Program Guidelines and Policies
Program Details
The MAT-MOVE program will provide the following to selected applicants:
Travel expenses up to $1,200 to cover the cost of a round trip ticket between the United States and France.
A scholarship of up to $300 per week to cover living expenses in the host country. The duration of the visit can be anywhere between 2 and 8 weeks. The final amount of the scholarship is based on the proposed duration of the visit, the existence of cost-sharing, and fund availability.
Individualized mentoring at the host institution.
Important Dates
The program runs all year long and research visits can be scheduled during the Fall (September-December), Spring (January-May), and Summer (June-August) semesters.
The application deadlines for the 3 review cycles are:
April 1 for visits in the Fall
September 1 for visits in the Spring
February 1 for visits in the Summer
Decisions will be communicated to the applicant and the mentors 2 weeks after the submission deadlines.
Eligibility Criteria
This program is open to Graduate Students conducting research in Materials Science, Physics, and related fields.
Students must be currently enrolled at one of the three participating institutions and be in good academic standing.
Students must have submitted their application and all the supporting documents by appropriate deadline (5 pm CST).
While past recipients are also eligible, students who have not received prior support through the MAT-MOVE program will be given priority.
To receive their credits, UTSA students must be enrolled in one of the following courses at the time of their visit: PHY 7003, PHY 7103, PHY 7973.
While this program is tailored for graduate students, applications from exceptional undergraduate students can also be considered if they meet the following criteria:
They are enrolled at one of the three participating institutions and be in good academic standing.
They have submitted their application and all the supporting documents by appropriate deadline (5 pm CST).
Their planned visit is scheduled during the Summer semester
To receive their credits, UTSA students must be enrolled in one of the following courses at the time of their visit: PHY 4913, PHY 4993.
They submit a letter of recommendation from their faculty advisor motivating the need for the exchange and discussing the student's motivation and commitment to research.
Supporting Documents
Applicants must provide the following documents with their application:
A CV/resume (2p).
A short essay (1p) that
briefly discusses the research project they will carry out at the host institution (~1/2p),
clearly identifies the mentor(s) at the host institution (Professor and/or CNRS researcher),
clearly identifies potential dates and the duration for the visit (they do not have to be final),
briefly explains why this visit is important both from a scientific point of view and from a personal point of view including any training, career developement, networking, and cultural implications (~1/2p),
[Optional] lists any supplementary funding the student will or may use to cover expenses related to their stay (e.g., graduate school professional development grant, fellowship/scholarship, research grant support from advisor, ...).
A letter of recommendation from the faculty advisor at the home institution and/or the mentor at the host institution (2p limit).
Review Process
Applications will be reviewed by the Program Coordinators based on the following criteria:
Scientific merit of the proposed research project,
Student's research capabilities, potential, and motivation,
Prior/existing/potential collaboration between the host and home research groups,
Letter of recommendation from the advisor and/or the mentor at the host institution,
Existence of voluntary cost-sharing (optional).
If Selected
Applicants that will receive a MAT-MOVE grant will be expected to publicize the support of the MAT-MOVE program in publications, presentations, dissertation thesis, ...
After the research visit, the recipient will be asked to submit a short post-visit survey about their visit and experience. The data collected through these surveys will be used for statistical purposes and as a basis for future program improvements.
Past recipients will have the opportunity to serve as student ambassadors for the program and participate in outreach events such as webinar and panels.