Women in EECS@UCF REU

Why Should I Do Research?

Participating in undergraduate research will expand your academic experience at UCF. Research is a process of careful inquiry leading to the discovery of new information. Although there are some differences in how research is conducted across disciplines, research is not restricted to certain disciplines and occurs in all programs at UCF.

Some of the many benefits of becoming a researcher include:

1. Working closely with a faculty mentor.
2. Enhancing your understanding and knowledge of your academic field.
3. Clarifying your academic, career, and personal interests.
4. Gaining academic credentials that help expand your resume, such as presenting at the UCF Showcase or other conferences, publishing, and working with a research team.
5. Learning skills in communication (written and oral), critical thinking, problem-solving, team-work, and time-management.
6. Exploring research techniques.
7. Earning academic credit, scholarships, stipends, and/or awards for having conducted research.

Below is a list of opportunities at UCF and in other universities:

1. Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) at UCF

The National Science Foundation (NSF) supports Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) throughout UCF. NSF annually funds over 400 sites nationwide in a range of technical areas to offer undergraduates an opportunity to "experience" the research environment with the goal of increasing future participation in graduate school programs.

http://www.our.ucf.edu/opportunities/reu.php

2. Research & Mentoring Program (RAMP)

RAMP offers paid research experiences to students in their junior and senior years and funding opportunities continue work into graduate school at UCF. Undergraduate students participating in this program receive $2,800 each year.

Students who are chosen for RAMP are responsible for meeting the following requirements:

1. Commit to 12 hours a week (flexible) for 30 weeks to this program at a pay rate of $8 per hour
2. Attend all activities and workshops designed for the RAMP program
3. Submit a written research report at the end of the year's activity
4. Present at the UCF Showcase of Undergraduate Research (SURE)
5. Complete all program

http://www.our.ucf.edu/opportunities/ramp.php

3. Student-Mentor Academic Research Teams (SMART)

The Student-Mentor Academic Research Teams (SMART) Program is UCF’s premiere undergraduate research program that is designed to help students identify and work with faculty mentors in a research area of shared interest.

Students do not have to be honors students to take advantage of the SMART program. It is available to all undergraduate UCF students who have completed at least one semester at UCF and have at least two semesters left before graduation.

http://www.our.ucf.edu/opportunities/smart.php

4. McNair Scholars Program

McNair prepares undergraduate students for doctoral studies through involvement in research and other scholarly activities. Participants are either first-generation college students and low-income as defined by federal guidelines or members of a group that is traditionally underrepresented in graduate school.

http://www.our.ucf.edu/opportunities/mcnair.php

5. Undergraduate Student Research Grant

The UCF Undergraduate Student Research Grant encourages undergraduate students from all disciplines to participate in independent research and creative projects in collaboration with UCF faculty. Students can apply for grants up to $500 to support their research project.

http://www.our.ucf.edu/opportunities/grant.php

6. Honors in the Major (HIM) Program

Honors in the Major is UCF’s most advanced undergraduate research program. It is designed to assist juniors and seniors to develop their own independent research project under the direction of a thesis advisor and faculty thesis committee. Students do not need to be Honors students to take advantage of the HIM program; it is available to all qualified UCF students.

http://www.our.ucf.edu/opportunities/him.php

Outside UCF:

List of REU Programs
http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/list_result.cfm?unitid=5049

REU in Machine Learning
http://cygnus.fit.edu/amalthea/

CRA-W Distributed Mentor Project

Application deadline: February 15, 2008.

The objective of the CRA-W DMP is to increase the number of women entering graduate studies in the fields of computer science and engineering. This highly selective program matches promising undergraduate women with a faculty mentor for a summer research experience at the faculty member's home institution. Students are directly involved in a research project and interact with graduate students and professors on a daily basis. This experience is invaluable for students who are considering graduate school, providing them with a close-up view of what graduate school is really like and also increasing their competitiveness as an applicant for graduate admissions and fellowships.

Funding for the student consists of $600 per week for research, plus relocation travel assistance when appropriate. A student's funding is intended to cover 10 weeks of research in the summer of 2007, but alternative arrangements are possible. Mentors will receive an honorarium. Additional funds may be available to support student conference travel, either during the summer or afterward, and for outreach activities promoting the CRA-W DMP.

CRA-W Collaborative Research Experience for Undergraduates

DEADLINE FOR 2008/09: May 2, 2008

The program, called Collaborative Research Experience for Undergraduates (CREU), is designed to provide positive research experiences for teams of undergraduates who will work during the academic year at their home institutions. Formerly administered as the CREW program, the program has been expanded to encourage young computer scientists and engineers from all underrepresented groups to consider graduate school, either directly or indirectly.

Students will work with one or two sponsoring faculty members on a project for which monetary support is typically not available. Students will each receive a stipend of $3,000 for their work. Each project may also request $500, to be used for special equipment, travel, or supporting materials.

CRA-W Multidisciplinary Research Opportunities for Women (MRO-W)

DEADLINE FOR 2008/09: May 2, 2008

The program, called Multidisciplinary Research Opportunities for Women (MRO-W), is designed to provide positive research experiences for teams of undergraduates who will work during the academic year and following summer at their home institutions. Each team will consist of scientists from both the computing and non-computing fields as well as women undergraduate students from these respective fields. For example, a project in computational biology might consist of a computer science major, a biology major, a computer science professor, and a biology professor.

Students will work with two sponsoring faculty members, one from a computer science/engineering department and the other from another discipline. The women students will each receive a stipend of $3,000 for their work during the academic year and $4,000 during the summer. Each project may also request up to $1,500 to be used for special equipment, travel, or supporting materials.

Center for Discrete Mathematics and Theoretical Computer Science DIMACS REU Program
Application Deadline: January 31, 2008

REU in Bioinformatics:
http://www.rit.edu/~gtfsbi/Symp/bioinformatics.htm
http://www.vcu.edu/csbc/bbsi/

Also, look under Bioinformatics and Bioengineering Summer Institute, these are funded by the NSF in many universities across the US.

Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)...