ITL 2018 SURF Program
The Information Technology Laboratory (ITL) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) invites undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors to apply for the 2018 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program at the NIST laboratories in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The program is designed to provide hands-on research experience in applied mathematics, statistics, computer security, information access, software testing, and networking technologies.
Testimonial:
A note from Heidi Sauber, Maggie Sauber’s (SURF 2017) mom ….
Maggie had such an amazing experience at NIST this summer. I didn't understand much of her presentation (other than when she thanked her mentors ☺) but at least I know what a virtual reality cave is now. Not only did it sharpen her technical skills but she met a great group of students from all over the country plus when she interviewed with JP Morgan last week they asked her to do a technical presentation and she modified SURF for it!
Thank you so much for helping to make it a summer she will always remember!
2018 SURF Program Dates:
Application Deadline: February 12, 2018
Gaithersburg Program Dates:
May 29, 2018 - August 10, 2018
Specific ITL research opportunities include:
Mathematics:Mathematical modelingOrthogonal polynomials and special functions Signal and image analysis Combinatorics and graph theory Data mining and machine learning Quantum information science Immersive and VR-based Scientific Visualization Mathematical knowledge management Scientific software development High performance computing |
Statistics:Experimental designStatistical modeling Uncertainty analysis Bayesian analysis Statistical computing Applications in Biology Applications in Chemistry Applications in Forensic Science Applications in Physics |
Computer Security:Lightweight cryptographyQuantum secure cryptography Circuit minimization for cryptography NIST public randomness beacon - Applications Cryptographic (algorithms and modules) validation Cognitive-based system security and risk management System Security Automation Attribute Access Control Cloud computing and Virtualization Internet of Things and Cyber-physical systems - Security and privacy Combinatorial system testing Threat and vulnerability management (NVD) Application behavior analytics Security and Privacy Risk management (FISMA) Supply chain security |
Information Access:Data scienceHuman interaction with computing technologies Computer accessibility Information retrieval Biometrics Human language technology Usability Natural language and speech processing |
Software Testing:BioinformaticsHealthcare information technology and informatics Trustworthy software Software measurement science Software quality testing Digital data retrieval and preservation Digital mobile/forensics |
Networking:Advanced Internet technologiesInternet security/robustness Advanced cloud and mobile computing technologies Complex systems analysis of networks Software-defined networking Network function virtualization Machine-to-machine networking (loT/CPS) Localization and context-aware networking |
The Fellowship will include a stipend of $5,500 for the 11-week period ($4,500 for the 9-week program), in addition to travel and housing allowances.
Student Eligibility Criteria
- Students must be undergraduates at a U.S. university or college with a scientific major;
- Students must have a G.P.A. of 3.0/4.0 or better (recommended), and are considering pursuing a graduate degree (M.S. or Ph.D.);
- Students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents;
- Students will need two letters of recommendation into the program by science and engineering professors/department chairs, a student transcript, and a letter of intent/personal statement; and
- Students with applied mathematics, statistics, computer science, or engineering majors are always encouraged to apply. There may be research opportunities for students with other majors.
Plan of Operation
- SURFers work directly with ITL Research Advisors.
- SURFers participate in a weekly research seminar program and in extramural group activities intended to enrich the fellowship experience.
- In addition to the required presentation during the SURF Colloquium at the end of the session, SURFers are encouraged to present their research results at national meetings, or to work with their advisors to submit manuscripts on their work to peer-reviewed research journals.
- SURFers are encouraged to pursue graduate work after they finish college, up to the Ph.D. degree.
For more information and to apply, go to the related links.