The DOE Office of Science (SC) invites the community to participate in a virtual town hall focused on developing innovative approaches for preparing domestic doctoral-level students for science and technology jobs through the Genesis Mission.

Input from participants will inform an anticipated Genesis Mission Graduate Fellowship Pilot. This pilot is intended to establish and demonstrate innovative 4-year PhD pathways that include dual-competency “AI + discipline” research programs at universities integrated with two high-impact research experiences -- one at a DOE National Laboratory or SC user facility and one in industry.  

The town hall will include discussions on addressing the needs and challenges in standing up a four-year PhD track, concepts for integrating laboratory and industry research experiences into an accelerated PhD model, and identifying major merit review criteria for evaluation of the Genesis Mission Fellowship Pilot. Participants will also have opportunities to share best practices from established accelerated PhD programs, as well as pioneering domestic interdisciplinary graduate programs to inform and motivate discussions.  

In addition to introductory remarks by speakers from DOE, industry, and DOE national laboratories, DOE invites speakers from universities to briefly address some or all of the following questions:  

• What are the most significant advantages or barriers you foresee (or have encountered) in implementing a 4-year PhD track at your institution? What innovations or approaches would make (or made) this feasible?  

• How does the dual competency requirement (AI + discipline) align with or challenge your current graduate program structure? Are there examples of dual competency requirements within an accelerated framework?  

• How would you balance depth in AI versus depth in the scientific discipline?  

• What student support structures are essential for success in an accelerated dual-competency doctoral model?  

• How do we identify and recruit domestic students who can thrive in this intensive model?  

• How should we handle students who need more than 4 years, or who face unexpected challenges?  

• Beyond time-to-degree and post-degree employment, what metrics would indicate success of the dual-competency degree? What data should we collect during graduate study versus after graduation?  

Community members are encouraged to register and participate in the discussions during the town hall. In addition, university participants wishing to provide input through a brief presentation should submit a virtual hall speaking request, available on the registration site.