The College of Engineering at Virginia Tech is seeking applications for Rolls-Royce Doctoral Students. The purpose of this fellowship award is to support outstanding PhD students in pursuit of research and scholarship on topics of interest to Rolls-Royce, Virginia Tech, and other partners. Each Rolls-Royce Doctoral Student will be supported for up to three years and will receive an annual stipend of $30,000, full tuition and fees, health insurance, and an annual travel budget of $2,500.
Background: The University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, Rolls-Royce, and the Commonwealth of Virginia have entered into an innovative strategic partnership to define the next generation of power systems for aerospace, energy, and marine applications. Examples of the partnership include the creation of the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing and the Commonwealth Center for Aerospace Propulsion Systems, which are being developed jointly by the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech. Such initiatives will serve as focal points for strong interdisciplinary collaborations between industry, government, and academic organizations.
Rolls-Royce Doctoral Students are expected to enroll in doctoral programs in the College of Engineering. Technical areas of interest include, but are not limited to: next-generation materials, coatings, and thin films; electrochemistry, including corrosion and high-temperature oxidation; propulsion; combustion, including afterburners; machine controls and mechatronics; computational fluid dynamics; energy storage; manufacturing systems; thermal management; mechanics; and multi-functional materials.
Selection Criteria: Applications are limited to new incoming Ph.D. students or current outstanding MS students interested in pursuing a PhD. Students should have strong academic credentials and aptitude for research, as evidenced by performance in coursework, research experience, and letters of support. Financial need is not a criterion used in the evaluation of nominations. While selected students will be encouraged to interact with Rolls-Royce Research Centers worldwide, a significant portion of award-relevant research will be performed at Virginia Tech.
Application Package: Interested students should apply on-line to the VT Graduate School (http://graduateschool.vt.edu/admissions/applying/index.html). The application should clearly state the student’s interest in being considered for a Rolls-Royce Doctoral Student Fellowship.
Submission Deadlines: The application deadline for 2012/13 has passed.
About the University:Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech takes a hands-on, engaging approach to education, preparing scholars to be leaders in their fields and communities. As the commonwealth’s most comprehensive university and its leading research institution, Virginia Tech offers 215 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to more than 30,000 students and manages a research portfolio of nearly $400 million. The university fulfills its land-grant mission of transforming knowledge to practice through technological leadership and by fueling economic growth and job creation locally, regionally, and across Virginia.
Virginia Tech is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer committed to developing diversity in its student population and particularly invites applications from women and minority candidates from under-represented groups.