About

ICER ACRES is a 10-week summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) in computational and data science. Student teams (2-3 students) will be matched with a project appropriate for their background and skill. 

Program: Ten students will be selected to work in teams with STEM researchers on original, interdisciplinary, collaborative research projects in data science and scientific computing.

Program goals: Students participating in this REU will:

• Gain computational research skills
• Participate in cutting-edge computational and data science research
• Interact closely with top-notch faculty
• Work on modern supercomputers

Research project areas include: Computational biology, computational physics, computational chemistry, computational mathematics, engineering, environmental data analytics and bioinformatics.

Stipend: Each student will receive a total stipend of $6,000 (before tax), on-campus housing, and a meal plan. Financial support up to $600 is available for travel to the REU site and to conferences. 

Framework: Each Summer, the program begins will a week-long boot camp introducing students to high-performance computing (HPC) concepts and scientific software development best practices. Over the following weeks, student teams will work in research groups, take part in meetings and discussions with project members, attend research seminars, and make weekly group presentations. At the end of the summer, students will give a talk and poster presentation about their research.

Social Activities: Opportunities for students to interact socially with each other and faculty include ice cream socials, cookouts, and day trips to attractions such as the Kellogg Biological Center. University recreational facilities will also be available for participant use (a nominal fee may apply). All NSF-REU and similar undergraduate research programs on campus are closely coordinated with each other with respect to housing and many social and scientific activities.

About East Lansing: East Lansing combines all the charms of a tight-knit community with the bustling activity of a diverse, world-class university town. The downtown area is an energetic retail district bursting with restaurants, bookstores, coffee shops and bars, while the suburbs consist of tree-lined streets winding through historic neighborhoods. The Lansing River Trail connects walkers, joggers and cyclists with dozens of parks and local cultural destinations. Summers in East Lansing revolve around outdoor concerts, plays and festivals, including the Great Lakes Folk Festival, the Summer Circle Theatre series, and the city’s signature annual event, the East Lansing Art Festival, which draws tens of thousands of visitors.