Download the Application and Reference Form: 

    Click 2008 S-STEM Student Application to download the application.

    Click 2008 S-STEM Reference Form to download the reference form.

Oberlin College was awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation’s Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S-STEM) Program to encourage and expand Oberlin science majors’ knowledge of the powerful tools of computation and modeling.

The grant will provide need-based scholarships of up to $10,000 for two years (junior and senior year) for Oberlin science majors with a demonstrated interest in computation and modeling.

The S-STEM Scholars Program is open to students who will enter their junior or senior year in fall 2008. Under the terms of the NSF grant program, students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and have a declared major in one or more of the STEM fields: biology, biochemistry, chemistry, computer science, geology, mathematics, neuroscience, physics/astronomy, or 3-2 engineering. Students must qualify for financial aid on the basis of their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), as determined by the Oberlin College Office of Financial Aid. Scholarship recipients must commit to taking at least one course relating to computation and modeling per semester.

Attend the Information Session: 

Wednesday, April 9, 4:30, Wilder 101

Tony Starfield Workshop

April 3 - 5

Current and Prospective Students:  Receive Updates from OCCaM

Click here to register with OCCaM and receive information about OCCaM-sponsored activities.

The Oberlin Center for Computation and Modeling (OCCaM) is an interdisciplinary research organization founded in mid-2005. OCCaM is devoted to helping coordinate and publish the research efforts of its members.  OCCaM members are scientists and students at Oberlin College

In their work, members often use the scientific techniques of model building and computer data analysis. This common thread unites the researchers, who are applying similar methods to their diverse fields of study.

Because of an ever-growing need for powerful computers to perform simulations and process scientific data, Oberlin College acquired a 64-node Beowulf cluster in the summer of 2005. This machine, informally referred to as the supercomputer, is an excellent tool for this purpose.

Large amounts of computer power are not always required for scientific problem solving. Modeling can refer to any method that reduces observed natural phenomena to a simplified system described by mathematics. Accurate models can be helpful in explaining observations. Therefore, researchers across many different disciplines often engage in model building to improve their understanding of problems.

Visit the Faculty pages to find out about Oberlin's faculty and its research. The Course pages will provide information about our current modeling-related courses. The Student-Faculty Research page has posters describing recent projects. Finally, visit the Topics in Modeling page for links to interesting sites related to modeling, and the Beowulf Cluster page to find out about Oberlin's supercomputer.

OCCaM and the Curriculum

On September 30, 2006 OCCaM received a two-year $150,000 grant from the Booth-Ferris Foundation to promote modeling in the Oberlin curriculum. Watch this Website for news and information as activities develop.