Scholarship: Fully-funded
Degree: B.S./M.S.
Nationality: International Students
Location: USA
Application deadlines: Open
Scholarship Description:
Dr. Wei Zhang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science and serves as the Graduate Program Director of Computer Science at the University of Central Florida.
He leads the Computational Biology Lab (https://www.cs.ucf.edu/compbio/), which focuses on the development of machine learning algorithms for various challenges in large-scale biomedical data analysis. The work has been published in top-tier journals such as Nature Communications, Nucleic Acids Research, Briefings in Bioinformatics, Bioinformatics, PLoS Computational Biology, etc. Over the past five years, Dr. Zhang’s lab has received substantial support, including four NSF awards, two NIH awards, and a research contract with the Moffitt Cancer Center.
Computer Science is one of UCF’s strong academic disciplines. The Computer Science PhD Program is not only the first CS PhD program in Florida but also the inaugural PhD program at UCF. According to the latest report from US News in 2023, UCF’s Computer Science program is ranked #70 nationwide. The research strength in the field of computer science is primarily based on the performance of publishing papers in top international conferences in their respective fields. According to this indicator (csrankings.com), UCF’s Computer Science program is ranked #55 in the broad category. Computer Science has strong areas of research in Computer Vision (#8), Machine Learning (#46), and Bioinformatics (#30). CS is also well known for the success of its two-time defending National Champion Cyber Defense team and the exceptional record of its programming teams in regional, national, and world competitions. Research sponsors include NSF, NIH, NASA, DOT, DARPA, ONR, and other DOD agencies. Industry sponsors include AMD, Boeing, Canon, Electronic Arts, General Dynamics, Harris, Hitachi, Intel, Lockheed Martin, Oracle, SAIC, Symantec, Toyota USA, and Walt Disney World, as well as local startups. More information about the department can be found at https://www.cs.ucf.edu/.
The University of Central Florida (UCF) has over 70,000 students, making it currently the second largest university in the United States. UCF is a comprehensive research university with strong development and is classified as a Carnegie R1 university (highest research activity). The university is located in the prime location of Orlando, Florida, in the heart of a high-tech corridor and boasts an excellent industrial base. It is the home of the NBA’s Orlando Magic and is one of the most famous tourist destinations in the world, attracting millions of visitors from across the United States and around the world every year. Here, you can find all the famous theme parks you want to visit, including the world’s largest Disney World, Universal Studios, SeaWorld, and the Kennedy Space Center. In addition to this, miles of beaches are just a stone’s throw away. As a student at the University of Central Florida, you will enjoy the most enviable climate and environment in the world. Orlando has an average of over 230 days of sunshine a year and an average temperature of 72°F (22°C), making it an ideal place for living, learning, and exploring.
Available Subjects:
- Computational Biology and Machine Learning.
Eligibility criteria:
- Bachelors and Masters degrees in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Statistics, and related disciplines.
- Good programming skills (e.g., Python/Matlab/R) and familiarity with the Linux operating system.
- Strong English communication skills.
- No biology background is needed.
Application Procedure:
Students who are interested can submit their applications through https://graduate.ucf.edu/. Afterward, please send your resume, transcripts, GRE, and TOEFL test scores via email to Dr. Zhang ([email protected]).
