Summer Internship for Nigerian Students in Computational Social Sciences

Participation in the SICSS-Calabar program is limited to graduate students (MSc and PhD), early-career university faculty, as well as industry professionals interested in applying data science techniques to address pressing social problems.

SICSS terms

Although there are no restrictions based on nationality, country of study or work, participation may be limited to individuals residing in southern Nigeria due to limited logistical resources. About 15 participants will be selected, and participants are expected to attend and participate fully in the program over the course of an entire week.

The Summer Institute aims to bring together computational social scientists of various levels of technical expertise. For participants with less experience in social science research, they will be expected to complete additional readings before starting the institute. As for those who have less coding experience, they will complete the SICSS bootcamp. Students undertaking this preparatory work will be supported by a teaching assistant who will hold online office hours during the two months prior to the institute.

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and fields of study, especially applicants from groups that are currently underrepresented in the field of computational social sciences. We evaluate applicants along a number of dimensions, including:

1. Research and teaching in computational social sciences
2. Contributions to public goods, such as creating open source software, curating public data sets, and creating educational opportunities for others
3. Potential to benefit from participation
4. Potential to contribute to the educational experience of other participants
5. The potential for dissemination of computational social science into new intellectual communities and research fields

Furthermore, when making our evaluations, we try to take into account the applicant's career stage and previous educational opportunities.

How to apply for the SICSS conference

Applicants must submit the following documents:

1. Biography
2. A brief statement of why you want to attend SICSS-Calabar (no more than 500 words)
3. A sample of writing (this can be any piece of writing you own, whether published or unpublished)
4. A letter of support from the supervisor/department head/line manager/mentor who can attest to the applicant’s competence/potential and availability

To ensure full consideration of your applications, all application materials must be submitted on or before July 31. All application materials must be submitted through the attached electronic form. Start your application by clicking “Submit Application”. Applications not completed by the deadline may not be given full consideration.

We will only notify applicants via email, and will ask participants to confirm their participation afterwards. Inquiries can be sent to [email protected].

Frequently asked questions about the application

Can I apply to more than one summer institute site?

Yes, but not at the same time. For example, you can apply to SICSS-Calabar, and then if you are not accepted, you can apply to one of the other sites if their deadline is later. However, you cannot submit requests that are under review in two locations at the same time.

Can I participate in SICSS-Calabar if I have already participated in SICSS elsewhere?

no. Every year we have more applicants than we can accept, and we would like everyone to have the opportunity to participate in SICSS once before we allow people to participate twice.

Eligible Nationalities