2017 Siebel Scholars Program Award in Energy Science

Applications due by 5:00 p.m., Monday, June 6

Applications are sought from doctoral students for the 2017 Siebel Scholars Program Award in Energy Science. To be eligible the candidate must have completed at least one (1) year at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and reasonably expected to have only one (1) year remaining in the PhD program. The Siebel Scholar receives a merit-based award of $35,000 in the final year of his or her graduate studies. The prize is disbursed without consideration for any additional funding—such as financial aid, assistantships, fellowships, loans, or other awards—that a student has already received or is eligible to receive. In addition to the monetary prize, winners join the Siebel Scholars community, which includes access to a variety of opportunities and events.

Criteria:

1) Time-to-degree-completion, as discussed in the paragraph above.

2) Outstanding academic performance.

3) A track record of distinguished research focused on energy science.

4) Demonstrates excellence, in terms of leadership qualities, in the school community and in experience prior to the graduate program.

To apply:  Please submit the following materials electronically to Pascal Youakim at youakim2@uillinois.edu:

1) CV or resume: Please make sure that this includes expected graduation date, citizenship status, employment, and lists of any research publications, leadership positions, and/or entrepreneurial activities.

2) Research statement: (2 page limit, 12 point font). Please discuss past, current, and planned research. In addition, describe your motivation to do research. Where appropriate, please discuss the intellectual merit and the broader impacts of your research (that is, discuss the actual/likely/possible scientific and broader societal contributions of your research).

3) Excellence/Leadership Statement: (2 page limit, 12 point font). This should discuss any notable achievements and/or activities that demonstrate your excellence, but especially those that show your qualities and contributions as a leader. For example, volunteer/community service contributions, student leadership contributions, artistic contributions, and/or involvement in business-related or entrepreneurial activities. (This discussion should include all such activities, not just activities at Illinois.)

4) Your biography: This should be a short statement, 100-150 words in length, written in the third person, and at minimum, describing your research and employment history. (It may be best to think of the biography like a short abstract or executive summary of your case – it will duplicate information from the CV, research statement, and excellence/leadership statement.)

5) Your photograph: A digital, high resolution, color photograph suitable for print publication; preferably a head-shot that is at least 1 megapixel.

6) Complete and return the “Contact Info” spreadsheet (http://illinois.edu/cms/5740/siebel_scholars_contact_sheet.xlsx).

7) A letter of recommendation from your adviser or a faculty member who knows you well. The letter should be submitted directly from the letter-writer to Pascal Youakim via email. This letter should attempt to address as many of the following as possible: (a) your research accomplishments, (b) your leadership, (c) your academic performance, and (d) your communications/presentation skills. We recommend that you request this letter as soon as possible since many faculty are, or will be, traveling.

Please provide your materials (1-6) each as a separate document/file, and include your NetID in the filenames (e.g., YourNetID_cv.pdf). The deadline for submission of all materials is Monday, June 6 at 5 pm.

Be aware that finalists’ materials will be submitted to the Siebel Foundation for a review, and winners’ submitted materials (especially pictures and biographies) may be used as a part of news stories and other publicity related to the award, through both the University of Illinois and the Siebel Foundation.

The target date for the winners to be notified is the beginning of August 2016.