Undergraduate Summer Research Program

Overview

The Vanderbilt Data Science Institute Summer Research Program (DSI – SRP) provides Vanderbilt undergraduate students with the opportunity to engage in 10 weeks (Monday, June 7 – Friday, August 13, 2021) of full-time data science focused research in collaboration with any full-time Vanderbilt faculty member during the summer. The goal of DSI – SRP is to encourage and enhance student-faculty mentoring and joint research efforts in data science.

DSI – SRP fellows will come from a diverse range of backgrounds and domains.
Proposed research is welcome from:

Foundational data science, the development, evolution, or implementation of data science methods.
Application of data science to one or more fields in the physical, life, or social sciences, engineering, arts, or humanities.
The study of the impact of data on society and its institutions.

The DSI will fund 15 undergraduate fellowships in summer 2021. Several additional fellowships will be funded by the following:

All fellowship recipients, regardless of their source of funding, will participate in all DSI-SRP related activities over the summer.

Program Highlights

The main component of the program is the scholarly work done by the Vanderbilt undergraduate student (DSI – SRP fellow) in collaboration with any full-time Vanderbilt faculty member.
The DSI – SRP involves full-time work. Participants cannot enroll in summer session courses.
Each DSI – SRP fellow will attend summer events hosted by the DSI.
The program lasts ten weeks, June 7-August 13, 2021.

Student Support

A $6,000 stipend will be provided for each student.

Important

Vanderbilt faculty may sponsor only two applications for the 2021 competition.
Students who accept DSI – SRP stipends are required to attend summer events hosted by the DSI.
Students who accept DSI – SRP stipends are required to present their research at the Vanderbilt Undergraduate Research Fair in the fall 2021 semester.
Applications will be available in late November.

Eligibility

Current Vanderbilt sophomores or juniors enrolled in undergraduate degree programs are eligible.
Full consideration will be given to students who have at least a 3.0 GPA.
Applicants must be able to engage in 10 weeks of full time research during the summer (June 7 – August 13). The DSI – SRP involves full-time work.
Participants cannot enroll in summer session courses.
Research within the DSI – SRP is not restricted to work within a student’s major area of study. Projects from students with faculty mentors in different departments and schools are supported and encouraged.
Students should have completed any coursework required for the research project prior to beginning the summer fellowship.
Faculty members may endorse only TWO applications for the 2021 competition.

Application Procedure

Applicants will be asked to provide the following (stated word limits apply):

A summary of the proposed summer research (150 words)
Specific questions to be addressed during the summer (200 words)
Description of how this proposed research connects with data science (250 words)
Description of how participation in DSI – SRP fits with your short-term and long-term goals (200 words)
Description of how this proposed research relates to a sponsored fellowship *if relevant* (150 words)
An unofficial transcript
Faculty sponsor information and acknowledgements (faculty member can only endorse two applications in the competition)