FAQ
Any questions regarding the application or the workshop can be directed to data-science@uchicago.edu.
- Application
- When is the application due?
Applications are due on Monday, August 3, 2026 at 11:59 PM CT.
Letters of recommendation are due with the application. 1 letter of recommendation is required, and you can provide up to 2. Recommenders can submit their letters of recommendation through our online application system and specific instructions are available through the application website. If recommenders have any issue submitting their letters via the InfoReady application interface, they can email as a PDF attachment to data-science@uchicago.edu.
- Where can I apply?
- How many recommendations can I receive?
You must request at least one letter of recommendation, and no more than two.
- Who can I request a recommendation from?
You are encouraged to request a letter of recommendation from a faculty member or advisor who can speak first-hand to your research and academic strengths and qualifications for the program.
- Where do letter writers submit recommendations?
Letters of recommendation are due with the application. 1 letter of recommendation is required, and you can provide up to 2. Recommenders can submit their letters of recommendation through our online application system and specific instructions are available through the application website. If recommenders have any issue submitting their letters via the application interface, they can email as a PDF attachment to data-science@uchicago.edu.
- Can the research statement include references?
Yes, your research statement can include references. References do not count towards the page limit and are allowed to run onto an additional third page beyond the two-page limit for the statement.
- When is the application due?
- Eligibility
- Do I have to be in a data science program (PhD or postdoc) to apply?
We do not require that applicants are currently in a data science program to apply. However, applicants should be pursuing doctoral degrees or postdocs in computer science, statistics, computational and applied math, data science, or a related computational field.
- Who can apply?
Applicants must be full time graduate students within 1 year of obtaining a PhD, or a current postdoctoral scholar, fellow, or researcher. If you have any questions about your eligibility, please feel free to send an email to data-science@uchicago.edu.
- Do I have to be in a data science program (PhD or postdoc) to apply?
- Workshop Details
- Is travel funding available?
Accepted participants will be reimbursed up to $1000 for qualified travel expenses.
- When will the workshop agenda be available?
The workshop agenda will be available in October 2026.
- Who is the audience for the student research talks?
The primary audience for the student research talks are the Rising Stars Committee and PhD students, researchers, faculty, and staff in the data science ecosystems at UC San Diego, UChicago and Stanford University. Certain panels and workshop events will be open to the public. Registration for the event will open in September.
- What should the research talk cover?
The research talk should highlight your research interests in data science and computing, and ideally showcase your unique approaches to the nascent field as it takes shape.
- Do I need to cover established research in my talk, or can it cover early-stage projects?
Your talk can use research work that is either early-stage or published, so long as you are confident that it appropriately and best showcases your research methodology and approaches.
- Is travel funding available?