Jefferson Lab, Newport News, VA
HUGS 2025
With support from the United States Department of Energy (DOE) and Jefferson Science Associates (JSA), the 40th Annual Hampton University Graduate Studies (HUGS) Program at Jefferson Lab will be held from Tuesday, May 27 to Friday, June 13, 2025. Participants are expected to arrive at Jefferson Lab on Monday, May 26, and depart on Saturday, June 14.
The HUGS Program at Jefferson Lab is an international professional training workshop in experimental and theoretical hadronic and nuclear physics designed for graduate students who have finished their coursework and have at least one year of research experience in these fields. Students who are well into a research project are also encouraged to apply. The program is simultaneously intensive, friendly, and casual. All lecturers are internationally renowned and leaders in their fields. Admission into the program is competitive, with a limited number of scholarships available; details are provided below.
During the final week of the workshop, participants will present their work in a poster session and a two-day seminar series. Accommodation will be provided on-site at Jefferson Lab, where participants will have many opportunities to interact with Jefferson Lab staff, lecturers, other graduate students, and visitors.
Speakers and Topics:
To be announced.
Browse the HUGS archive for information on past programs.
Student Support
Thanks to a grant from the U.S. DOE, we will be able to offer a limited number of standard HUGS fellowships that will cover lodging at the SURA residence facility (where kitchen facilities are available) and a contribution towards meal expenses. Students interested in this financial support should indicate this on the registration page and briefly describe their need in the designated field. (Please also ask your advisor to comment on this in their reference letter.) For full consideration, apply before February 7th, 2025.
We also expect the JSA/HUGS fellowship for Graduate Students from Developing Countries supported by the JSA Initiatives Fund Program to be available again this year. Under this fellowship, which supplements the standard one, we will be able to support up to two graduate students from a developing country, fully covering travel expenses (including international airfare), lodging, and meals. This fellowship may allow for an additional one- to two-week visit to Jefferson Lab, depending on funding, to meet with laboratory researchers and users, and to initiate or strengthen a research collaboration. Note that you will also need to submit your application to the HUGS program, in addition to applying for the fellowship.
For those with children, you may be eligible for the JLab Fund for Extra Child Care (ExCARE) support (for JLab users only).
HUGS Program Application
The early application deadline for participants who need to apply for a VISA is January 7th, 2025.
The regular deadline for full consideration is February 7th, 2025.
To apply, please:
- Complete the online application.
- Arrange for at least one letter of recommendation (ideally from your Ph.D. advisor) to be separately sent directly by the letter writer.
If you have attended HUGS previously, but only remotely, you are encouraged to apply again for in-person attendance this year.