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Graduate Studies

MacDATA Graduate Fellowship program

The advent of large collection of data and ensuing development in data analysis techniques has made collaboration between data scientists and content experts necessary for cutting-edge research.

Furthermore, there is a need for trainees to be exposed to both aspects of such research, namely for data science trainees to learn about real life practical projects and for content expert trainees to gain experience in data analysis and management. The aims of the MacDATA Graduate Fellowship Program are:

  1. To provide trainees with an opportunity to acquire practical and theoretical skills in data science.
  2. To facilitate exchange of expertise and knowledge in data science across faculties.

The MacDATA Institute will provide support funding for one Graduate Fellow to work on an 8-month multidisciplinary project involving two or more faculties.

The proposal must fit the mission of the MacDATA Institute and the project must be related to data (e.g., data analysis, collection, curation, etc.). Graduate Fellows must be graduate students at McMaster for the duration of the fellowship and, where possible, the topic of the fellowship should align with he Graduate Fellow’s research/work.

However, the topic of the fellowship should not be the same as the student’s graduate research/work. Students must be co-supervised by two McMaster faculty members: one with expertise in data science and another with subject-matter expertise. Supervisors must be from different departments, and preference may be given to applications where supervisors are from different faculties. At least one of the supervisors must be a member of MacDATA and at least one must not be a member of the student’s graduate supervisory committee. MacDATA will provide $7,500 in funding support for a Graduate Fellow, payable in two installments of $3,750. It is expected that the research will be carried out during the period September 2020 to April 2021, in which case the installments will normally be paid in September 2020 and January 2021.

Each payment is contingent upon attendance at the MacDATA fellows’ events.

Expectations and deliverables

  • Participation in MacDATA activities and events.
  • A research presentation.
  • A report at the conclusion of the fellowship that details project outcomes and outlines next steps.

Application process

A complete application includes the following:

  1. A project proposal (1500 words maximum, all inclusive) that provides: (i) a description of the research work and its goals, its interdisciplinary nature; (ii) methodology, including the type of data, how it will be accessed and what data analytics tools will be used; and (iii) the significance of the proposed work.
  2. An explanation (250 words maximum) of how the proposed work aligns with, but is different from, the student’s graduate research/work.
  3. A current CV.
  4. Contact details for two referees, and the names of the applicant’s graduate supervisory committee members.

Submitting your application

Please submit your application by email as one PDF file and include your last name in the filename.

Applications should be sent to macdata@mcmaster.ca by noon on Friday, July 17, 2020.

Please include “MacDATA Graduate Fellowship” in the subject line.