Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program Description

LearnLab at Carnegie Mellon and the University of Pittsburgh has an exciting summer research opportunity available to undergraduate students. This research program encourages applications from students who would like to conduct research in the fields of psychology, education, computer science, human-computer interfaces and language technologies.  This program seeks broad participation, including members of underrepresented groups as defined by the National Science Foundation (African American, Hispanic, Native American) who may be considering pursuing further graduate study in the learning sciences.

LearnLab's REU program allows talented undergraduates to spend 8 weeks during the summer in a research laboratory at Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh, or one of our research partners. The REU program aims to make LearnLab's programs more visible to students not traditionally exposed to our fields. The REU program supports LearnLab's commitment to training a diverse set of science, technology, education, and psychology leaders.

Applications are encouraged from students who wish to learn to conduct research in a modern academic research laboratory under the guidance of experienced scientists and engineers and experiment in real classroom environments. The REU program will expose students to the excitement and opportunities of a research career. This experience will provide excellent preparation for students interested in subsequently pursuing a Masters or Ph.D. degree. Although students from other years may apply, this opportunity is most fitting for a student at the end of the junior year of undergraduate studies.

Each student will receive a fellowship stipend of $4000 for the eight-week REU program. Food, housing and travel will also be provided. Students will conduct research in an area matched to the interests expressed in the student's application. Guidance and supervision of the research project will be provided by the faculty member as well as, in some cases, a postdoctoral fellow and/or advanced graduate student.

The REU program in Computational Sensing and Medical Robotics(CSMR) is an intensive, ten-week program of laboratory research and instruction, beginning end of May 2014 and concluding in early August 2014. Participants will contribute to specific research projects pursued by faculty and researchers at the Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics (LCSR) and Computer Integrated Surgical Systems and Technology ERC. Projects are listed by departments including Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering and Computer Science.

Each student will be a part of a collegial research team, including a faculty project supervisor and a graduate student mentor, and will work on a challenging research project. The projects will be designed to match each student’s interest and to maximize the potential for making a contribution during the session.

The projects hosted by the Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics (LCSR) and the Computer Integrated Surgical Systems and Technology Engineering Research Center (CISST ERC) are funded by the National Science Foundation (number of spots available will be based on funding renewal by NSF). Participating students will receive instruction on technical communication, oral presentation skills, and research ethics to aid in the completion of the required final research report and presentation. The participants may also have an opportunity to be part of a poster session at the end of the program. The students will have the opportunity to tour a local government laboratory, a private company and participate in social events in the lab. Candidates will need to be a U.S. Citizen or a U.S. Permanent Resident to be accepted into this program. 

Stipend for 10 weeks- $5000 
Housing will be provided
Program Dates- May 27, 2014- August 1, 2014 

The National Science Foundation is sponsoring a Summer Research Experience in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Missouri (MU) to engage students in high quality research on topics in materials and modeling. The program is one of several research experiences being offered by MU’s Office of Undergraduate Research.

Program details:

• Engage in cutting-edge research in active and established physics research groups. List of specific projects.
• Participate in a nine-week research experience from Wed, May 28 to Friday July 25, 2014 (travel days on Tuesday, May 27 and Saturday, July 26).
• Earn a $4,500 stipend and the cost of travel, tuition, air-conditioned campus dorm housing and meals will be covered.
• Present completed work in a poster session, or possibly a co-authored journal publication.
• Earn 1 hr credit for a course in “Undergraduate Research in Physics.” Tuition is waived.
• Join 50+ undergraduate students in a Research Symposium. Prepare a poster presentation and a one-page abstract for publication in a symposium handbook.
• Attend weekly science events, including popular science lectures, skill development (e.g. science writing and ethics), career and graduate school opportunities, and weekly lunches with other undergraduate researchers.
• Visit off-campus industrial research and development opportunities.
• Have fun and build a collegial network with organized community-building activities and outings.
• Enhance your resume and prepare for graduate school!

Eligibility:

Acceptance to the program is competitive. At a minimum, students must:

• have completed at least two years of full-time college enrollment prior to June 2014 and be entering their junior or senior year of college.
• be pursuing a major in physics, engineering, biophysics or related fields
• be citizens or permanent residents of the US
• have earned a minimum GPA of 3.0 (on 4.00 scale) including both overall GPA and science/math GPA
• have completed calculus-based physics by the start of the program
• be interested in physics, including a possible career in physics

Since 1989, the University of Minnesota LSSURP has overseen and coordinated several life sciences programs. The programs begin with a joint orientation weekend, followed by participation in a 10-week research project under the direction of a University of Minnesota faculty mentor and numerous special activities focused on professional development as well as social interaction. The summer research experience concludes with a poster symposium and banquet in August.

LSSURP has given students that have been underrepresented in the life sciences the experience and training that enhances their ability to pursue a career in research. This represents a long-standing commitment to increasing the impact and quality of life science research at the University of Minnesota, which is strengthened when there is diversity in our faculty and students. We strongly encourage students whose backgrounds encompass diversity in culture, disability, ethnicity, gender, and economic background to apply for our summer research positions.

Program Dates:  May 29 - August 9, 2014*

* The application for Summer 2014 is available now.

CSEE Ph.D. student Omar Shehab received a travel grant to present his research, UNKNOTTING as a k-local Hamiltonian problem, at the 2014 Quantum Information Processing conference, which will be held early in February in Barcelona, Spain. Later in February he will also attend the Workshop on Quantum Games and Protocols at the Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing, UC Berkeley.

Omar’s research include adiabatic quantum Hamiltonian complexity, quantum computational simulation of topology and use of quantum optics to understand device independent cryptography. His work on quantum computing is done in collaboration with his mentor, CSEE Professor Samuel Lomonaco.

UMBC’s Mobile Pervasive and Sensor Systems Laboratory is looking for subjects who live in Baltimore City to interview for a study about what influences their energy use at home. The study is part of an NSF-sponsored Green Home Study project that aims to make it easier for off-grid and grid-tied home residents to make smart choices about managing energy.

Cybersecurity Research Experience for Undergraduates in Science and Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park

We are looking for Cybersecurity Scholars for the 2014 summer research experience for undergraduates (REU) program at the University of Maryland, College Park.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: February 14, 2014

The Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland is seeking applications for Scholars to become integral members of team-based research projects in cybersecurity coordinated by faculty in the Maryland Cybersecurity Center (MC2). Students majoring in engineering, computer science, math, and physical science are strongly encouraged to apply. View the list of 2014 projects here: http://www.wie.umd.edu/undergrad/cs-scholars/cs2014-projects

Teams conduct research from June 2 through August 1, 2014. The program offers multiple tiers of mentorship and training in team skills and project organization, as well as addressing issues of concern to women and minorities in science and engineering. Each Scholar receives a $4,500 stipend, $300 food allowance, and housing. Funding is available for transportation.

For additional information and to access the online application, please review the Cybersecurity REU website at http://www.wie.umd.edu/undergrad/cs-scholars or contact Cristin Caparotta (contact info below).

This program is funded by the National Science Foundation and the Clark School of Engineering.

Best Regards,

Cristin Caparotta

Graduate Assistant for Education
Maryland Cybersecurity Center (MC2)
3400 A.V. Williams Building
(301)-405-6735    
ccapa@umiacs.umd.edu