This article is published in the October 2023 issue.

CRA-WP 2024 Distributed Research Experience for Undergraduates (DREU): Early Decision Deadline December 15, General Deadline February 15

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Are you an undergraduate student interested in exploring research in computer science? Or are you a faculty member interested in being a research mentor?

Distributed Research Experiences for Undergraduates (DREU) might be the program for you!

The objective of the DREU program is to increase the number of people from underrepresented groups including women, minorities, or persons with disabilities who are enrolled in graduate studies in the fields of computer science and computer engineering.

DREU participants have the opportunity to be directly involved in a research project and interact with graduate students and professors on a daily basis. This experience is invaluable for those who are considering graduate school; DREU will provide a close-up view of what graduate school is really like and increase interns’ competitiveness as an applicant for graduate admissions and fellowships. Faculty mentors will have the opportunity to work on their research project with new students from either their home campus or other institutions and to mentor future graduate students.

The early decision deadline is December 15, and the general deadline is February 15. You can apply via this application page. DREU participants receive $7,000 (for 10 weeks of full-time work). Relocation travel funds (max $750) and travel funds to attend a conference (max $750) are also available. 

Want to discover more? Learn about previous attendees’ experiences in this video. 

Eligibility

For Students – Applicants should be students who are pursuing an undergraduate degree at an institution in the U.S or its territories. Applicants should be interested in doing research in the computing field. International Students may apply, however most of the funds for the DREU program are restricted to US citizens and permanent residents, so the number of non-US student participants will be limited. All undergraduates are welcome, and rising sophomores are especially encouraged to apply.

For Faculty – Potential mentors should be professors in CS, CE, or other closely related areas at any institution of higher education. Interaction with current graduate students is a feature of the DREU experience; it is necessary that the mentor’s research group include graduate students who will be available to interact with DREU students throughout the summer.