Resources
Useful Tips on Finding an Undergraduate Research Opportunity:
- If your school is a research university look at faculty web sites, if someone’s work looks particularly interesting make an appointment to speak with them (maybe read a couple of their papers first).
- Does your school have an undergraduate research office? They will have information and know about scholarships and funding.
- Start with someone you know –e.g. did you take a class with a professor whose work sounds interesting?
- Do your homework before talking to them –you are not expected to be an expert but you should be able to talk a little about the subject (be focused rather than vague)
- If they are not interested ask if they can point you in the right direction.
- Talk to your advisor.
- Have a presentable resume!
- This is all good experience even if you don’t end up finding a good match first time around.
If your school is not a research university, or if you don’t find help at your school, google: "Summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs)". REU programs usually pay you to help with research projects.
Some Undergraduate Research Opportunities and Funding Sources:
- Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology
- ACM-W ACM Women in Computing
- ACM-W Scholarships for Attendance at Research Conferences
- ACM-W India Contacts
- ACM-W Europe
- AccessComputing provides both internship funding and conference travel funding for students with disabilities
- BCSWomen: British Computer Society
- CRA-W: CRA Committee on the Status of Women in Computing research
- CREU: Collaborative Research Experience for Undergraduates
- CWIT: The Center for Women and Information Technology at the University of Maryland Baltimore County
- NCWIT: National Center for Women & Information Technology
- NC State REU: Science of Software
- Pathways to Science: A wide variety of programs and funding opportunities
- Systers: a Community for Technical Women in Computing
- Student Guide to Scholarships and Fellowships
- The Harvard Forest Summer Research Program in Ecology
When You Have Some Research Experience:
Think about doing a POSTER as a way into presenting your work. Here are some great conferences for undergraduate research posters
- Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing
- Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing
- Various ACM SIGs (https://www.acm.org/about-special-interest-groups)
Apply for scholarships to attend other conferences: ask for help with funding from your own schools plus other organizations (see above). Many conferences offer scholarships to help fund your attendance.
Other Good Advice:
- Advice to a Beginning Graduate Student by Professor Manuel Blum, CMU
- Applying to Ph.D.Programs in Computer Science by Professor Mor Harchol-Balter, CMU
- Grad School Advice: The Princeton Review 2019