Hale Graduate Fellowship

The George Ellery Hale (GEH) Graduate Fellowship is a 3 year award offered each year to two students; nominally, 6 graduate fellows are enrolled in any given year, though sometimes extra fellows are funded if one wins external funding (e.g., a NSF graduate fellowship). The Hale fellowship is generally offered to incoming graduate students, but those more advanced in their education may also be eligible. The fellowship is designed to give students the freedom to explore a variety of solar physics research paths, and students are encouraged to pursue research with multiple mentors before deciding on a thesis project. The fellowship supports students through the early years of their graduate education (years 1 - 3), at which point they should explore funding options with their thesis advisor.

To create an environment within which the GEH fellows can thrive, a GEH graduate student fellowship research rotation element has been initiated. The GEH research rotation nominally consist of four 1/2 semester (7 week) research projects mentored by CU and/or NSO scientists. These projects can be joint between NSO and CU, or independent. Scientists submit research project descriptions for students to read, talk with researchers, and choose two for each semester of their first year. At the middle and end of each semester (upon project completion) the students give a short (25 min) lunch talk on their work to the other GEH fellows, mentors, and interested scientists (possibly as part of the NSO brown bag series if appropriate). The research rotation gives students an opportunity to explore research possibilities, take full advantage of the self-defining aspects of the research opportunity, and it broadens exposure to topical solar and space physics. Check out some examples of potential projects here!

How to apply

The Hale Graduate Fellowship is an award offered to incoming graduate students enrolled in the Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences Department. The award is offered at the discretion of the Hale committee and there is no external application process. For more information please email Mark Rast.