Visiting Faculty Program (VFP)
Program Overview
Summer term VFP Applications open in October and are due in January. You can apply here.
The Visiting Faculty Program (VFP), seeks to increase the research competitiveness of faculty members and their students at institutions historically underrepresented in the research community in order to expand the workforce vital to the Department of Energy (DOE) mission areas. As part of the program, selected university/college faculty members collaborate with DOE laboratory research staff on a research project of mutual interest. Faculty member participants may invite up to two students (one of which may be a graduate student) to participate in the research project.
Each summer, SLAC will host one to two VFP teams comprised of one faculty member, who may invite up to two students (one can be a graduate student) from the targeted educational institution. Student participation is optional. Selected faculty and participating students spend 10 weeks (Summer Term) at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory engaged in a research project under the guidance of a SLAC scientist. Faculty members build collaborative relationships with SLAC research scientists, become familiar with DOE sponsored research programs, scientific user facilities, and potential funding opportunities. Students participate in enrichment activities, including career professional development workshops (e.g. technical and scientific writing skills development, poster, or oral presentation activities, etc.), laboratory tours, scientific lectures and seminars.
All VFP faculty applicants must submit at the time of application a research project proposal co-developed with the collaborating research staff located at the host DOE laboratory. Proposal guidance and requirements can be found here.
Participating faculty receive a 10-week stipend of $14,000 during the internship period. Participating undergraduate students receive a stipend of $600 per week during the internship period. Participating graduate students are expected to be supported by their home academic institutions consistent with their graduate appointment, and the VFP provides no additional stipend. Selected faculty and students are reimbursed for one round trip domestic travel to the host laboratory (if permanent address is more than 50 miles from the host laboratory).
Selected faculty and student participants must complete both the entrance and exit surveys and participate in professional scientific meetings at the request of their research advisor.
Faculty participants are strongly encouraged to make an oral presentation on the outcome of their VFP related research projects and must complete and submit a 6-8 page research project report. Report requirements and submission instructions can be found in the Visiting Faculty Program (VFP) Faculty Deliverables Requirements and Guidelines.
Student participants must make either an oral presentation on the outcome of their VFP related research activities, complete and submit a 1500-3000 word research project report, a general audience abstract and a one-page peer review of another undergraduate's intern talk or poster. Report requirements, submission instructions and additional guidance can be found in the Visiting Faculty Program (VFP) Student Deliverables Requirements and Guidelines.
Past VFP Projects:
View Participant Obligations here.
View Eligibility Requirements here.
Key Dates:
- Online Application opens in October.
- Applications due in January at 5pm ET.
- Notification period begins end of January.
- All DOE offers and notifications complete on or around April.
To learn more about the Faculty Visiting Program, please visit: http://science.energy.gov/wdts/vfp.
or contact:
Hillary Freeman
VFP Program Director
Email: hillary@slac.stanford.edu
