Join
DiSEL is recruiting at least one PhD student to start in Fall 2027. Read this page before emailing; it answers some of the most common questions people ask.
Applying to the PhD program
Where to apply
Please apply to the Computer Science Ph.D. program by first selecting “School of Engineering and Applied Science” under Schools and then “Computer Science” under Program when you start your application. The application portal and instructions can be accessed here. Admission is through the department, not the lab, so there is no separate lab application.
How to make sure we see your application
The best way to make sure we see your application is to add Courtney Miller to the "Research Faculty of Interest" list in the "GW Engineering Supplemental Information" section of your application. If her name is on that list, we will read your application. Emails do not provide any such guarantee since they are independent from the application portal.
What we look for in potential recruits
We enjoy working with students from diverse backgrounds who are curious, self-motivated, and resourceful-- and who care about doing empirical research that helps address practice-driven problems. The main thing we look for is the ability to do research. Hands-on experience with empirical methods is a strong signal, and so are publications. But you don’t need prior experience with the specific research topics or methods commonly used by the lab's work.
Can we meet before you apply
As much as we would love to talk to every person interested in the lab's research, there is simply not enough time. Please check out the lab's publications list, which should give you a sense of whether our work fits your interests.
Application fee
A fee waiver is available. The current code is on Courtney Miller's FAQ.
Current and incoming GW PhD students
If you’re a current GW PhD student interested in collaborating, feel free reach out via email with a brief summary of your research interests and what you'd be excited to work together on. We'd love to explore potential collaborations!
If you’re an incoming PhD student looking for a potential advisor or co-advisor, or you’re interested in future collaborations, please feel free to email us as well. We may not be able to make advising commitments right away, but we would still be very happy to chat.
Current GW undergraduate and master's students
The lab is primarily recruiting PhD students in 2026, though we make exceptions for exceptional students. Fill out the research interest form, so we can reach out if a project opens up that's a potential fit.
Application materials you can borrow
Courtney's statements and application packages are public: faculty job market materials, PhD dissertation, NSF GRFP application, and PhD application materials. They are on the application materials page of her webite, which also has links to some PhD and faculty application guides she found particularly helpful.
What working here is like
We study the open source software supply chains that form our digital infrastructure and the sociotechnical disruptions they face, from GenAI development tools defining software development to escalating supply chain sustainability and security threats. Our work is grounded in and guided by the needs of practitioners and uses rigorous multi-dimensional empirical mixed method approaches, combining human-centered qualitative techniques with large-scale data-driven statistical analysis. Students learn the full approach and own projects from design through publication.