Undergraduate Research Experience Internships Andrea Danyluk, Williams College Jamika D. Burge, Information Systems Worldwide Co-Directors, Collaborative Research Experiences for Undergraduates (CREU)

I love biking and travelling, family and friends… chocolate ice cream… studying human behavior/ attitudes toward technology use and adoption …. Fisk University (Go Bulldogs!) DARPA

I love my family and friends, the outdoors, rocky beaches, and travel.

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 – 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?

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 Summer research – Stipends often range from $350 to $600 per week – Housing and meals 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 Sometimes provided if you need to temporarily relocate Academic year research opportunities – Might provide a stipend (typically an hourly amount) – Often provide academic credit Intangibles – 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? What inspires or interests you? Ask your professors, advisor for opportunities. Visit research groups in your department Continue a project that you start in a class CS Department Summer/Research Programs Government and Public Sector – Office of Naval Research, Argonne National Laboratory, Department of Energy, IBM Organizations – NSF, CDC, CRA-W Use the web! – Google: “Undergraduate Research Engine” – Science.gov

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 Apply! – IBM: US Student internships: IBM Research, For International Students: IBM Research, Extreme Blue ( 01.ibm.com/employment/us/extremeblue/) 01.ibm.com/employment/us/extremeblue/ – Office of Naval Research: Outreach/undergraduate-graduate/NREIP-naval-internship.aspx (Jan. 6, 2012 Deadline) Outreach/undergraduate-graduate/NREIP-naval-internship.aspx – NSF: Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU): (August Deadline for faculty proposing REUs; Feb/March deadlines for students applying) – American Mathematical Society REU Programs: – NSERC USRA in Canada (inquire with your department around December to find out how it works at your university) Team up with your advisor, other students – NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates: – Coalition to Diversity Computing (CDC) and Computing Research Association- Women (CRA-W) CREU/DREU (May and February Deadlines, resp.) CREUC for students in Canada (December deadline) 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 CREUC is due in December – 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 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