Transcript Undergraduate Research Experience Internships - CRA-W

Undergraduate Research
Experience Internships
Andrea Danyluk, Williams College
Jamika D. Burge, Information Systems Worldwide
Co-Directors, Collaborative Research Experiences
for Undergraduates (CREU)
CRA-W
Computer Research Association Committee on the Status of
Women in Computing Research
Mission increase the participation and
success of women in computing research
www.cra-w.org
What does CRA-W do?
Individual & Group Research Mentoring
Undergrads: Undergraduate Research Experiences
Undergrads: Distinguished lecture role models
Grad Cohort: group mentoring of grad students
Grad Students: Discipline Specific Research
workshops
PhD Researchers: group mentoring of early & mid
career @ CMW, CAPP, Hopper & Tapia
600+ students and PhD researchers a year
Academic careers
Undergraduates
Graduate Students
Industry/government
www.cra-w.org
What is research?
What is Research?
• The search for knowledge
– Establishing novel facts
– Solving new or existing (but previously unsolved)
problems
– Proving new ideas
– Developing new theories
• In CS
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Developing new algorithms
Proving theorems
Building and evaluating systems
Empirical investigations
And much more
• Distinctly different from homework assignments
and even big projects
Why participate in research
opportunities?
Why participate in research
opportunities?
• Earn stipend, scholarship, or credit
• Think through (and even solve!) challenging
problems
• Gain knowledge and expertise
• Work with accomplished researchers
• Prepare for graduate school
• Learn life-long skills
• Build professional relationships
• Apply and discover new ideas and
methodologies
• Improve your communication abilities
• Contribute to a specific area of knowledge
What do research opportunities
pay?
Research Opportunity Stipends
and more
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Summer research
– Stipends often range from $350 to $600 per week
– Housing and meals
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Often included, but expect the stipend to be a bit lower
Sometimes not included, but then expect the stipend to be a bit higher
– Transportation subsidy
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Sometimes provided if you need to temporarily relocate
Academic year research opportunities
– Might provide a stipend (typically an hourly amount)
– Often provide academic credit
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Intangibles
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Personal and intellectual growth
A great thing to put on your resume
Publications (possibly)
Opportunities to present your work
Opportunities to travel to conferences
Contacts for future work
References for grad school and jobs
How do you find research
opportunities?
How Do You Find Research
Opportunities?
• Government and Public
• What inspires or
Sector
interests you?
– Office of Naval Research,
• Ask your professors,
Argonne National Laboratory,
Department of Energy, IBM
advisor for
• Organizations
opportunities.
– NSF, CDC, CRA-W
• Visit research groups in
• Use the web!
your department
– Google: “Undergraduate
Research Engine”
• Continue a project that
– Science.gov
you start in a class
• CS Department
Summer/Research
Programs
Getting the Research Experience
• Figure out what kind of research you’d like
to do.
– Research area, working for credit, summer research, paid
or volunteer opportunity
– What do you want to get out of the experience?
– How many hours a week can you commit? (Most
research requires at least 10 hours a week during the
semester; 40 hours during the summer.)
• Learn the requirements for the position or
opportunity.
• Keep in mind: Professors often require that you
take at least one class with them prior to joining a
research project.
Finding the Opportunities
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Apply!
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IBM:
• US Student internships: IBM Research, http://www.research.ibm.com/interns/
• For International Students: IBM Research, Extreme Blue (http://www01.ibm.com/employment/us/extremeblue/)
Office of Naval Research: http://nreip.asee.org/ (Online application opens Oct. 1)
NSF: Research Experiences for Undergraduates
(REU):http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.cfm (August Deadline for
faculty proposing REUs; Feb/March deadlines for students applying)
American Mathematical Society REU Programs:
http://www.ams.org/programs/students/undergrad/emp-reu
NSERC USRA in Canada (inquire with your department to find out how it works at
your university)
These and more can be found on the Computing Community Consortium (CCC)’s
Undergraduate Research and Graduate Education page: http://cra.org/ccc/csurgeopportunities.php
Team up with your advisor, other students
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NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates:
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5517&from=fund
Coalition to Diversity Computing (CDC) and Computing Research AssociationWomen (CRA-W)
• CREU/DREU (May and February Deadlines, resp.)
• More information: http://www.cra-w.org/
CRA-W/CDC Research Programs
DREU
CREU
Time
Summer (10 weeks)
Academic year (10-15
hrs/week)
plus optional summer (10
weeks)
Stipend per
student
$6000,
relocation travel
assistance
$1500 per semester,
$4000 summer
Location
Mentor’s institution
Home institution
Application
Students and mentors
apply separately and are
matched by the program
(Due mid February)
Students and mentors
submit a proposal to work
together the following year
(Due early to mid May)
Ask us for more information!
What does the application
process involve?
Applying to Research Opportunities
• Faculty Research
– Meet with Research Professor
– Discuss expectations, including workload and
compensation
• Research Programs
– You will need to complete and submit an application
• Provide academic background information
• Submit an official transcript
• Write an essay
• Include recommendation letter(s)
• Follow up with an telephone or in-person interview
When do application deadlines
typically fall?
When to apply
• Summer internships
– Private companies and government labs
• Early January to February
– NSF Summer REUs (including DREU!)
• Mid February to mid March
– Your own college/university
• Often early in the calendar year as well
– The dates above are typical final due dates – many
start accepting applications and awarding positions
much sooner.
• Don’t wait!
• Some companies and labs also have academic year
programs
– CREU proposals are due in May
What should you include in your
resume?
Writing an Undergraduate
Research Resume
• Relevant courses
• GPA
– You’ll also typically need to submit a
transcript
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Publications
Major projects
Work experience
Languages, tools, etc
– Level of proficiency
• Be careful, neat, and honest
What’s the most useful thing
you learned today?
Contacts and Networking
• Many people have
experience to share
• Use your contacts
• Don’t be afraid to network
• Be willing to provide help
and advice to others
• You may have more
resources than you think