Michigan Data Science Fellows Program 2021

The Michigan Institute for Data Science (MIDAS) is seeking applications for its Michigan Data Science Fellows (DS Fellows) Program. This two-year program provides outstanding young researchers with intensive data science experience as they ready themselves for independent research and faculty positions.

MIDAS is dedicated to building a data science research community and external partnerships, advancing innovative and responsible data science, and translating research outcomes to positive societal impact. The DS Fellows Program accepts young researchers who have a strong track record of research in their respective fields and who plan to acquire additional skills in data science, broadly construed, with a focus on either methodology or applications (including societal impact). Fellows will be expected to work at the boundaries between data science methods and domain sciences in an intellectually vibrant environment, and build interdisciplinary relationships with other Fellows and over 360 MIDAS affiliate faculty. They are expected to be strong candidates for university faculty and other research positions when they leave the program.

Eligibility: Applicants must be outstanding, intellectually curious researchers who will be ready to pursue independent research positions after two years in the program.  They should have a doctorate in a related area before the expected start date of their fellowship. They should have never had a faculty position.  Collaboration experience and strong communication skills will be viewed favorably.  We recognize that strength comes through diversity and actively seek and welcome people with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and identities.  Individuals already at U-M are eligible to apply if their proposed project and faculty mentors are different from their current ones.

Faculty Mentors:  Each Fellow must have one U-M faculty member as the primary mentor (the list of participating faculty is available here). A second mentor with complementary expertise is encouraged, but not required. If needed, the primary mentor can help identify a suitable second mentor. Working together with MIDAS, the mentors will provide career guidance to the Fellows, meet with them regularly to assess research progress, help the Fellows seek opportunities for career advancement, and participate in activities that strengthen the Fellows community and the U-M data science community.

Please contact these faculty members to determine interest before submitting the application.

Expectations:

Salary: Comparable to norms in each research field, funded jointly by MIDAS and faculty mentors.

Office space: The Fellows will be expected to spend at least 50% of time at MIDAS so that they can be part of the data science postdoc network and enhance the interdisciplinary reach of MIDAS.

Professional service: The Fellows will be expected to spend 10% of their effort to be involved in MIDAS programs. Based on their career plans, they can choose to be involved in activities that develop resources for reproducible research, training and mentoring, and data science projects for positive societal impact. They will also be expected to interact with the U-M data science community through research presentations and other events.

The Application Process:
Applicants may reach out to faculty members on the list to seek interest. The mentor(s) will need to be prepared to commit to 50% funding. The candidate and the mentor(s) will then submit the application to MIDAS.

Applications will be accepted between March 2 and April. 23.  To apply visit this page.