Education

Visiting Student Program

Are you eager to use complexity science in your thesis research? Would your scientific training benefit from our uniquely transdisciplinary and collaborative research community? Immerse yourself in complex systems as a Visiting Student at the Complexity Science Hub.

The approaches of complexity science can be a powerful lens through which to view a range of critical questions. At the Complexity Science Hub, we are interested in developing ways to understand and quantify fundamental principles of complex systems – emergence, resilience, phase transitions, power laws, and more – and applying these approaches to real-world questions of critical importance to society. We integrate theories, models, and data to reach a better understanding of complex systems ranging from blockchain transactions to zoonotic diseases. We invite Masters and PhD students who share our interests to join us as Visiting Students.

Program Goals

The Visiting Student Program gives graduate students the opportunity to join the research community at the Complexity Science Hub in order to enhance their thesis research. Visiting Students use their affiliation with CSH to either extend their ongoing research using knowledge, methods, tools, or data specific to CSH; or to undertake a new project that is closely aligned with CSH research themes. In exchange, Visiting Students bring their unique perspective to CSH and become active contributors to our dynamic research community. Visiting Students build skills in:

  • Using the approaches of complexity science to answer real-world questions
  • Developing new methods and tools to understand fundamental principles of complex systems
  • Working with very large real-world datasets and state-of-the-art data storage/retrieval structures
  • Collaborating with researchers from diverse disciplines through the shared vocabulary of complexity science

 

student at the chalkboard explaining research project

Structure

Each Visiting Student will work with a Complexity Science Hub host to decide the structure of their visit that will help them meet their individual goals. In general, Visiting Students will:

  • Conduct research in collaboration with one of the Complexity Science Hub’s exceptional faculty members.
  • Participate in weekly talks from prominent invited speakers and resident researchers covering a wide breadth of topics.
  • Become part of the intellectual and social life of the Complexity Science Hub and the student community.
  • Take part in individualized skills training and self-directed learning, guided by their CSH host.
  • Share their research through regular presentations and a final report.

 

Visiting Students are hosted by a CSH faculty member* during their stay. The host will advise on research project design and execution and/or provide training in particular skills or methods. Visiting Students become full members of CSH’s intellectual community and are expected to exchange knowledge and expertise with fellow researchers through discussion and collaboration.

Visiting Students may be eligible to participate in CSH-organized workshops, conferences, schools, or classes, considered on a case-by-case basis.

Timeline & Milestones

Research can begin at any time throughout the year, pending available space and resources, and are expected to last 2–12 months. At the beginning of their Complexity Science Hub affiliation, students will meet with their CSH host to develop a set of discrete goals and a timeline for their project. The training plan will be reviewed and revised during regular meetings with the advisor. Visiting Students are integrated into the research group of their CSH host and participate in group meetings and project discussions throughout their stay. All Visiting Students present their research to the CSH community in the form of a scientific talk.

Audience

Students enrolled in either Masters or PhD/Doctoral studies may apply to become a Visiting Student at the Complexity Science Hub. We welcome applicants from any discipline or field that intersects with the research expertise of CSH. Students should have a strong foundation in quantitative approaches and an interest in deepening their knowledge of or experience with the mathematical and computational tools of complexity science. Visiting Students should be broadly curious and eager to engage in discussion and collaboration with members of our research community. 

We encourage applications from women and persons from groups that have been historically excluded from the sciences. This is an in-person program; Visiting Students should be in Vienna, Austria, during their affiliation with CSH. 

Students interested in joining an ongoing CSH project for a short-term research experience should consider our Summer Internship Program, which is aimed at Bachelors and Masters students as well as applicants who are not currently enrolled in a degree program.

Eligibility

At the time of their participation, Visiting Students must be enrolled in a degree-granting Masters or PhD/Doctoral program that intersects with the research expertise of the Complexity Science Hub. 

In addition, applicants should have:

  • prior research experience (internship, practicum, or as part of coursework) so as to be familiar with the research process
  • an ongoing research project or proposal for a new project that aligns with the research themes of the Complexity Science Hub
  • comfort with a programming language such as Python, R, Mathematica, Matlab, or Julia; and/or substantial experience with statistical packages such as SPSS, SAS, or Stata
  • proficiency in English**

 

There are no restrictions regarding applicant citizenship or residency.

Funding

The Complexity Science Hub does not have funding for Visiting Students. Visiting Students 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, Visiting Students should budget at least EUR 900 per month for cost of living.

Students are encouraged to seek funding from their home university to support their internship experience, for instance, through Erasmus+ or similar programs.

Students are likewise encouraged to seek third-party funding opportunities

How to Apply

Applications from prospective Visiting Students are reviewed on a rolling basis. Students will ideally allow at least three months from submission until their preferred start date. Note that preferred dates cannot always be honored due to space limitations and other factors.

Through our online application portal, applicants submit:

  • biographical information – input directly to the portal.
  • academic CV – No particular format is required, but you are welcome to use this template.
  • cover letter  – This is not a typical cover letter. We would like a proposal for the visit: Outline the ongoing or proposed research project you would like to undertake at the Complexity Science Hub, including (i) specifically what skills, knowledge, and/or experience you hope to gain from the research visit; (ii) the research theme(s) and/or faculty member(s) that you believe best fit your interests and goals; (iii) what particular experience, skills, or knowledge you would bring to share with us; and (iv) the desired length of the research stay and, if known, preferred dates.
  • additional documents
    (1) brief letter of support from the thesis supervisor, study director, or program chair/coordinator. This is not a letter of recommendation but rather should simply specify that, if accepted, the student would be eligible to undertake a research visit at CSH during their studies.
    (2) for Masters students: unofficial transcript or list of relevant coursework

Contact

Carrie Cowan, head of the Digital Innovation School at the Complexity Science Hub

Julia Emmerling has been office manager at the Complexity Science Hub since February 2024. 

Carrie Cowan and Julia Emmerling lead the internship program and support students with all aspects of their experience at the Complexity Science Hub. Please contact grad@csh.ac.at with any questions. 

About the Complexity Science Hub

The Complexity Science Hub 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.

* It is not necessary for applicants to contact potential hosts in advance. Applicants will specify research groups or faculty members who could serve as hosts in their cover letter.

** The working language of the Complexity Science Hub is English. German language skills are not required.

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