By: Lydia Rivers (@lydiuhrivers)
CIERA graduate student Lindsey Byrne received a prestigious Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowship (DOE CSGF). She will be joining the program as a fellow within the class of 2019.
“The DOE CSGF recipients are selected among graduate students in all fields of science and engineering, so it is among the most prestigious awards that a student working in computational science can receive,” said Claude-André Faucher-Giguère, associate professor in the department of Physics and Astronomy and Byrne’s advisor. “The fellowship acknowledges Lindsey’s already impressive accomplishments, as well as her potential to develop into a leader in the field.”
The DOE CSGF, established in 1991, trains and produces the country’s next generation of leaders in computational science. Renewable up to four years, fellows receive a yearly stipend, full payment of university tuition and fees, and an annual academic allowance.
The fellowship is guided by a comprehensive program of study that requires focused coursework in the areas of science, engineering, computer science and applied mathematics. It also includes a three-month practicum at one of 21 Department of Energy laboratories and sites across the country.
“I’ll be taking additional classes in computer science and mathematics, so I’ll be gaining a broader base of knowledge. Those extra classes will help me develop computational skills that I can use in my research.”
Byrne studies active galactic nucleus (AGN) feedback within the Faucher-Giguère group at Northwestern. AGNs are the bright nuclei found within many galaxies, and are so bright that they are more luminous than the rest of the light within the galaxy.
These AGNs are thought to be powered by supermassive black holes at the center of galaxies, which produce huge amounts of energy. Byrne is researching the ways in which that energy can affect how galaxies evolve and develop using computer simulations, and will be able to focus her research with this esteemed fellowship.
“I was very happy [when I found out]. It’s a great fellowship, especially considering the multidisciplinary aspect. It’ll give me the opportunity to work with other people and to work on projects I wouldn’t have otherwise… I’ll be able to broaden my horizons a bit and gain new skills to apply to the problems I’m currently working on.”
View the announcement from the Department of Energy: https://www.krellinst.org/csgf/about-doe-csgf/news-events/2019-incoming-class