Research Experience for
Undergraduates (REU) Program Description
LearnLab at Carnegie Mellon and
the University of Pittsburgh has an exciting summer research opportunity
available to undergraduate students. This research program encourages
applications from students who would like to conduct research in the fields of
psychology, education, computer science, human-computer interfaces and language
technologies. This program seeks broad participation, including members
of underrepresented groups as defined by the National Science Foundation
(African American, Hispanic, Native American) who may be considering pursuing
further graduate study in the learning sciences.
LearnLab's REU program allows
talented undergraduates to spend 8 weeks during the summer in a research
laboratory at Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh, or one
of our research partners. The REU program aims to make LearnLab's programs more
visible to students not traditionally exposed to our fields. The REU program
supports LearnLab's commitment to training a diverse set of science,
technology, education, and psychology leaders.
Applications are encouraged
from students who wish to learn to conduct research in a modern academic
research laboratory under the guidance of experienced scientists and engineers
and experiment in real classroom environments. The REU program will expose
students to the excitement and opportunities of a research career. This
experience will provide excellent preparation for students interested in
subsequently pursuing a Masters or Ph.D. degree. Although students from other
years may apply, this opportunity is most fitting for a student at the end of
the junior year of undergraduate studies.
Each student will receive a
fellowship stipend of $4000 for the eight-week REU program. Food, housing and
travel will also be provided. Students will conduct research in an area matched
to the interests expressed in the student's application. Guidance and
supervision of the research project will be provided by the faculty member as
well as, in some cases, a postdoctoral fellow and/or advanced graduate student.
Seminars specific to those
participating in the REU program will be held weekly including seminars on
graduate admissions and career opportunities in science, education, computer
science and engineering. In addition, LearnLab seminars and those held by
Carnegie Mellon's Human Computer Interaction Institute and Language
Technologies Institute and seminars at Pitt's Language Research and Development
Center will be open to the students, giving them exposure to a wide range of
research in learning sciences.
REU Program Benefits
There are several benefits that
the participating students may receive.
- If the student’s
research in the summer is of high quality and has added value to an
ongoing research project, past students have been asked to be a coauthor
on the research team's publication on that subject. Addition of
publications to the resume of a graduate school applicant always greatly improves
the application.
- If the quality of
the research is high, the faculty member who advised the student would
likely be willing to write a letter of recommendation for the student
which could be included in a graduate school application.
- Research experience
in one of the National Science Foundation's premier research centers will
be viewed attractively.
- Scholarships may
be available for graduate research on projects in LearnLab. The student
should inquire about these possibilities during the summer.
REU Program Dates: Students
will begin their research experience on Sunday, June 1, 2014 with a welcoming
reception and information session. The REU program will end on Friday
July 25, 2014 with a poster session in the afternoon.. Submission of an
application indicates that the applicant agrees to be present from June 1 to
4pm, July 25, 2014 inclusive.
Application Deadline: Deadline
for applications is February 17, 2014. Students will be informed of our
decision by March 3, 2014.
Minimum Requirements: Applicants
must be current undergraduates who are U.S. Citizens or have current F1
visas. Applicants should have a
minimum of 3.5 GPA out of 4.0 although we will consider students who show by
other measures that they are exceptional and who have GPAs over 3.2. Class
standing and grades in specific subjects that are close to the field of
research will also be considered, as are recommendations.
Number of slots/ positions
available: LearnLab can accommodate as many as
10 positions, although in any given year, we may decide to fund less than 10
applicants
Funding Source: National
Science Foundation
Partner Institutions: Carnegie
Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Learning
Send completed applications
to:
LearnLab - Summer Internship Program
c/o Jo Bodnar
3501B Newell-Simon Hall - HCII
Carnegie Mellon University
5000 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
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