Research Experience for Undergraduates 2016 - University of Notre Dame

We invite outstanding undergraduates to apply for summer research positions in Data Intensive Scientific Computing (DISC) at the University of Notre Dame.

DISC - Data Intensive Scientific Computing

We invite outstanding undergraduates to apply for summer research positions in Data Intensive Scientific Computing (DISC) at the University of Notre Dame.

Students in the DISC REU program will learn how to use high performance computing and big data technologies to enable new discoveries in computer science, physics, and biology. We work on grand challenge problems, like discovering new galaxies in digital imagery, discovering new fundamental particles, using gene sequencing to understand disease, predicting the effect of new drugs using computational modeling, and many more.   To do this, we harness large scale computing clusters and big data systems composed of hundreds or thousands of machines, all working together in concert.  To make advances in these areas, our goal is to train the next generation of scholars to be adept in both scientific domains and advanced computing techniques.

 Who Should Apply

  • US citizens and permanent residents majoring in computer science, physics, or biology (and closely related fields) are eligible to apply.
  • All applicants should have some programming experience and some exposure to the physical sciences.
  • Students with minors or double majors across two or three of the topical areas are encouraged to apply.
  • Women and minorities that are under-represented in the sciences are especially encouraged to apply.

Important Dates

  • Monday, February 15th, 2016 - Applications received by this date will be given first consideration.
  • Early March, 2016 - Notification of acceptance will be made.
  • Monday, May 23rd, 2016 - Move into campus housing
  • Tuesday, May 24th, 2016 - REU program begins
  • Saturday, July 30th, 2016 - REU program ends.

How to Apply

  1. Look at the available research projects, and pick 3-5 that interest you the most.
  2. Fill out the online application.
  3. Arrange for two letters of reference to be sent to koconne8@nd.edu before February 15th, 2016.

Housing, Stipend, and Travel

The REU program will provide on-campus housing in double rooms with air conditioning.  Students will be paid a stipend of $500/week to cover meals and other living expenses.  A travel allowance will be offered to defray the costs of driving, train tickets, or air travel to and from Notre Dame.  Participants will be issued a Notre Dame ID which will give access to campus resources such as the library, athletic facilities, and so forth.

If you wish to drive to campus, Notre Dame is easily reached from I-80/90 about 90 minutes east of Chicago.  However, a car is not required: if you arrive by plane, train, or bus, we can arrange pick up and drop off.

Summer at Notre Dame

Students in the REU program will be embedded into a research group and work closely with their faculty mentor throughout the summer.  All REU participants will meet together several times a week to learn about scientific computing research at Notre Dame, receive training on technical topics, and learn about graduate school and research careers.  Social events and an outing to Chicago will be arranged.

The Notre Dame campus is a wonderful place to live during the summer. The campus is full of students in summer courses and athletic programs. The city of South Bend offers museums and cultural activities, outdoor concerts and festivals, and a variety of parks and natural areas along the St. Joseph River. Beyond the city, the South Shore Railway provides transportation to Lake Michigan and Indiana Dunes National Lakesure, and downtown Chicago, with easy access to museums, parks, and restaurants. 

For More Information

Please contact:


111 Information Technology Center
Notre Dame, Indiana, 46556