Overview
CSURP now in its second year is for undergraduates to get involved in research in computer science. Have you wondered what computer science research is like, or have you pondered doing a Ph.D. in CS after you graduate? CSURP may be for you!
CSURP works like an alternative to a summer internship. You apply for the program giving some idea of what areas in CS you are interested in and prepared to work in. You don’t need to know exactly what you want to do or which lab you want to work in—but you do need to have a letter of recommendation from the instructor of a CS course you have taken. The selection committee considers your background and interests and, if you are accepted, matches you with a research lab and project.
The CSURP program runs for up to 10 weeks over the summer. Here’s what you can expect from the program:
- Guidance from faculty and Ph.D. students to pursue the matched research project.
- Funding awarded up to $5,000.
- A series of enrichment talks on technical and career topics throughout the summer.
- Social events with other CSURP scholars and mentors.
To be eligible, you must be a Cornell undergraduate who is returning and registered for fall 2022. You also need to be interested in the idea of pursuing a Ph.D. in CS after you graduate—we have in mind CS majors, early-stage students who plan to major in CS, or majors in adjacent areas with a demonstrated interest in a CS topic.
Application
Applications are open now. Please fill out this form. The application deadline has been extende to December 20, 2021. We encourage interested students to apply by December 15th, as we will start reviewing applications on that date. However, we will keep the application site open till December 20th, and will consider later arriving applications.
Please login with your Cornell NetID. The name and (NetID) email address associated with your Cornell Google account will be recorded when you upload files and submit this form.
The application form consists of:
- A one-page statement describing your research interests and any relevant experience.
- An unofficial transcript.
- The name and email address of the instructor of a Cornell CS course you have taken, whom the committee will ask to provide a reference. (You do not necessarily need to have contacted the instructor ahead of time. The instructor also does not need to know you personally; they just need to vouch for your performance in a Cornell CS course.)
- Optionally, the name and email address of prospective research mentor you have already been in touch with about a potential summer project.
You will receive a decision from the selection committee by February 15, 2022. If accepted, you will then have two weeks to decide whether to take the offer.
For questions about the CSURP program, please contact csurp@cs.cornell.edu
Special Positions for Some Groups
A portion of CSURP positions will be allocated for researchers from disadvantaged and underrepresented groups. There are two kinds of special positions: one for students from disadvantaged backgrounds (as defined below), and one for women (sponsored by the Clare Boothe Luce Program for Women in STEM).
The application has checkboxes that ask whether you want to be considered for these two categories. If you check these boxes, the form will ask you for a brief (300 words maximum) statement describing your fit for either or both categories. If you identify as a woman or fit any of the below categories, we encourage you to check these boxes, but doing so is not required.
The positions for researchers from disadvantaged backgrounds will be open to people meeting one of these criteria:
- Being a member of an ethnic or racial group historically underrepresented in higher education (African American, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian or other Native Pacific Islander, Mexican American, Puerto Rican, or other Hispanic American; permanent residents whose ethnicity corresponds to these groups also meet this criterion)
- Being a participant in one of the following programs: McNair Scholar, Mellon Mays Scholar, Posse Program, LSAMP Scholars, Ryan Scholars, NACME Scholars, Pre-Professional Programs (P3), HEOP/EOP, Gates Millennium Scholars
- Having experiences overcoming any significant challenges in your path toward college (examples include, but are not limited to, being a first generation college student, being a Veteran, being a single parent, holding DACA status, and/or managing a disability)