This article is published in the March 2025 issue.

Enhancing REU Programs: Kari George Joins CRA to Lead NSF CISE REU Evaluation

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By Matt Hazenbush, Director of Communications

One of the key ways the Computing Research Association (CRA) supports undergraduate research experiences is through the NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Evaluation Project, managed by CRA’s Center for Evaluating the Research Pipeline (CERP). This initiative provides valuable insights into how participation in REU programs influences students’ educational and career trajectories in computing. 

As part of this ongoing effort, CRA is excited to welcome Kari George as the new lead for the evaluation, bringing fresh perspectives and leadership to ensure the continued success and impact of the program.

NSF CISE REU Evaluation: A Critical Resource for PIs

The NSF CISE REU Evaluation, managed by CERP, provides no-cost comparative data to REU Site and Supplement Principal Investigators (PIs), helping them measure program effectiveness and refine their offerings. The project, which began in 2021 under an NSF contract, transitioned into a cooperative agreement with NSF CISE in 2025, integrating with CERP’s broader research portfolio.

The evaluation process includes pre- and post-program surveys, longitudinal follow-ups, and comprehensive reports that allow PIs to compare their site’s outcomes with national trends.

For the 2025 cycle, PIs must sign up by April 25 to participate. The process is simple — PIs can complete the online interest form, and in the coming weeks, the CERP team will reach out with details on next steps.

Sign Up for Free Evaluation Services

Insights from REU PIs & Community Impact

To improve the evaluation’s effectiveness, CERP recently surveyed REU PIs who participated in 2022, 2023, or 2024. Here’s what they had to say about how they use their evaluation reports:

  • Understanding Student Needs & Experience

“I use these reports to understand student feedback and improve our program for future iterations.” – PI from 2024 Cohort
“We noticed strong technical knowledge outcomes but weaker community and belonging measures. As a result, we launched a 1-credit Well-Being Strategies course, which is now in its first semester with 17 students.” – PI from 2022 Cohort

  • Enhancing the REU Experience

“By analyzing CERP data, our REU team can identify areas where students need more support and refine the program for better student outcomes.” – PI from 2024 Cohort
“We use these reports to pinpoint program improvements. Adjustments made from last year’s data are already proving beneficial.” – PI from 2024 Cohort

  • Annual Reporting & NSF Grant Justification

“These reports are essential for our NSF annual reports, helping us demonstrate our REU’s impact and plan future improvements.” – PI from 2023 Cohort

For a deeper look at how PIs are using the evaluation to improve their programs, view the full NSF CISE REU Evaluation Community Feedback Report.

Welcoming Kari George

Kari George brings a strong background in computing research and program evaluation to CRA. Prior to joining CRA, she was a Computing Innovation (CI) Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and served as the Senior Data Manager of the BRAID Research Project at UCLA, where she earned a PhD in Higher Education and Organizational Change. Her research agenda has examined the educational and career trajectories of computing students and organizational change efforts within computing departments. Her expertise in computing education and research will help advance CERP’s work in supporting computing research experiences for undergraduates.

We recently sat down with Kari to discuss her vision for the NSF CISE REU Evaluation.

Welcome to CRA, Kari! What drew you to this role?

KG: Having studied computing student experiences in higher education for many years, I know the critical importance of interactions with faculty and research experiences in supporting pathways to graduate degrees. I was drawn to this role because it allows me to use my research skills to generate insights that are directly and practically relevant to key stakeholders who shape student experiences. I’m excited to join the wonderful staff at CRA and CERP in engaging with the computing community to support programs and research. 

What do you see as the key priorities for the NSF CISE REU Evaluation moving forward?

KG: With this project, we aim to assess and understand the short and long-term impacts of students’ participation in REUs, including how it influences students’ interest and graduate school and research careers, as well as the tangible skills students gain throughout the experience. Evaluating these and other measures during the REU and afterward is critical to understanding how students learn and can provide valuable insights to PIs to enable project improvements that support computing research pathways.  

How can PIs best take advantage of the NSF CISE REU Evaluation?

KG: Certainly by signing up to do their REU evaluations with CERP! We look forward to providing PIs with valuable information about their own sites as well as comparative evaluation of REU across NSF CISE. Additionally, we would like to hear from PIs about the information that is most important to them and how they manage their REU programs so we can provide relevant analysis and insights for them.

How to Participate: Sign Up by April 25

New and existing NSF CISE REU PIs are encouraged to participate in this free evaluation. 

Benefits include:

  • Access to comparative reports benchmarking student outcomes against national REU data
  • Insights into student experiences, career trajectories, and program effectiveness
  • Data-driven support for future REU proposals and funding renewals

To enroll in the 2025 NSF CISE REU Evaluation, PIs must complete the online interest form by April 25. For more information, visit our website or contact cerpreu@cra.org.

The NSF CISE REU Evaluation project is currently supported through U.S. National Science Foundation cooperative agreement #2335072. Previous support came from the U.S. National Science Foundation contract (49100421C0010) and the data collection was approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB control number 3145-0265).