Tag: PhD

How Should Academia Deal with AI platform ChatGPT?

This article analyses the implications of ChatGPT for academia – how should members of the academic world face this new technology? It explores cases that highlight both sides, examines current educational approaches with AI tools like ChatGPT and considers what may lie ahead for academics seeking to adopt or reject such technology as they continue their studies.

In this age of unprecedented acceleration and technological advancement, artificial intelligence (AI) has profoundly impacted every facet of our lives. Nowhere is this more evident than in content writing, where the AI platform ChatGPT holds tremendous potential to revolutionise academic writing and research. But despite its potential benefits, there are concerns that it could also lead to lower-quality work or even plagiarism.

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7 Fascinating Reasons Why You Should Pursue a PhD

Are you looking forward to doing a PhD or confused if you should pursue it or not? This article will help you to make your decision. I’ve brought you 7 fascinating reasons why you should pursue a PhD. If these reasons interest you, a PhD is indeed a possibility.

A PhD, also known as a Doctor of Philosophy, is a research degree and the highest level of academic qualification. It involves original research, which is submitted in the form of a thesis or dissertation.

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Terra Foundation Research Travel Grants to the United States

Terra Foundation Research Travel Grants provide support for research on topics concerning American art and visual culture prior to 1980.

These grants enable scholars outside the United States to consult resources that are only available within the United States. Grant funding is available for short-term travel that gives scholars:

  • An opportunity to discover new source material;
  • Experience works of art first-hand in museums and private collections;
  • Make contact with scholars, artists, curators, and art dealers;
  • Consult local archives and library collections;
  • Establish professional networks for future research.

Deadlines

Applications are due January 15, 2016. Awards will be announced in May 2016.

Eligibility & Application Information

The foundation only accepts proposals from doctoral students and postdoctoral and senior scholars outside the United States.

Grant requirements:

  • Travel should be undertaken within one calendar year after the announcement of the selection results.
  • Final report must be submitted within three months of completion of travel. It should include a description of the travel undertaken as a result of the grant, an assessment of the research accomplished, and a financial report detailing grant expenditures.
  • Recipients must acknowledge the support of TFAA in any publication that results from research conducted during the grant.

Download the Research Travel Grant application.

Zhang "Sunny" Mengyang, a PhD candidate at China's Tsinghua University, received a travel grant to the US to conduct research for his dissertation on the Harlem Renaissance.
Zhang “Sunny” Mengyang, a PhD candidate at China’s Tsinghua University, received a travel grant to the US to conduct research for his dissertation on the Harlem Renaissance.

Information about Funding

Nine to thirteen grants are awarded annually as follows:

  • Up to $6,000 per grant for doctoral students from Europe, North America, Australia, and New Zealand;
  • Up to $7,000 per grant for doctoral students from Asia, Africa, and South America; and
  • Up to $9,000 per grant for all postdoctoral and senior scholars.
  • Up to 5 grants are specifically dedicated to scholars from Asia, Africa, and South America.

Grant funds will be disbursed in two installments. The first installment (80% of the total grant) is paid before the recipient’s departure to the United States. The second installment (up to 20% of the total grant) is paid to the recipient after receipt of the final report.

Funds can be used for related transportation, lodging, meals, and research fees and expenses. They cannot be used for the purchase of computers or other equipment.

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Facebook Fellowship Program for Domestic and International Students

Deadline: November 1, 2015

Location: Facebook Headquarters, USA.

Applications are invited for Facebook fellowship program available to domestic and international students for full-time PhD accredited doctoral program focusing on a topic or field relevant to Facebook. Up to twelve (12) academic fellowships are awarded for a period of for two years. Each Facebook Fellowship includes several benefits like tuition and fees for the academic year(s)as well as $37,000 yearly grant, paid visit to Facebook HQ to present research and opportunity for paid internship.

Study Subject:

Fellowships are awarded in the fields relevant to Facebook, such as: Artificial Intelligence, Computer Architecture, Computer Vision, Data Mining, Databases , Distributed Systems, Networking & Operating Systems , Economics and Computation, Human-Computer Interaction , Machine Learning , Natural Language Processing , Networking & Operating Systems , Programming Languages & Compilers, Security & Privacy, Social Computing, Software Engineering, Speech Technologies.

Eligibility:

This Program is open to individuals who are enrolled full-time, as defined by the individual’s university, and in good standing at an appropriately accredited doctoral program focusing on a Topic or Field (whether an individual is engaged in research in a Topic or Field will be determined in Facebook’s sole discretion).

Candidates are not eligible to participate in this Program if they are a national or legal resident of those countries in which the United States has embargoed goods (including, without limitation, Cuba, North Korea, Iran, and Syria, unless you are enrolled full-time at an accredited university in the United States or a non-embargoed country, with the exception of nationals and legal residents of Cuba, who are unconditionally ineligible to participate). Applicants should be aware that Facebook’s ability to select for receipt of an Award a PhD Student who is from a country against which the United States has imposed comprehensive economic sanctions (such as Cuba, Iran, Sudan, Syria, or North Korea) may be sharply limited by United States law.

Further, the Award, or portions thereof, may be forfeited if an Award recipient does not remain enrolled with full-time status and in good standing at the same doctoral program for the entire period of the award. It is the obligation of all applicants to ensure that applying for the Award, participating in this

Program and, as applicable, received an Award, complies with all laws, rules and regulations of the jurisdiction in which such applicant is a legal resident/national.

Fellowship Value:

Each Facebook Fellowship includes several benefits:

  • Tuition and fees will be paid for the academic year(s) 2016-2017 and 2017-2018
  • $37,000 yearly grant
  • Paid visit to Facebook HQ to present your research
  • Opportunity for paid internship

Selection Criteria:

In Round 1, Reviewers from each topical area will be assigned to an application and score them based on the following criteria:

  • Strength of applicant’s publication record, as detailed in the applicant’s CV.
  • The merit of the research proposal, including its innovativeness and importance to the identified industry or field.
  • Strength of applicant’s references

Those Applications that receive the highest scores in Round 1 will move onto Round 2, but the number of Applications that move onto Round 2 and the Fields/Topics from which they come will be determined in Facebook’s sole discretion. In Round 2, a team of Reviewers from each area will discuss the top applicants in their own area and compare them to those in other areas based on the same criteria as Round 1 above. In Round 3, all finalists will be reviewed and compared. The finalists will be selected by a final panel that may include a Facebook engineering director and CTO (subject to availability).

Application Process:

To apply, eligible individuals must submit the following materials (collectively, “Application”) to Facebook ONLINE or email a Word or PDF file of the Application to facebookfellowship@fb.com with the subject line “Fellowship Program Application”:

  • Curriculum Vitae (“CV”): Your Application must include your CV, which should detail prior relevant work experience, academic record, and publication record.
  • Letters of Reference: Application must include the name and contact information of two (2) people who will be providing letters of reference on behalf of the applicant. The letters of reference should address the applicant’s skills and character and why the applicant deserves to receive the Award. One (1) letter of reference must be from the applicant’s current doctoral program advisor. All letters must be submitted by the references by the Application due date.
  • Research Proposal: Application must include a one (1) to two (2) page (single-spaced, 12 point Times New Roman font, one (1) inch margins) research proposal in your Field of study. Research proposals will be reviewed, subject to the two (2) page limit, and any page(s) submitted in excess of the two (2) page limit may not be read.
  • Research Area: The research proposal must address the applicant’s PhD research area.
  • Transcript (optional): Application may also include transcripts from any/all post-secondary educational institutions that the applicant has attended.

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Commonwealth Scholarships for Master’s and PhD study – developing Commonwealth country citizens

Commonwealth Scholarships for Master’s and PhD study in the UK are offered for citizens of developing Commonwealth countries. These scholarships are funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID), with the aim of contributing to the UK’s international development aims and wider overseas interests, supporting excellence in UK higher education, and sustaining the principles of the Commonwealth. For information on other scholarships offered by the CSC, visit our Apply page.

You can apply for a Commonwealth Scholarship for the following levels of study:

  • Master’s (one-year courses only)
  • PhD

All subject areas are eligible, although the CSC’s selection criteria give priority to applications that demonstrate the strongest relevance to development.

You should apply to study at a UK university with which the CSC has a part funding agreement. Click here for a list of UK universities which have part funding agreements with the CSC

Eligibility

To apply for these scholarships, you must:

  • Be a Commonwealth citizen, refugee, or British protected person
  • Be permanently resident in a developing Commonwealth country
  • Be available to start your academic studies in the UK by the start of the UK academic year in September/October 2016
  • By October 2016, hold a first degree of at least upper second class (2:1) honours standard, or a second class degree and a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree)

The CSC promotes equal opportunity, gender equity, and cultural exchange. Applications are encouraged from a diverse range of candidates. The CSC is committed to administering and managing its scholarships and fellowships in a fair and transparent manner – for more information, see the CSC anti-fraud policy.

Terms and conditions

For full terms and conditions, see the Commonwealth Scholarships 2016 prospectus

Selection process

Each year, the CSC invites selected nominating bodies to submit a specific number of nominations. The deadline for nominating bodies to submit nominations to the CSC is 17 December 2015.

The CSC invites around three times more nominations than scholarships available – therefore, nominated candidates are not guaranteed to be awarded a scholarship. There are no quotas for scholarships for any individual country. Candidates nominated by national nominating agencies are in competition with those nominated by other nominating bodies, and the same standards will be applied to applications made through either channel.

Each nominated candidate’s application is first considered by a member of the CSC’s panel of advisers with expertise in the subject area concerned, and then by the CSC’s selection committee in competition with other candidates.

Applications are considered according to the following selection criteria:

  • Academic merit of the candidate
  • Quality of the proposal
  • Potential impact of the work on the development of the candidate’s home country

For further details, see the Selection criteria for 2016 Commonwealth Scholarships for Master’s and PhD study

You may also find the Feedback for unsuccessful candidates useful.

How to apply

You must apply to one of the following nominating bodies in the first instance – the CSC does not accept direct applications for these scholarships:

All applications must be made through your nominating body in your home country. Each nominating body is responsible for its own selection process. You must check with your nominating body for their specific advice and rules for applying, and for their own closing date for applications. The CSC does not impose any age limit on applicants, but nominating bodies may do so in line with their own priorities.

You must make your application using the CSC’s Electronic Application System (EAS). Click here for full information on how to use the EAS, including detailed guides.

Your application must be submitted to and endorsed by one of the approved nominating bodies listed above. The CSC will not accept any applications that are not submitted via the EAS to a nominating body in your home country.

All applications must be submitted by 23.59 (GMT) on 19 November 2015 at the latest. Please note that this is an earlier deadline than in previous years