Program Overview
The Data Science Program at WPI, Worcester, MA, sponsored by the National Science Foundation, offers a 10-week, all expenses paid Research Experience for undergraduate students each summer, starting Summer 2016. The students, working with WPI faculty and peer students, learn state-of-the-art data science techniques and technologies and apply them in research focused on societal challenges in 'smart and connected' communities. These include healthcare, sustainability, security, mobility, and more; 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
$5000.00 stipend over the 10 week program ($500/week)
On-campus apartment-style residence housing paid directly by the program
Weekly meal allowance, and
Up to $600.00 in travel expenses
Activities
The REU Program also includes weekly group meetings, involving information exchange, training sessions, technical presentations about data science research, information sessions for professional development, and progress reports by participants. Social activities are also planned in the greater New England area.
Program Requirements
Accepted participants work toward completing a research project during the duration of the program. This research will be displayed and demonstrated at a Poster Presentation Symposium at the completion of the program before students, WPI faculty, and guests.
Research Project Areas
Students participating in the program will have the opportunity to work on a research project related to some of the areas listed below. During the application process, students indicate their preferred areas of interest. In the application, students may also describe their research interests in more detail, along with any prior experiences. Application areas relate to smart and connected communities including sustainability, health, security, mobility, economic prosperity, social good, and more. Technical areas include data analytics, data mining, machine learning, statistical learning, data bases, visualization, big data infrastructures, cloud computing, and mobile computing.
Eligibility and Requirements
NSF requires that all student participants are United States citizens or permanent residents; no exceptions. We prefer sophomores and juniors who have a strong interest in research. Courses taken in programming, computer science, linear algebra, and/or statistics are a plus. We especially encourage female and underrepresented students in STEM fields. We also encourage students with prior community college experience who have transferred to a 4-year institution.
Application Process
Students complete the Online Student Application, attaching their informal transcript. Students ask two references to submit their brief recommendations via the Submit Faculty Recommendation. These recommenders are preferably faculty members at the student's home institution or another university, who know the student well. All application materials, including letters, must be submitted by the application deadline.
