/CFD were generally developing CFD models to study specific phenomena.  So it depends on what you'd classify as "applications".

[zhaero]

Ok.  A few questions:

 

1.  If I'm currently a first year grad student, then I would have until Summer 2017 to complete my POS, right?

 

2.  For the POS courses outside of my field (i.e. I'm studying aerospace engineering, so the math and CS courses), are they looking for courses that are pure math/cs, or are they looking for courses in those departments and teach both the theory and the applications?

 

3.  I don't have a lot of experience with HPC yet, but I know my research will require it (theoretical turbulence research).  Can anyone recommend a brief source I can read to familiarize myself with the lingo and such?   I'm having a hard time trying to formulate an explanation about why HPC will be important to my work (although I think it will)...

 

Your help is greatly appreciated!

[intirb]

1.  As a first-year graduate student, you only get two years to complete your POS.  So if you got the fellowship, your first semester would be Fall 2014, and you'd have until Summer 2016 to finish your POS.

 

2.  You need to take math courses in the math department and CS courses in the CS department.  It's alright to take theoretical classes or application-based classes, as long as they fit in line with the spirit of the POS.

 

3.  I would read DEIXIS, the computational magazine for the national labs.  It's linked on the CSGF homepage, and they sometimes feature fellows.  Plus, it'll give you an idea of the kinds of things you could do for your practicum.  I didn't have a lot of HPC knowledge when I applied either, so don't worry too much about that.  Just try to think about how much more you could accomplish, if computational power weren't a limitation.

[zhaero]

Great!  Thanks!  One more question:  if we list courses in the Other Planned Courses section, but later decide not to take them, or take them a different semester than we thought, is this a big deal?  Do we have to get approval for that, like for the POS?

[bananaphone]

Adding to intirb's answer for #2, I would definitely recommend putting a parallel computing course (or something along those lines) on your POS for one of the CS courses.

 

As for your other question, I don't think they're too concerned with the "Other Planned Courses" and haven't needed approval to change my "Other Planned Courses".  They're investing a lot of money in the program with the goal of training scientists to do HPC.  The courses on the POS are the ones that will teach you the fundamentals of HPC, so those are the ones they care the most about.

[ApplMathProfile]

In describing your research experience, are you guys writing lengthy descriptions of each project or just a short sentence (which is similar to the example they give)?

[Architecture-Queen]

Hi, I have a question, I'm applying for PhD starting this coming fall ( fall 2014) am I eligible for this fellowship, or do I have to be enrolled in grad school already? I read the rules many times but it is not clear to me if I Have to be enrolled at the time of filling the application ?

[intirb]

You can apply to CSGF in the same season you're applying to grad school.  That's what I did!

 

Edit for clarity: if you're applying to PhD programs in Fall 2014, you should apply for the program in Fall 2014 (/Winter 2015).  If you're applying to grad school NOW (like, you already sent out those applications or are sending them out in a few weeks), then you should apply for CSGF this cycle.

 

Edit again, because I realized it might still be confusing.  If you want to start graduate school in Fall 2014 (as in, take your first classes, enroll) then yes, apply for CSGF this cycle.

Edited December 23, 2013 by intirb

[bananaphone]

In describing your research experience, are you guys writing lengthy descriptions of each project or just a short sentence (which is similar to the example they give)?

 

I wrote one short sentence for each project, similar to the example they gave:

 

Lab X, 01/1776-Present, Awesome science with super high resolution models and big computers.

[x13LadeZx]

Hey everyone,

 

I had a two questions surrounding the POS:

 

1. Is the POS meant to be a comprehensive list of all the courses I would take in grad school? or is just a list of courses that would teach me about HPC and directly support my research?

 

2. If it is the latter, is there a certain number of courses required in each section of the POS? (I couldn't really find specifics for the POS besides the general guidelines..)

 

Thanks !

[bananaphone]

1.  No, most fellows take at least a few courses not in the POS, list those courses in the "Other Planned Courses".

 

2.  You need to take two courses in each category.

[ApplMathProfile]

2.  You need to take two courses in each category.

 

Three courses if you're on the quarter system!

[intirb]

Huh.  Well I never bothered to list any "other planned courses", personally.

[x13LadeZx]

Hey guys,

 

Thanks for all the help so far. Another question I had was for the part of the app where you explain why you chose your courses. Did you write it in a essay fashion, or did you kind of just listed each course with an explanation?

 

Thanks!

[intirb]

I did a mixture of both.  First, I explained my overall vision for my POS, how the courses all fit together, and how I chose them. Then I went into more detail for each class explaining why I thought it was a good choice.