CRA-E Graduate Fellows Program

The CRA-E Graduate Fellows program provides opportunities for Ph.D. candidates in a computing field to contribute to the Computing Research Association’s Education Committee (CRA-E) projects, network with computer science education advocates on the committee, and engage in advocacy for undergraduate research education. 

CRA-E’s activities focus on promoting the health of the computing research pipeline including promoting undergraduate research, providing resources to faculty to prepare talented students for research, and encouraging undergraduates to pursue graduate education and research careers in computing fields. Current and past CRA-E activities can be found here.

Call for nominations

CRA-E seeks one Ph.D. candidate to serve as a Fellow. This is an opportunity for graduate students in computing-related fields to gain experience serving on a national committee of the computer research community.

CRA-E typically has two fellows and appoints one new graduate fellow per year with each fellow serving for two years in staggered appointments. Given the two-year term length, in order to be eligible, nominees need to be current graduate students with at least two years left of study.

Fellows provide a graduate student voice to the committee. And they attend the annual CRA-E meeting, manage the research highlights series, and contribute to the CRA-E’s SPARC site, (previously Conquer).

Nomination process:

Faculty members are invited to nominate one graduate student from their institution (multiple nominations are permitted by distinct faculty members from the same institution).

A nomination package includes:

1. One faculty recommendation letter describing the student’s interpersonal skills and evidence of interest in mentoring undergraduates. Importantly, this letter should describe the student’s involvement in PhD research and their experience mentoring undergraduates in research.
2. The student’s C.V. including their research interests and accomplishments.
3. A one-page statement written by the student describing their interest in the CRA-E Fellow position, experience mentoring undergraduates, and long-term aspirations.

Typically, faculty member nominating candidates will be in the student’s department, but they do not have to be the student’s advisor.    

Selection process:

CRA-E members will select the CRA-E Fellows, with preference given to students in their third year (or later) of graduate school in computer science, computer engineering, or information sciences. Moreover, criteria for selection include interest in undergraduate education, evidence of interest in mentoring undergraduates in research, interpersonal skills, and interest in professional service at the national level.

Applicants are encouraged to examine the CRA-E website and indicate what aspects of CRA-E activities are of interest to them.

CRA-E Fellow Responsibilities:

• Attend the annual CRA-E meeting (typically in June; travel expenses reimbursed by CRA-E)
• Manage the undergraduate research highlights series
• Contribute to CRA-E’s social media
• Provide a graduate student perspective for material on the CRA-E’s SPARC site, (previously Conquer).

CRA-E Fellows are expected to contribute approximately 5 hours per month.