CSC News

Gong and Smith Win 2010 IBM PhD Fellowships

Zhenhuan Gong and Ben Smith, graduate students in the computer science department at NC State University, were recently awarded prestigious 2010 IBM Ph.D. Fellowship Awards.  Award recipients are selected based on their overall potential for research excellence, the degree to which their technical interests align with those of IBM, and their progress to-date, as evidenced by publications and endorsements from their faculty advisor and department head.

The IBM Ph.D. Fellowship Awards is an intensely competitive worldwide program, which honors exceptional Ph.D. students who have an interest in solving problems that are important to IBM and fundamental to innovation in many academic disciplines and areas of study including:  computer science and engineering, electrical and mechanical engineering, physical sciences, business sciences, etc. 

Fellows are awarded tuition, fees, and a stipend for one academic year.  The total value of the awards is estimated at $30,000.  All IBM Ph.D. Fellows are matched with an IBM mentor according to their technical interests, and they are encouraged to intern at an IBM research or development laboratory under their mentor’s guidance.  An IBM ThinkPad is awarded during the internship, and internship assignments are designed to strengthen and broaden the awardee’s technical experience and contacts.  All Ph.D Fellowship awards are eligible for renewal yearly for a total of up to three years.

Special thanks go to Gong’s sponsor, Dr. Xiaohui (Helen) Gu, Smith’s sponsor, Dr. Laurie Williams, and to IBM for their continued support of our department and students.

~coates~