This call for applicants for Fall 2020 is closed. Please look for future calls.
Community Informatics Lab (CIL) at GMU (Director: Myeong Lee) is seeking enthusiastic PhD students to contribute to a research project on computational social science, community informatics, local communities, or urban computing at the Department of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) in the Volgenau School of Engineering (VSE). The successful applicants will have the opportunity to work with a multidisciplinary team of researchers on Information Science. The candidate is expected to enroll in the PhD program at George Mason University from Fall 2020.
Potential research topics include (but are not limited to):
- Civic and/or urban data analysis
- Civic technology design and visualization of geospatial data
- Computational modeling of urban dynamics
- Quantitative or qualitative research in local communities
- Theory in civic engagement and information inequality
The scholarship suits candidates with a background in Information Science, Computational Social Science, Community Informatics, HCI, and/or related disciplines.
This scholarship is available to international candidates to undertake a PhD program. The value and tenure of the scholarship is:
- Full-time stipend rate of $21,000 (per academic year) + $7,000 (per summer), with a minimum of 1-year GTA and 3-year GRA, with potential extension.
- Benefits include tuition, mandatory fee, health insurance, research/education supplies, and equipment on campus.
- Additional funds for travel may be available.
To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants are expected to have a record of excellent academic performance, relevant research experience, and preferably peer-reviewed publication record.
Prospective candidates are encouraged to apply online at: this link
The initial applications should include the following 4 documents:
- 1-page cover letter addressing the admission and scholarship requirements.
- Complete CV including publication list, past education and training, awards, research/teaching/professional experience, and online portfolio/Github.
- Detailed academic transcripts of relevant undergraduate and Masters studies.
- Personal statement describing the proposed scope of the PhD studies and its alignment with the research topics.
When applying, you need to specify the name of the prospective advisor in the application form (i.e., Myeong Lee).
If you have any questions, contact Myeong Lee at mlee89@gmu.edu, please.
About George Mason:
George Mason University is the largest public research university in Virginia, classified at the R1 highest research activity level, with an enrollment of over 38,000 students studying in over 200 degree programs. Mason is an innovative, entrepreneurial institution with national distinction in a range of academic fields. Mason is located in the city of Fairfax in Northern Virginia at the doorstep of the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, with unmatched geographical access to a number of federal agencies and national laboratories. Northern Virginia is also home to one of the largest concentrations of high-tech firms in the nation, providing excellent opportunities for interaction with industry. Fairfax is consistently rated as being among the best places to live in the country, and has an outstanding local public school system.
In conjunction with Amazon’s decision to establish a second headquarters in Northern Virginia, the Commonwealth of Virginia announced a multi-year plan to invest in the growth of degree programs in computing, and George Mason University has committed to accelerate its plans to grow its capacity in computing and high-tech fields. Among the exciting initiatives being undertaken by the university, are the launch of the Institute for Digital Innovation, a university think tank and incubator to serve the digital economy, and the expansion of its Arlington Campus with a planned 400,000 square foot Digital Innovation Building. These initiatives reflect hundreds of millions of dollars in new investment by Mason that will rapidly elevate Mason’s already leading national position in computing and related areas.