Funding Opportunities

A variety of funding opportunities are available to support students who are interested in doing research during their Master’s studies in Materials Science and Engineering (MSE). Interested applicants may also contact individual faculty members and inquire about their open positions and research opportunities. Please contact the Center for Financial Aid for financial assistance available from federal, state, and institutional sources at Cal State LA.

Visit the Center for Financial Aid

The following funding opportunities are currently available through different research centers and university programs. If you have any further questions about funding opportunities, please contact us at [email protected]

  CEaS Graduate Student Fellowship  

Center for Energy and Sustainability (CEaS) offers Graduate Student Fellowships to students who are interested in research in the broad field of energy and sustainability. The Graduate Student Fellowship is a year-round research fellowship. Students work with a faculty advisor to complete a thesis research project by the time they complete their graduate programs.

  • Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a continuous basis
  • Time Commitment: 20 hours/week
  • Supplies & Travel: Support for research supplies and travel
  • Seminars: Enrollment in seminar courses are required
  • Status: Must be U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident
  • Please contact Dr. Pacheco-Vega at [email protected] for more information about the CEaS Graduate Student Fellowship.

  PREM – Research Opportunities for MS MSE Students  

The Partnership for Research and Education in Materials (PREM) at Cal State LA, in partnership with the MRSEC Center for Nanoscale Science at Penn State University (PSU), enhances the research and education of students in materials science and engineering at Cal State LA.

The NSF PREM program will be offering partial stipend support for up to four MS Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) students to work with PREM faculty on MSE research projects. The following projects are available to be supported through this program. If you are interested in this opportunity, please apply to the program, and send your CV to [email protected]. In your email, please list up to three projects (from the following list) that are of your interest and sort them based on your research background and interest. You may email the faculty advisors and ask about the details of their projects.

 

Project Title

Faculty Advisor

1

Understanding the Adhesion and Friction Coupling in Gecko‐Inspired Dry Adhesives with Controlled Contact Geometry and Structural Gradient

Dr. Travis Hu

2

Modeling Microstructural Evolution during Metal Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing)

Dr. Mohsen Eshraghi

3

Development of Porous Electrodes for Slurry Flow Batteries

Dr. Chris Bachman

4

Prediction of Materials Properties Using Machine Learning

Dr. Radi Jishi

5

Nanomaterials for Catalysis and Renewable Energy

Dr. Yangyang Liu

6

Metal Oxide Nanoflowers as Biosensors

Dr. Frank Gomez

 For more information about PREM opportunities, please contact Dr. Chris Bachman at [email protected].

  Office of Graduate Studies Student Support Programs  

The materials for the following Student Support Programs are due to the Office of Graduate Studies (LIB N A124) by the deadlines listed.

Graduate Equity Fellowship Program

These grants are designed to increase the number of master’s degrees awarded to economically disadvantaged CSU students, especially those graduate students that are underrepresented among graduate degree recipients in their discipline and those who are disabled.

Graduate Student Non-Resident Tuition Waiver Program

A limited number of non-resident tuition fee waivers or tuition fee reductions may be granted to non-resident graduate students who are either domestic non-resident students or citizens of a foreign country.

Travel Support for Conferences and Professional Development

**ATTENTION** CSU Travel Restrictions, effective October 5, 2019: Due to Assembly Bill 1887 approved by Governor Brown, California law prohibits approving state-funded or state-sponsored travel to the following states: Alabama, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, MississippiNorth Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Texas. The law applies to all CSU employees, officers, or members, as well as non-employee travelers, including students. Learn more.


Travel Support for Students Presenting at Professional Conferences (TSSP)

The Travel Support for Student Presentations (TSSP) is a reimbursement program designed to encourage and assist Cal State LA graduate students whose work has been accepted into a professional/academic conference. 


Travel Support for Professional Development of Graduate Students (TSPD)

The Travel Support for Professional Development of Graduate Students (TSPD) is a reimbursement program designed to encourage and assist Cal State LA graduate students to participate in professional development activities that will foster their educational and career goals. 

Culminating Project Fund to Support Completion of Thesis, Creative Activity, or Dissertation

This fund is a reimbursement program designed to support Cal State LA graduate student research and/or scholarship conducted toward completing a thesis, creative activity, or dissertation. Students funded through this award will receive reimbursement for approved supplies, equipment, and services.

CSU California Pre-Doctoral Scholars Program

The California Pre-Doctoral program is designed to increase diversity within the pool of university faculty by supporting the doctoral aspirations of students at the CSU.

NOTE: Applications will be submitted electronically to the Chancellor's Office. A hard copy of the application must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies on or before the deadline, prior to submission to the Chancellor's Office for further consideration.

Chancellor's Doctoral Incentive Program

The California State University (CSU) Chancellor's Doctoral Incentive Program (CDIP) aims to increase the number of promising doctoral students applying for future CSU instructional faculty positions by offering financial assistance in the form of a loan and mentorship by CSU faculty.