Applications

Eligibility

The NRT program is open to all Boston University PhD students in the areas of engineering, natural sciences, physical sciences, health sciences, and data science. The program is designed to begin in the second (or third) year of a student’s PhD and generally, we expect students to take “Introduction to Biological Feedback Control” in the spring semester of the first year of their PhD as a prerequisite for applying to the NRT. However, we understand that some PhD programs make it difficult for students to fit non-required courses into their schedules during the first year. In this case, accepted Trainees would be expected to take the course in the following spring semester. If you are applying from one of these PhD programs, please explain this in your personal statement. Eligible students in their first year may be in the process of completing their required lab rotations and should be prepared to develop a research proposal describing the general area/project of interest.

Applying

Applications for Fall 2025 have closed. Look for information about the Fall 2026 application cycle later in the Fall 2025 semester. Applicants will need to submit:

• One document (one page total) that includes a personal statement about your background and why you are interested in this program (~0.5 pages), and that proposes a research project of interest to you that incorporates biological feedback control, for example, by extending a project idea you worked on in a rotation or based on the research direction of the lab you have joined or are planning to join (~0.5 pages).
• A current résumé or CV (see more about writing résumés and CVs here).
  
• A letter of recommendation from a faculty member in your department, ideally your advisor, to be sent directly from the faculty member to me at: gdreese@bu.edu.

You don’t need to be a Trainee to participate in many of the NRT Program activities! Please email biofc@bu.edu to be added to the mailing list and you’ll get advanced notice about upcoming events.

With support from:

NSF DGE #2244366