REU Site: Big Data Analytics

Washington University, Saint Louis MO

Investigators

Abstract

This Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site is a 10-week summer program that seeks to nationally recruit promising and eager students and help them to discover the stimulation and excitement of research in computer science. The site especially targets recruitment from students whose home institutions have limited research opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and therefore might not be given the necessary exposure to kindle a desire for a career in research, as well as women, whose widely-observed departure from the technical pipeline could be counteracted by a meaningful and challenging summer of research. The REU site focuses on technologies and methods for data analysis, and applications thereof. The focus on data science allows students to participate in inherently interdisciplinary research that crosses a variety of fields, creating broad appeal for students with a diverse range of interests. Data science also opens numerous opportunities for engagement with industry, nonprofits, and government agencies. The REU allows students to gain expertise that makes them valuable contributors to research projects and sought-after candidates for many different types of positions in STEM fields once they finish their undergraduate degrees. The objectives of this REU site are that students will (1) develop research skills in data analysis; (2) contribute to a substantive research project involving development of new methods for, or applications of, data analysis; (3) develop an appreciation and passion for research, as well as an understanding of what it is like to pursue graduate study in computing. In addition to the core research immersion in individual projects, students also participate in various activities as a cohort, including a boot camp for technical and social orientation, an end-of-summer symposium with talks and posters, research skills seminars, meet-the-faculty events, and talks by industry speakers. Social events organized by the department and school, and facilitation of student social events further help to build cohort identity. The site specifically seeks to recruit students from colleges with limited opportunities for undergraduate research in engineering, and to address the underrepresentation of women through the computing pipeline. Students participating in the REU will: (1) be exposed to the many applications of data analytics across computer science, (2) gain expertise in specific technical skills and general research skills via their specific project, boot camp, and other ancillary activities, and (3) be equipped with a technical competitive advantage, knowledge, and motivation to pursue a research career in a STEM field. Students contribute to cutting-edge research in the analysis of large datasets, spanning research topics including human-computer teaming, molecular design, algorithmic fairness, and plant science. This REU site trains and engages the next generation of STEM researchers and professionals in data analytics, with a special focus on women and students from undergraduate institutions with limited research opportunities. There is a focus on attracting women to the computing pipeline and helping to retain them by enabling their work on projects with social importance and real-world applicability, and special emphasis on providing them with both the motivation and the tools needed for success. Students are recruited heavily from undergraduate institutions, including 90 partner colleges in a 3-2 program, a relationship with Harris-Stowe State University (a Historically Black University), and through networks promoting women in computing (the Grace Hopper Conference) and diversity in computing (the Tapia Conference). This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.