The Gary D. Stormo Computational & Systems Biology Fellowship (Stormo Fellowship) recognizes individuals with outstanding potential to advance computational and systems biology, particularly within the context of genetics and genomics. The program offers a financial award, as well as funding for research supplies and travel 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
- Students may apply if they have completed their Qualifying Exam and have not entered their fifth year by September 1.
- Students under joint 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
- $2,500 upfront award
- $5,000 research supplies and travel allowance to be used within two years
Length of Fellowship
2 years, one awardee announced each year
Leadership
Stormo Fellowship Director: Dr. Guoyan Zhao
Fellowship Application
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 August 1.
Application materials:
- Brief (one paragraph) cover letter
- Current CV
- Personal Statement (one page): Describe how your prior research experience has positioned you to achieve your educational goals at WashU and your future career aspirations. Discuss how you will contribute to the broader genetics and computational biology community at WashU.
- Research Statement (one page): Describe how your graduate school research will advance the field. Emphasizing your overall vision, proposed computational innovations, and the project feasibility.
- Transcript from graduate school (PhD) at Washington University.
- One letter of support from current or anticipated mentor
- Two additional letters of support
Submit applications to StormoFellow@wustl.edu. All application materials, except for letters of support, should be submitted electronically as a single PDF file. Letter writers should email letters of support to StormoFellow@wustl.edu. It is 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 for Stormo Fellowship will be evaluated 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 a 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 2025 Selection Process Timeline
Stormo Fellowship announcement May 1, 2025
Stormo Fellowship Application Closes August 1, 2025
Fellow Awardee Decision and Notification September 1, 2025
Fellow Award Announcement September 18, 2025 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: 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 concurrently with the termination of the Ph.D program.