CosmicAI Virtual Winter School
The next application cycle will open ~ June 2027
Program Dates: December 14 – 23, 2026 (5 hours each weekday)
Particularly encouraged: students at non-R1 institutions
About
The NSF-Simons AI Institute for Cosmic Origins (CosmicAI) Winter School is a 40-hour online program designed to equip rising junior and senior undergraduate students with the foundational skills needed to succeed in interdisciplinary AI-Astronomy research. This program helps prepare students to enroll in the Certificate in AI/ML program 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
- Prepare for machine learning topics in the Summer School, including:
- Data formatting and random forests
- Supervised learning and linear regression
- 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.
Program Benefits
- Participation Stipend of $150
- Guaranteed spot in CosmicAI Summer School upon successful completion of winter program
- 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
Eligibility
- U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- Enrolled undergraduate student or post-baccularate
- Interested in applying ML/AI techniques in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Graduate Student Teaching Assistant Opportunities
TA positions available for the CosmicAI winter and summer schools; to register your interest please see the “Junior Faculty & Early Career Educator Opportunities” section below
CosmicAI In-Person Summer School
The next application cycle will open ~January 2027.
Program Dates: June 15th – July 10th, 2026
Particularly encouraged: students at non-R1 institutions
About
The NSF-Simons AI Institute for Cosmic Origins (CosmicAI) 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. The Summer School equips students with the tools and mentorship needed to begin research at the intersection of artificial intelligence and astronomy.
The curriculum is designed to provide participants with the foundation necessary to proceed to advanced AI/ML studies in the AI-Astronomy Certificate and includes:
- Data Formatting and Random Forests
- Supervised Machine Learning and Linear Regression
- Unsupervised Machine Learning
- Neural Network
Taught by researchers from the CosmicAI community, the program combines lectures, hands-on coding, and collaborative projects. The Summer School is typically held during June and/or July.
Graduate Student Teaching Assistant Opportunities
TA positions available for the CosmicAI winter and summer schools; to register your interest please see the “Junior Faculty & Early Career Educator Opportunities” section below
Program Benefits
- $2,400 stipend, housing, and travel support are provided for students selected to attend the Summer 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 and research mentorship
Eligibility
- U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- Enrolled undergraduate student or post-baccularate or 1st/2nd year graduate student
- Possess skills equivalent to CosmicAI Winter School curriculum in Python, math, and statistics. (see GitHub lessons for example)
- Interested in applying ML/AI techniques in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Junior Faculty & Early Career Educator Opportunities
CosmicAI has 3 opportunities for junior faculty and early career educators including:
- Instructors and TAs for the CosmicAI virtual Winter School (open now)
- Instructors and TAs for the CosmicAI in-person Summer School (open now)
- Full-Tuition Scholarships for the UT-Austin CAIML program (open now)
CosmicAI Winter School Instructor and Teaching Assistants
Description of roles and responsibilities
See above for description of the Winter School. 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
Two TAs will support the instructor during in-person lectures, exercises, and office hours.
Time Commitment
Total commitment for the instructor is approximately 50 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.
Total commitment for each TA is approximately 20 hours, including in-class support, prep and organizational meetings.
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 $1000 consultancy payment will be provided to recognize your time and contribution.
For non-NRAO TAs, a $300 stipend will be provided to non-NRAO employees to recognize your time and contribution.
Reasonable round-trip travel and housing expenses will be covered by the program.
How to Apply or Inquire
Email the items below to awofford@nrao.edu
- Brief statement of interest and relevant experience
- CV
If Non-NRAO, indicate if you are a US citizen/permanent resident or foreign national with visa type if available. Foreign nationals are eligible.
Instructors and TAs will be evaluated on a rolling basis, with priority consideration given to applications received by August 31, 2026. Applications will continue to be accepted until all positions are filled. This webpage will be updated once all positions have been filled.
APPLICATIONS OPEN NOW
CosmicAI Summer School Instructors and Teaching Assistants
Description of roles and responsibilities
See above for description of the Summer School. We are seeking up to 4 instructors and 4 TAs to deliver interactive lectures and guide students through hands-on exercises. Instructors and TAs will be selected based on their interest and expertise to teach and develop 2-4 lectures on one or more topics below:
- Week 1: Data Prep & Random Forests
Data cleaning, formatting, and ensemble methods like Random Forests. - Week 2: Supervised ML & Linear Regression
Covers regression theory and predictive modeling using labeled data. - Week 3: Unsupervised ML
Focuses on clustering and dimensionality reduction (e.g., k-means, PCA). - Week 4: Neural Networks
Introduction to neural network structure and applications.
Time Commitment
Each Instructor and TA position is for one-week of the total program. You may express interest in multiple weeks.
Total commitment for each instructor is approximately 50 hours, including attending organizational meetings, developing curriculum materials (with guidance from program staff), and teaching during their assigned week of the school.
Total commitment for each TA is approximately 30 hours, including attending organizational meetings, developing workshop materials for their assigned weeks’ topics (with guidance from instructor), assisting the instructor during lectures and leading workshops during the school. TAs will also support participant housing by reporting issues and concerns to program staff.
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 non-NRAO TAs, a $300 stipend will be provided to non-NRAO employees to recognize your time and contribution.
Reasonable round-trip travel and housing expenses will be covered by the program.
How to Apply or Inquire
Email the items below to awofford@nrao.edu
- Brief statement of interest and relevant experience
- CV
If Non-NRAO, indicate if you are a US citizen/permanent resident or foreign national with visa type if available. Foreign nationals are eligible.
Instructors and TAs will be evaluated on a rolling basis, with priority consideration given to applications received by November 1, 2026. Applications will continue to be accepted until all positions are filled. This webpage will be updated once all positions have been filled.
APPLICATIONS OPEN NOW
CosmicAI Scholarships for Graduate Certificate In AI and Machine Learning (CAIML) with an Astrophysics-AI Badge
Each year, CosmicAI sponsors five early career participants with tuition-free enrollment in the AI Foundations Certificate with a Concentration in Astrophysics.
Interested applicants must complete the following steps:
- Fill out the NRAO Cosmic-AI Interest Form
- Submit an application through the UT-Austin Graduate Portal for the AI Foundations Certificate.
- The linked page includes additional information for the certificate course and the link to access the application portal at the bottom of the page.
- Complete both steps above by the deadline that corresponds with the desired CAIML admissions cycle:
- Spring Admissions Final Deadline September 1
- Fall Admissions Final Deadline April 15
Successful scholarship recipients will be notified after admission decisions are released by the CAIML program. Particularly encouraged: faculty at non-R1 or teaching-focused institutions.
APPLICATIONS OPEN NOW
Working Groups
CosmicAI is organized into the following research working groups:
- Explorable Universe
- Observable Universe
- Explainable Universe
- Accelerated Universe
Click here to learn more about our CosmicAI Working Groups.
Contact Us
If you have any questions or need more information about this program, please email the CosmicAI Program Coordinator at awofford@nrao.edu.
Funding Partners
CosmicAI gratefully acknowledges funding from the National Science Foundation under Cooperative Agreement 2421782 and the Simons Foundation award MPS-AI-00010515. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) is a facility of the NSF operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc. The authors also acknowledge support from the Simons Foundation through the NSF funding solicitation NSF 23-610. Our mission is to drive transformative breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, reshape scientific workflows, and expand access to AI and astronomy. We focus on four core pillars of AI innovation: trustworthiness, robustness, explainability, and efficiency. This page will be a landing site for useful resources – from poster printing to study programs, and to job opportunities.