Education
Internships at CSH
Do you want to learn more about the theories and tools of complexity science? Are you ready to use quantitative tools to understand society and the economy? Join the Complexity Science Hub this summer for a research internship.
Many of the most important challenges facing society today are unprecedented and so complex that they can only be solved by innovative and highly transdisciplinary approaches – complexity science. Complexity science integrates high-dimensional, real-world data analysis and computational modeling to deliver insights to the systems that underlie our world. Join us for an internship and gain first-hand experience with complex systems research and its foundational theories and tools.
Program Goals
A summer internship at CSH enables students to:
- Conduct complexity science research as part of a CSH team
- Explore the the latest developments, applications, and challenges of complex systems science
- Learn knowledge and skills to enhance their capacity as a complexity scientist
- Connect with fellow interns, CSH researchers, and our many scientific visitors to expand their complexity science network
Audience
Students at any stage of post-secondary training (e.g. bachelors, masters, doctoral) are eligible. Neither prior independent research experience nor extensive familiarity with complexity science methods is expected; the internship is a learning experience. We encourage applications from women and persons from groups that have been historically excluded from the sciences. This is an in-person program; accepted fellows must be willing to spend the internship period in Vienna, Austria, which is continually ranked as one of the world’s most liveable cities. Students who are accepted into the program and who require a visa to enter Austria will be provided the necessary supporting documents for their application.
Funding
An internship at CSH is structured as a learning experience for the benefit of the student and therefore is unpaid. Interns must provide for their travel to, from, and within Vienna, accommodations, and meals. Interns must also ensure that they have health (accident) insurance that provides sufficient coverage in Austria. Students should also consider possible additional costs related to visas, mobile phone coverage, and other personal costs. Though circumstances will vary significantly, interns should budget EUR 1600–1800 for a two-month internship, plus the cost of travel from/to their place of residence.
Students are encouraged to seek funding from their home university to support their internship experience, for instance, through Erasmus+ (EU) or similar programs. CSH can provide supporting documents to students who are accepted into the program.
Structure
The CSH summer internship consists of:
- independent complexity science project
- individualized training from dedicated project advisor(s)
- scientific talks and research seminars
- introductory skills and foundations workshops
- a limited number of intern-only social activities
- project presentation to the CSH community
The core of the internship experience is the project and the close collaboration with the project advisor(s). The project advisors, along with other members of the research team, will help with technical aspects of the project and provide regular opportunities to discuss bigger-picture elements of the work. Advisors provide reading lists and additional learning resources so that students can enhance their knowledge and skills related to the project. Students will also have access to a range of workshops, seminars, and talks to help them gain knowledge about complexity science and current areas of research.
Timeline & Milestones
Internships are expected to begin approximately on June 26, 2024, and last 6–8 weeks. At the beginning of the internship period, students will meet with their project advisor(s) to develop a set of discrete goals and a timeline for their project. The internship is considered a full-time commitment for its duration. In the first several weeks of the program, interns will be offered short introductory skills and foundations workshops, aimed at providing knowledge that will help students manage their projects and incorporate complex systems approaches. Students will continue their self-directed learning throughout the summer, with the guidance of their advisor(s). All interns are invited to present their project to the CSH community at the end of the summer.
Eligibility Requirements
At the time of their participation, interns should be enrolled in a degree-granting program (bachelors, masters, doctoral, or combined degree program) from an accredited institution, or should be planning to re-enroll in such a program within the next 12 months.
- Applicants should have prior coursework in a quantitative discipline (social, natural or information sciences, mathematics, engineering)
- Programming experience in Python, R, or statistical platforms may be required for specific projects. Please check details in the project descriptions.
- Proficiency in English*
How to Apply
The application deadline for 2024 summer internships has passed.
Application for a summer internship at CSH is possible from November 1 through January 31 (midnight Vienna local time). Late applications cannot be accepted.
Through our online form (linked here during the application window), applicants will submit: biographical information, general details of academic background, curriculum vitae or resume, and responses to the following:
- Describe any job experiences, coursework, hobbies, skills, degrees, certifications, or licenses that you have that might be relevant during this internship.
- Describe your vision as a young scientist. What problem(s) would you like to solve? If your interest is in data visualization, what do you hope to achieve with your work?
- Describe what interests you about a specific project and how it fits into your scientific vision. Describe how this internship could be useful towards realizing your scientific (or other) goals.
Candidates will be notified of their application status by the end of February.
Contact
Emine Güldüroglu leads the internship program and supports students with all aspects of their experience at CSH. Please contact grad@csh.ac.at with any questions.
About the Complexity Science Hub
The Complexity Science Hub (CSH) is Europe’s research center for the study of complex systems. We derive meaning from data from a range of disciplines – economics, medicine, ecology, and the social sciences – as a basis for actionable solutions for a better world. Established in 2015, we have grown to over 70 researchers, driven by the increasing demand to gain a genuine understanding of the networks that underlie society, from healthcare to supply chains. Through our complexity science approaches linking physics, mathematics, and computational modeling with data and network science, we develop the capacity to address today’s and tomorrow’s challenges.
* The working language of the Complexity Science Hub is English. German language skills are not required.