The Gary D. Stormo Computational & Systems Biology Fellowship (Stormo Fellowship) recognizes individuals with outstanding potential to contribute to computational and systems biology, particularly within the context of genetics and genomics. The program will support recipients for two years, providing a $5,000 increase above the base student stipend, as well as a supply and travel budget to facilitate the student’s research and enhance their networking and career development.
Eligibility
- All graduate students, domestic and foreign, affiliated with a lab under the direction of Faculty with primary, dual, or courtesy appointment in the Department of Genetics
- Applicants must be formally affiliated with the lab prior to awarding of the Fellowship
- Applicants cannot have previously received the Stormo Fellowship
- For this first year of the fellowship program, students who have completed Qualifying Exam and have not entered their fifth year by Sep. 1 of the application year can apply. In subsequent years, students who have completed Qualifying Exam and have not entered their fourth year by Sep. 1 of the application year can apply.
- Students under joined mentorship with a faculty member with primary, dual, or courtesy appointment in the Department of Genetics are eligible. A copy of thesis affiliation form with the signatures of both mentors should be provided in the application package.
Funding Specifications
- Up to $43,500 student pay (+$5,000 above DBBS base pay)
- $5,000 travel and supply budget
Length of Fellowship
2 years, one awardee announced each year
Leadership
Stormo Fellowship Director: Dr. Guoyan Zhao
Application Process
A call for applications will be issued on May 1st of each year. The deadline for application, letters of support and completed applications will be on August 1st in 2024 and on July 1 in subsequent years.
Application materials:
- Short one paragraph cover letter
- Current CV
- Personal Statement (one page): Describe your past research experience, career goals, and aspirations. Discuss how you will contribute to the broader community of computational biology and genetics at Washington University.
- Research Statement (one page): Describe your graduate school research plans.
- Transcript from graduate school (PhD) at Washington University.
- One letter of support from current or anticipated mentor
- Two additional letters of support
Each applicant must submit the application to StormoFellow@wustl.edu. Applicants must submit their application together with the supporting documentation electronically as a single PDF file except the letters of support. Letter writers need to directly email letters of support to StormoFellow@wustl.edu. It will be the applicant’s responsibility to make sure that all materials arrive by the deadline. Applications without all supporting documentation will be disqualified. Completed applications will be sent to the Fellows Selection Committee for review.
Fellow Application Review
Applicants will be reviewed for their potential to contribute to Computational & Systems Biology research, with particular emphasis on the following:
- Demonstrated knowledge of subject matter and potential to contribute to the field.
- History of commitment to and passion for computational and systems biology, genetics, and/or genomics.
- Thoughtfulness and creativity of prospective research interests and application in thesis lab
Letters of support must clearly explain why the candidate should be considered for fellowship in light of the above three criteria and should be no longer than two pages in length. The selection panel will consider candidates’ academic record, statements of interest, letters of support, honors and awards, record of publications, presentations, and/or grants appropriate to career stage, as well as their community, extracurricular, and leadership activities. A form with rating rubric will be used for evaluation and ranking of the applicants. The applicant with the highest score will be awarded the fellowship.
Stormo Fellowship 2024 Selection Process Timeline
2024 Stormo Fellowship announcement May 21, 2024
2024 Stormo Fellowship Application Closes August 1, 2024
Fellow Awardee Decision and Notification October 1, 2024
Fellow Award Announcement October 3, 2024 at the Stormo Lecture
Fellows Award Announcement and Recognition
The new Fellow will be announced at the annual Stormo Computational & Systems Biology Lecture which will be held in September/October. Fellow will be notified in advance and must attend the ceremony to receive this honor. In unusual circumstances when a Fellow is unable to attend the lectureship, the Fellow must notify the Fellowship director in writing at least 30 days prior to the Lecture.
New Fellow will be communicated to DBBS (Denise Gregoire, HR Program Manager) with recipient name, amount, and award start/end date.
Questions, please contact Stormo Fellowship Director, Dr. Guoyan Zhao (gzhao@wustl.edu)
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: I started my PhD in Sep 2023 and have recently joined my thesis lab (May 2024). Would I be eligible for the fellowship, or do I need to wait a year?
For clarification, the eligibility criteria have changed to “For this first year of the fellowship program, students who have completed Qualifying Exam and have not entered their fifth year by Sep. 1 of the application year can apply. In subsequent years, students who have completed Qualifying Exam and have not entered their fourth year by Sep. 1 of the application year can apply.”
Q: Although anyone in a Genetics lab can apply, do you expect there will there be a CSB preference?
A: No. Students in any Ph.D program in WashU can apply.
Q: Will it be expected that there be only one nominee per lab each year?
A: No. Any eligible student can apply.
Q: Will the tenure of the student in grad school (early vs. late stage) matter?
A: No. Any eligible student can apply.
Q: Is it expected that letters of support will be anonymous?
A: No. The referee should provide their name and contact information in the letter of support.
Q: I’m planning to apply for the fellowship. Do you know if they prefer that letters of recommendation be sent by me–the applicant–or should they be sent directly by the letter writer?
A: Letters of support should be sent directly from the referees to StormoFellow@wustl.edu .
Q: What will happen if I switch labs.
A: If all the eligibility criteria are met by the new lab then the fellowship continues.
Q: What will happen if I quit the Ph.D program?
A: The fellowship will be terminated concur with the termination of the Ph.D program.