This year’s focus is on Computing+X research, integrating a cohort of students into interdisciplinary computing research projects combining computing with an area of application.  The interdisciplinary focus recognizes the ever evolving computing landscape with an importance on skills spanning disciplines, varied interests among students, and the broad, cross-discipline focus areas of many faculty.  It aligns with the College of Computing’s focus on creating interdisciplinary Computing+X programs and students’ interest across disciplines.

• This program is a paid ($6000 student stipend) 10-week intensive undergraduate research experience, with the initial year focused on Computing+X.  It will consist of 10 student participants and up to 10 potential internal mentors / projects and potentially additional externally mentored projects.  Each selected project will be allowed one or two students (working with potentially one or two mentors) based on the project proposer’s application, the number of faculty that apply, and student interest.
   
• To help select projects and match student participants with potential projects, a pre-program zoom matching workshop will allow project proposers the opportunity to describe their proposed projects and students the opportunity to learn more and ask questions.  After this, students will rank the projects in their order of preference and project proposers will rank the students, which will be used to select projects and match students to projects.
   
• Each project’s student(s) and mentor(s) are expected to meet in person multiple times per week.  To help develop the cohort mentality, all students will be required to participate in a variety of activities beyond their specific research project.  These include weekly, whole-student-cohort professional development seminars and weekly, whole-cohort research status discussions.

Students and mentors are expected to be fully committed to the project over the course of the 10-week program period and active participants in all program events.  In particular, with the exception of short, pre-approved travel (such as missing one day for a wedding or a faculty member missing a couple of days for conference travel), students and mentors are expected to participate in the full program.

• Project submissions open:  Early-January 2026
• Student application submissions open:  Early-January 2026
• Webinar for student applicants:  Late-January 2026
• Webinar for mentor project proposals:  Late-January 2026
• Deadline for student applications:  Friday, February 27, 2026
• Deadline for project proposal submissions:  Friday, March 6, 2026
• Notification of initially selected students:  Monday, March 16, 2026
• Initial notification of projects not selected for matching stage:  Sunday, March 22, 2026
• Deadline for first group of selected students to accept:  Sunday, March 22, 2026
• Notification of additional students until program is full:  Late-March 2026
• All cohort introduction and student-project matching meetings:  Early-April 2026
• Notification of whether projects are selected or not:  Mid-April 2026
• Additional all-cohort student + mentor zoom meetings for community building and planning:  Late April - Early May 2026
• Pre-program student preparation (on their own time):  May 2026
• Pre-program mentor training:  Early-May 2026
• Program start (first day of program):  Monday, June 8, 2026
• Program bootcamp sessions:  Monday, June 8, 2026 - Friday, June 12, 2026
• Student-led outreach short day camp:  TBA (sometime in late July / early August)
• End of program presentations:  TBA (sometime August 3, 2026 - August 14, 2026)
• Program end (final day of program):  August 14, 2026
• Innovation Day:  TBA (likely December 11, 2026)
• Student Scholars Day:  TBA (April 2027)