CRA Update: “In Case You Missed It” Items from Across CRA
By Matt Hazenbush, Director of Communications
Happy New Year! As we dive into 2025, we’re excited to bring you fresh ways to connect, contribute, and stay informed about CRA’s initiatives. Starting this year, each issue of Computing Research News will include an “In Case You Missed It” (ICYMI) section, ensuring you’re up to date with the amazing opportunities to engage with CRA and the broader computing research community.
We’re spotlighting this first ICYMI edition as this month’s CRA Update, but in future issues, you’ll find it as the last article. Check out this month’s entries below, and stay tuned for more ways to make an impact throughout the year!
NSF LEVEL UP: Transforming Computing Education for the Age of AI
The CRA-led NSF LEVEL UP initiative is shaping the future of undergraduate computing education, driving innovation and equity. Supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the initiative engaged nearly 400 community leaders in dynamic workshops to identify actionable strategies for improving recruitment, retention, and student outcomes in computing programs.
Building on this momentum, NSF LEVEL UP AI expands the initiative’s focus to prepare students for a rapidly evolving AI-driven workforce. Learn more about NSF LEVEL UP and LEVEL UP AI in this CRA Bulletin article and join the movement by signing up for updates here.
Discover the New CRA Career Center: Opportunities for Job Seekers and Recruiters
CRA is thrilled to unveil its newly enhanced CRA Career Center, a powerful platform designed to connect top computing research talent with employers across academia, industry, and government. Whether you’re a job seeker or looking to recruit exceptional computing PhD talent, the CRA Career Center has something for you.
For Job Seekers:
If you’re a computing PhD graduate (or soon to be one), the CRA Career Center is your gateway to career advancement. Upload your CV, research statements, and job preferences to create a profile that hiring managers can discover. Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with top employers in computing research. Sign up today.
For Employers:
Looking to hire exceptional computing PhD talent? The CRA Career Center offers flexible job posting options, branded employer profiles, and email spotlight features to maximize visibility. Plus, CRA members enjoy a 40 percent discount on job postings! Whether you’re a returning user or a first-time job poster, we’ve streamlined the process to make finding qualified candidates easier than ever. Learn more and post your job.
Take advantage of the new CRA Career Center to connect with the best in computing research.
Nominations Open for 2025 CRA Distinguished Service and A. Nico Habermann Awards
CRA is now accepting nominations for two prestigious honors: the CRA Distinguished Service Award and the CRA A. Nico Habermann Award.
- The CRA Distinguished Service Award recognizes individuals or organizations for exceptional service contributions to the computing research community, such as leadership, advocacy, or advancing professional societies.
- The CRA A. Nico Habermann Award honors efforts that have significantly advanced the inclusion and success of minoritized groups in computing research.
Nominations are open until January 31, 2025. Self-nominations are welcome! For more details or to submit a nomination, visit the CRA Distinguished Service Award and CRA A. Nico Habermann Award webpages.
Questions? Contact awards@cra.org. Don’t miss the opportunity to celebrate impactful leaders in computing research!
Board of Directors Election and Upcoming Board Meeting
In late December, CRA announced the 2025 slate of candidates for the CRA Board of Directors via the CRA Bulletin.
Think you or a colleague of yours would be a strong contributor to the CRA Board? It’s not too late to be considered. CRA also encourages nominations by petition. Petition nominations must be signed by the Designated Voting Representatives of at least five Constituent Member Organizations that are current in dues payment. A complete nomination package for petition candidates must be submitted here no later than January 21, 2025.
In late January, final ballots will be distributed to all CRA member contacts. Voting will be done by ranked vote. All candidates can be ranked in the ballot.
The next meeting of the CRA Board of Directors will be held February 20-21 in Washington, D.C. Do you have a suggestion for a discussion topic? Share it with CRA Executive Director and CEO Tracy Camp at ceo@cra.org.
Explore Research Opportunities with NSF DREU
The NSF DREU (Distributed Research Experiences for Undergraduates) program connects undergraduate students with faculty mentors for a 10-week summer research experience in computing. Designed to increase diversity in computing, DREU provides students from underrepresented groups with hands-on research opportunities that inspire graduate study and careers in computing.
- For Undergraduates: Gain research experience, mentorship, and $8,500 in funding, plus relocation and travel support. Apply now!
- For Faculty Mentors: Shape the next generation of computing researchers while promoting equity in the field. Apply now!
Applications for both students and mentors are due February 25, 2025. Learn more and apply on the NSF DREU website.
FY25 Appropriations Update: Budget Punted Until March, Final Funding Numbers Remain Uncertain
On the CRA Government Affairs blog, Associate Director of Government Affairs Brian Mosley provided an update on where the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) budget process currently stands and analysis of what it could mean for the computing research community. Much is still to be determined, and the Government Affairs blog will be keeping the community informed with regular updates. Subscribe here to be sure you don’t miss a thing.
Industry Insights and Opportunities with CRA-Industry
CRA-Industry (CRA-I) is advancing connections between industry leaders and academic research:
- Cybersecurity & Cloud Storage Report: CRA-I, supported by NSF/TIP, is gathering industry insights on trends in enterprise/cloud storage and cybersecurity. Contact CRA-I Manager Helen Wright (hwright@cra.org) to contribute.
- Academia-Industry Partnerships Workshop: Join us March 20-21, 2025, in Seattle, WA, to foster collaboration between academia and industry. Contact CRA-I Manager Helen Wright (hwright@cra.org) to learn more.
Learn more about CRA-I’s work or explore CRA membership opportunities!
CERP NSF CISE REU 2023 Annual Report Release
The CRA Center for Evaluating the Research Pipeline (CERP) is thrilled to share a captivating new resource: the United States National Science Foundation (NSF) Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Survey Annual Report!
This recurring survey, established in 2021, follows cohorts of undergraduate students over one year from the time they participate in a formal research experience, such as the NSF REU (Site or Supplement) program or the NSF Distributed Research Experiences for Undergraduates (DREU) program. With data from three separate surveys taken throughout the year, the report offers a deep dive into who participated in a formal research experience program in 2023, highlighting key details about participants’ backgrounds, home institutions, and pre-college and college experiences.
