In 1999 the LEOS Board of Governors established the Graduate Student Fellowship Program to encourage students in their studies in the LEOS field of interest. The program provides fellowships for up to 12 outstanding LEOS student members pursuing graduate education in the fields of electro-optics, lasers, photonics, optics or closely related fields. Successful applicants will receive $5000 and a travel grant of up to $2500 to attend the LEOS Annual Meeting to be presented with the award. The LEOS Annual Meeting will be held in Sydney, Australia in October this year.
This year sees a change to the way in which applications are made. Instead of students being nominated by a LEOS member, as has happened in previous years, students themselves are to apply to the Fellowship Program. Applicants must be LEOS student members and are normally in their penultimate year of study and receive the award for their final year. So students applying for a fellowship this year should expect to defend their thesis in 2006. If this description fits you, you should consider submitting an application.
Students wishing to apply for a Fellowship should put together an application package consisting of (1) a one page statement of purpose by the student describing his/her education and research interests and accomplishments; (2) a one page biographical sketch of the student (including all degrees received and dates); (3) the students IEEE member number; (4) one copy of the student’s educational transcripts and (5) two reference letters from individuals familiar with the student’s research and educational credentials. The completed applications are to be submitted by the 30th May and successful applicants will be notified by the 30th July. The application packages are to be sent to:

IEEE/LEOS Graduate Student Fellowship Program
445 Hoes Lane
Piscataway NJ 08855 USA

The Fellowship recipients will be selected by the LEOS Membership Committee. The fellowships are awarded geographically in approximate proportion to the numbers of student members in each of the main geographical regions (Americas, Europe/Middle East/Africa, Asia/Pacific).
To find out about successful applicants read the article about the LEOS Graduate Student Fellows of 2004 in the February 05 issue of the Newsletter. You never know, it could be you next year.