Rice University’s Department of Computer Science is now accepting applications for a 10-week data science summer research program for undergraduates. The Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program offers participating students unprecedented one-on-one access to faculty mentors as they work together on cutting-edge research. This hands-on experience will give students a significant advantage when pursuing a graduate degree or a future career in data science.
The field of data science is a crucial area of research with significant impact on healthcare, energy, manufacturing, finance, science and many other fields. It can be used to train algorithms to be more accurate than experienced doctors or prevent catastrophic machine failures. This technology has also become a core tool for detecting and preventing cyberattacks and fraud.
REU student researchers will be solving real-world problems that can have a measurable global impact. Specific research opportunities at Rice could include designing and implementing new machine learning algorithms, applying machine learning algorithms to solve specific problems, or developing methods to manage huge data sets.
REU at Rice seeks applicants who will bring unique perspectives and contribute to an equitable, inclusive and impactful community. The program is open to students at colleges and universities in North America. While some programming experience is preferred, research experience is not required. Part of the significant value of the faculty and PhD mentorship opportunity is that they’ll train students and guide them through the research process.
"We're very open to students of diverse intellectual backgrounds," said computer science chair Chris Jermaine. "Data science is a broad field, and so we'd welcome students with backgrounds in computer science, statistics, electrical engineering and applied math. Whatever an applicant's background, we'll work hard to find a compatible research group that can benefit from the strengths the applicant brings to the table."
The 10-week program begins May 23rd, 2022, and selected students participants will receive a $6000 stipend and housing.
Interested students can apply for now through March 1, 2021 at cs.rice.edu/reu.
For questions, please contact Beth.Rivera@rice.edu.