REU Program

REU SITE 2349370 | Applied Artificial Intelligence for Advanced Applications, 2024-2026

Former Site(s):

• Interdisciplinary Data Science Research for Healthy Communities in the Digital Age (CNS - 1852498, 2019-2023 
• 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, perform research in Artificial Intelligence, focusing on challenges in areas critical to societal impact from digital health, fake and bias information detection, to critical resource prediction. 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

• $8,400.00 stipend over the 10-week program ($840.00 per week, paid bi-weekly)
  • $700.00 weekly participation stipend
  • $140.00 weekly meal allowance
• Up to $700.00 reimbursement in travel expenses to and from WPI. 
• 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. There are NO exceptions - this is an NSF requirement. 
• 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 2025).

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.  

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.