Summer 2014 Program Announcement
Review of applications will begin on February 18, 2014 and will continue until all our places filled.
The Rutgers Program in Perceptual Science, in conjunction with the Rutgers Computer Science Department and the Rutgers University Center for Cognitive Science, invites applications for a the continuation of our Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program in Perceptual Science and Technology, funded by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Defense.
Our program is inspired by exciting advances in the ability of computer systems to understand real-world environments. Computer systems have access to more and better data about the world than ever before, and it's easier than ever to analyze this data through machine learning and statistical inference to draw sophisticated and robust conclusions about new situations. In other words, we can finally write programs that learn to see!
It's a great time to do research in perceptual science and technology. Thanks to the technical progress in the field, there are new opportunities to make systems understand more about the world and study how to design systems that use this new information. Scientific progress, meanwhile, has created opportunities to connect computational models to human perception and to design new tools and interfaces that create synergies between human and computer perception.
Our program gives participants a chance to contribute to cutting-edge research projects in Perceptual Science and Technology, and to map out careers for themselves in the field. You can read more about possible research ideas here and about the activities of prior participants in the program here and here. Below, the participants from Summer 2012. From left, top: Celia Abernathy, Andre Gabe Marquez, Maegan Boutot, Gretchen Schwab. Bottom: Ezana Taddese, John Lake, Andrew Garvey, Nicholas Baker, Tejas Srinivasan, Jessica Elliott.
In Summer 2014, the program will consist of ten weeks of intensive work, May 27 - August 1. Participants will have a Computer Science, or faculty member as a mentor, and will work in the supportive, collegial setting of active Rutgers research labs. Seminars, collaborative projects and other group activities will explore the relationships among different research problems, research methods and career options that the field allows. We expect to invite eight undergraduate students to join the program.
Housing for participants will be provided on Rutgers's Busch Campus, in Piscataway New Jersey, close to our research labs, athletic facilities and other amenities. There students will be part of a larger community of undergraduate research interns, including participants in the RISE and DIMACS REU programs. In addition, participants will receive a stipend of between approximately $4,000 and $5,000 depending on choice of housing options. The programs will cover up to $600 for travel to and from, with additional funds available on a case by case basis.
This program requires ten weeks of intense effort and on-site participation. Students should not commit to other activities (e.g., courses) during the REU program. In addition, we encourage students to plan to continue their projects during the academic year 2014-2015. This sustained effort will make it possible for students to come away from the REU experience with a scientific publication documenting their research contributions!
Applicants should be undergraduates with a major in Computer Science, Cognitive Science, Psychology, Information Science or a closely related field. They should be current juniors (graduating in 2014), although first and second year undergraduates with exceptionally strong backgrounds will be considered. Preference will be given to students who will continue their research projects during the academic year, under the direction of either their supervisor or a faculty member from their home institution. Due to funding agency rules, only U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents who are enrolled in an undergraduate program now through fall 2014 or later are eligible for this program. Women, minorities, and students with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
Please use our website to submit your application, or submit it electronically by email to
Perceptual Science and Technology REU program
Rutgers University Center for Cognitive Science
152 Frelinghuysen Road
Piscataway, NJ 08854-8020
Email:
For more information about the program, please contact the REU Coordinator at
Perceptual Science and Technology REU Program 2014
Perceptual Science Home Page
RuCCS Home Page
Computer Science Home Page
Document last modified on October 23, 2015.
