REU Program

Undergraduate Funded Research Opportunities

 

REU SUMMER PROGRAM

WPI DATA SCIENCE

CONTACT
Location: Unity Hall
REU Site Students 2023

REU Site Students 2023

DS REU 2022
DS REU goes to the WooSox!
A second group photo of the REU students summer 2022
REU Symposium 2023
A group photo of all the reu students summer 2022
2023 REU Showcase
2023 DS REU Summer Site
Sept. 2023 MIT URTC Conference

Program Overview

NSF 1852498 REU SITE: INTERDISCIPLINARY DATA SCIENCE RESEARCH FOR HEALTHY COMMUNITIES IN THE DIGITAL AGE

Former Site: Interdisciplinary Data Science Research for Safe, Sustainable and Healthy Communities (CNS-1560229. 2016 – 2019).

The Data Science Program at WPI, sponsored by the National Science Foundation, offers a 10-week, all-expenses paid Research Experience in Data Science for undergraduate students. The WPI Data Science program has successfully operated this site since 2016 under the leadership of PI Elke Rundensteiner, Co-PI Chun-Kit (Ben) Ngan, and Co-PI Kelsey Briggs. This site offers students from geographically diverse institutions around the country access to vibrant scientific research projects and undergraduate mentorship.

The students, working with WPI faculty, graduate students, and peer students, learn state-of-the-art data science techniques and technologies including machine learning, artificial intelligence, and big data technologies.  They apply these new skills to research focused on solving societal challenges of high impact in our communities.

Research topics include digital health, sustainability, and mobility, all interlinked concerns of critical national importance. Students present the results of their research at an Open Poster Session during the final week of the program, and, where appropriate, at scholarly venues and conferences.

Student Stipends, Travel, Housing, and Meals

  • $6000.00 stipend over the 10-week program ($600/week)
    • $500.00 weekly participation stipend
    • $100.00 weekly meal allowance
  • Up to $600.00 in travel expenses
  • LEED Gold–certificated on-campus residence housing, paid for directly by the program

Industry Visits & Professional Development Opportunities

The REU is enriched by symposia which are offered in job searching, applying to graduate school, writing a resume, and interview skills. Students also have the opportunity to network with data science professional alumni and industrial partners. Students also enjoy field trips to our industry partners engaged in data science, including, but not limited to, Google, MathWorks, Microsoft, MITRE Corporation, and National Grid. We can't thank them enough for hosting these bright young people. Social activities are organized by the students and include the history, culture, and sites of the greater New England area.

Program Expectations

REU students are expected to work a full 40-hour workweek for ten weeks, toward the completion of a research project. On the final day of the program, all research is placed on display for a Poster Presentation Symposium. This is a huge event combined with other REU sites and is attended by WPI faculty, guests, and fellow students.

Research Project Areas

REU students have the opportunity to work on a research project overseen by our WPI faculty. During the application process, students describe their research interests in detail, including any prior research experience, and we work to match them to their area of interest.

Research areas related to smart and healthy communities including Public Health, Personalized Mobile Wellness, Sustainability, Mobility, Economic Prosperity, and Social Good. Technical areas include data analytics, machine, and deep learning, statistical learning, data visualization, artificial intelligence, big data infrastructures, web technologies, natural language processing, and cloud and mobile computing.

Eligibility

According to the National Science Foundation, to be eligible for this program at WPI, a student must be:

  • A U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or permanent resident of the United States or a U.S. Territory/Possession.
  • Enrolled in a degree program (part-time or full-time) leading to a baccalaureate or associate degree.
    • Students who are transferring from one college or university to another and are enrolled at neither institution during the intervening summer may participate.
    • High school graduates who have been accepted at an undergraduate institution but who have not yet started their undergraduate study are also eligible to participate.
    • Students who have received their bachelor’s degrees and are no longer enrolled as undergraduates are generally not eligible to participate (i.e. students should not apply if they will complete the bachelor’s degree prior to Summer 2024).

Individuals that meet these criteria, and that are interested in Data Science.

Individuals from populations conventionally underrepresented in the STEM fields are particularly encouraged to apply. We place a strong emphasis on recruiting students from traditionally disadvantaged groups: racial and ethnic minorities, women, persons with disabilities, veterans, and students from low socioeconomic status communities.

Inclusivity Statement

The Data Science REU Program at WPI is a place where you will be treated with respect. We welcome individuals of all ages, backgrounds, beliefs, ethnicities, genders, gender identities, gender expressions, religious affiliations, sexual orientation, ability—and other visible and nonvisible differences. All members of this program are expected to contribute to a respectful, welcoming, and inclusive environment for every other member of the program. 

Application Process

Students must fully complete the Online Application (above) and attach an unofficial transcript. We request two (2) letters of recommendation, submitted online via the Submit Faculty Recommendation button (above), with at least one from your home institution (where you are currently going to school).

Picking recommendation letter writers can be challenging, and here are some ideas: teachers or professors that know you well from one or more classes, guidance counselor or a faculty academic advisor that can speak to your progress as a student, advisors or leaders from a community or student organization that you are involved with, boss from a current or recent job that can speak to your work ethics and reliability. We are interested to know how participation in this program will make a positive impact on your academic and career pursuits. Someone that knows you well and can highlight specific attributes would be a good letter writer. Make sure you ask your potential letter writers early in the application process, so they have adequate time (>2 weeks, some people like more, we suggest >4 weeks if at all possible).


All application materials, including letters, should be submitted by the application deadline to receive full consideration.

 

Questions? Email datascience@wpi.edu 

A Closer Look at Past REU Sites

2023 Summer REU
Preview

REU Site Students 2023

REU Site Students 2023

Meet our 12 research students who participated in the summer 2023 WPI Data Science REU.

The Data Science REU site hosted five (5) NSF REU students, with an additional seven (7) students who were supported by several diverse research grants.
Five (5) faculty mentors worked with the students throughout the summer on a number of projects and were supported by seven (10) graduate student mentors.  

On August 3rd, the WPI community celebrated the achievements of our undergraduate summer researchers with the 2023 WPI Summer Research Showcase. All students who conducted research on the WPI campus throughout the summer were encouraged to participate in this event by presenting posters of their work. This event brings together undergraduate researchers from WPI's NSF funded REU sites, the EREE program, the STAR program, and others. This showcase highlights our undergraduate students' research and design projects with 97 posters represented!

2022 Summer REU
Preview

REU 2022 Data Science

Meet our 14 research students who participated in the summer 2022 WPI Data Science REU.

The Data Science REU site hosted ten (10) NSF REU students, with an additional four (4) students who were supported by several diverse research grants.
Five(5) faculty mentors worked with the students throughout the summer on a number of projects and were supported by seven (7) graduate student mentors.  

DS REU POSTER PRESENTATION FLIER 2022

On August 4th, the WPI community celebrated the achievements of our undergraduate summer researchers with the 2022 WPI Summer Research Showcase. All students who conducted research on the WPI campus throughout the summer were encouraged to participate in this event by presenting posters of their work. This event brings together undergraduate researchers from WPI's NSF funded REU sites, the EREE program, the STAR program, and others. This showcase highlights our undergraduate students' research and design projects with 81 posters represented!

Click the following links to view the poster program and student posters

The community had the opportunity to vote on 4 categories during the event including:

  • Your favorite poster (People's Choice)
  • The poster that made you to "hmmm" and want to know more
  • The poster with the most out-of-this-world research
  • The poster with the most enthusiastic presenter

In addition to internal, DS specific awards, We are thrilled to announce the DS REU site had 2 research groups selected as winners during the 2022 WPI Summer Research Showcase. The winners are:

Your favorite poster (People's Choice):

Title: Using Fair AI When Demographics Are Missing

Authors: Alex Pietrick, Alyssa Romportl, Shailen Smith, Oluseun Olulana

Advisors: Prof. Elke Rundensteiner and Ph.D. Student Kathleen Cachel

 

The Poster with the most out of this world research:

Title: Time Series Classification for Real-Time Feedback in Brain Computer Interfacing Video Game

Authors: Khashayar Hatami, Maya Liao, Humza Qureshi, and Nikola Grozdani

Advisors: Prof. Erin Solovey and Prof. Rodica Neamtu

2021 Summer REU
Preview

Reu 2021 Data Science

Meet our 27 research students who participated in the summer 2021 WPI Data Science REU.

The site hosted ten (10) NSF REU students, with an additional seventeen (17) students who were supported by six (6) diverse research grants.
Six (6) faculty mentors worked with the students throughout the summer and were supported by eleven (11) graduate student mentors.  

On July 29th, 2023, the WPI community celebrated the achievements of our undergraduate summer researchers with the 2023 WPI Data Sciecne REU Symposium. This showcase highlights our undergraduate students' research and design projects with 9 posters represented!

Click the link below to view the 2021 DS REU Poster Project Topics and Project Teams!

The community had the opportunity to vote on 4 categories during the event including:

  • Best Overall Project
  • Best Poster Content
  • Best Project Presentation
  • Best Visual Presentation

We are thrilled to announce the winners of the award categories are: 

 

 

 

 

2020 Summer REU

Due to ongoing repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Summer 2020 REU site was canceled.

2019 Summer REU

Meet our 16 research students who participated in the summer 2019 WPI Data Science REU.

The site hosted ten (10) NSF REU students, with an additional six (6) students who were supported across several diverse research grants.

Preview

2019 REU Data Science

2019 DS REU POSTER PRESENTATION FLYER

2019 REU Cohort- Check it out!

2018 Summer REU

Meet our 11 research students who participated in the summer 2018 WPI Data Science REU.

The site hosted eleven (11) NSF REU students!

Preview

2018 DS REU

Industry Visit: Students @ MathWorks                                                            

Industry Visit: Students @ Google

2017 Summer REU

 

Meet our 10 research students who participated in the summer 2017 WPI Data Science REU.

The site hosted ten (10) NSF REU students!

 

Learn how ten undergraduates from colleges and universities across the country are spending the summer at WPI working alongside data scientists, conducting groundbreaking research that could someday impact critical facets of society from healthcare to mobility.

READ MORE ABOUT DATA SCIENCE REU 2017

2017 REU Cohort- Check it out!

2016 Summer REU

Meet our 10 research students who participated in the summer 2017 WPI Data Science REU.

The site hosted ten (10) NSF REU students!

 

2016 REU Cohort- Check it out!

Other REU Opportunities

Spend your summer with a team working to solve some compelling research problems. The NSF-supported Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) programs at WPI let you spend 8-10 weeks contributing to cutting-edge STEM research projects.

In one of WPI’s REU programs, you will participate in a distinctive experience in which you will build research skills while gaining professional development training, establishing a professional network, and performing work that matters.

The following are WPI's REU programs: Developing a Clean Energy Future, Industrial Mathematics & Statistics, Membrane Biochemistry & Bioinspired Synthesis, Robots and Sensors for Human Well-Being, and the LS& T Site (mentioned below). 

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If our site has closed but you are still interested in participating in an REU at WPI, check out the Learning Sciences & Technology (LS&T) REU hosted by Professor Neil Heffernan and team. This site focuses on leveraging the learning sciences & technologies to address achievement gaps for secondary school students.

For more information about this REU, visit their website