CosmicAI Opportunites at NRAO
The COSMIC-AI Winter School is a one-week online program designed to equip rising junior and senior undergraduate students with the foundational skills needed to succeed in interdisciplinary AI-Astronomy research. This immersive experience serves as the first step toward earning the AI-Astronomy Certificate and prepares students for full participation in the four-week, in-person Summer School.
The Winter School is focused on building basic coding skills—such as Python programming—and statistical methods to prepare students for the advanced machine learning topics covered during the Summer School. Through interactive faculty-led sessions and hands-on exercises, students will:
- Learn essential programming skills using Python
- Review core concepts in mathematics and statistics
- Explore introductory topics in machine learning, including:
- Supervised learning and linear regression
- Data formatting and random forests
- Unsupervised learning
- Neural networks
The Winter School also introduces students to key research workflows and analytical tools used in astronomy and AI, setting the stage for deeper exploration during the summer program.
This foundational experience emphasizes inclusive learning, professional development, and peer exchange—ensuring students are not only technically prepared but also part of a supportive research community.
Benefits Include:
- Build prerequisite coding, statistical, and data analysis skills
- Prepare students for interdisciplinary AI-Astronomy research
- Gain hands-on experience with real astronomical datasets
- Strengthen preparation for research and internships
- Provide the foundation needed to complete the summer school
- Engage in structured learning with lectures and team exercises
- Develop career-relevant coding and data science skills
Virtual Winter School Instructor and TA Needed
Dates: December 15th – 19th, 2025
We are seeking a winter school instructor to lead interactive sessions and hands-on exercises utilizing Google Colab in the following areas:
- Python Programming Fundamentals
- Core Mathematics and Statistics Review
Time Commitment
Total commitment is approximately 80 hours, including prep and instructional time. Instructors will work from an existing curriculum with the option to revise as desired, allowing ample time to review materials, engage students, and deliver high-quality instruction.
Compensation
- For NRAO employees, participation may be supported through Broader Impact (BI) hours, subject to supervisor approval. As a reminder, employees are encouraged to contribute 2% to 5% of their time during their normal working hours over the course of the year supporting Broader Impact activities with the approval of their supervisor.
- For non-NRAO instructors, a consultancy payment will be provided to recognize your time and contribution.
- For TAs, a $100 stipend will be provided.
If you're interested or requests for additional information, please contact the CosmicAI Program Coordinator Alia Wofford at awofford@nrao.edu.
2026 CosmicAI In-Person Summer School
The COSMIC-AI Summer School is a four-week immersive, in-person experience hosted annually at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) Headquarters on the campus of the University of Virginia (UVA) in Charlottesville, Virginia. Designed to build on the foundational knowledge gained during the Virtual Winter School, the Summer School equips students with the tools and mentorship needed to begin research at the intersection of artificial intelligence and astronomy.
The curriculum supports the AI-Astronomy Certificate and includes:
- Supervised Machine Learning and Linear Regression
- Data Formatting and Random Forests
- Unsupervised Machine Learning
- Neural Network
Taught by researchers from the NiAAiCO community, the program combines lectures, hands-on coding, and collaborative projects. During the final two weeks, students begin their own research projects, which will continue into the fall semester under virtual mentorship from experienced senior researchers.
Benefits Include:
- Stipend and travel support are provided for students selected to attend the Summer School
- Offer a pathway for students with sufficient background to bypass the Winter School
- Gain foundational knowledge in astronomy, statistics, and machine learning (e.g., regression, random forests, neural networks) through lectures, activities, and observations
- Offers professional development opportunities
- Eligible to complete the AI-Astronomy Certificate and earn transferable credits toward a graduate degree program
In-Person Summer School Instructors and TAs Needed
Course Duration
4-week program tentatively set for June 2026 (Dates finalized Dec. 2025)
The curriculum is aligned with the AI-Astronomy Certificate program. We are seeking up to 4 instructors and 4 TAs to deliver interactive lectures and guide advanced undergraduate students through hands-on exercises.
Lecture Topics
Instructors and TAs will be selected based on their interest and expertise to teach and develop 2–3 lectures on one or more topics below:
- Week 1: Supervised ML & Linear Regression — Covers regression theory and predictive modeling using labeled data.
- Week 2: Unsupervised ML — Focuses on clustering and dimensionality reduction (e.g., k-means, PCA).
- Week 3: Data Prep & Random Forests — Data cleaning, formatting, and ensemble methods like Random Forests.
- Week 4: Neural Networks — Introduction to neural network structure and applications.
Compensation
Compensation available. Amount varies based on experience, institutional affiliation, and number of topics/weeks committed.
To express interest or request more information, email CosmicAI Program Coordinator Alia Wofford at awofford@nrao.edu.
Note: Expressing interest is not a binding commitment. Further participation details and compensation will be discussed individually.