CDA REU Application

Other considerations for student applicants: 

• Students do not need to have previous programming experience. Students will be matched to projects taking past experience into account. 
• Preference will be given to students who have completed 48 hours of class by the program’s start. All other student levels are welcome to apply and will be considered.  
• We encourage students from colleges with limited research opportunities for undergraduates, including community colleges, to apply. Participation by current University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign students is restricted, and applications from students from institutions outside of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are given priority.

Students accepted to the CDA REU program should not enroll in summer classes (even if they are fully online). The REU program is equivalent in demand to a full course load. While the REU program is not set up as a formal class, you will be learning many new skills and information that you can apply to your future goals. You are expected to be available and working 40 hours per week, with additional experiential activities outside those work hours.

• Participation in the CDA REU program is a full-time commitment. To get the most out of this opportunity, participants are expected to work at least 36 hours per week on research projects and up to 4 hours per week participating in professional development events, attending program-wide activities, and other engagements that are designed to support your growth as a developing scientist and engineer.
• Throughout the program, REU participants will attend seminars on scientific communication and will work closely with their research mentors to create and then present both an oral and poster presentation of the research performed during the summer. Presentations and any written components are required.
• CDA REU students are required to participate in the one-week AI Foundry for Ag Applications and Hackathon and attend and present research at the Illinois Summer Research Program Alliance (ISRPA) Stem Career Exploration and Symposium.
  • Participation costs for these events are covered by CDA REU.
  • Students will be mentored through the process of preparing for these events.
• We provide on-campus housing for all participants. This housing is arranged by the CDA REU Program Coordinator. If there are any concerns about on-campus housing that might interfere with your ability to participate or are a barrier for your application, please email Christina Tucker to discuss alternative housing options.
• Our program is intentionally designed to support participants by providing opportunities to conduct research and grow as developing scientists and engineers. This is achieved through a series of weekly seminars and professional development events embedded in CDA REU. Attendance and participation in these events is required.

How much are REU students paid as part of the summer program?
The $7000 summer stipend and meal allowance will be distributed equally across 3 monthly payments. Stipends are distributed to students once a month via direct deposit in June, July, and August.

I am an international student studying at a U.S. university. I am not a citizen and do not have a green card. Am I eligible for your program?
Funding for the REU program is restricted to U.S. Citizens and U.S. Permanent Residents (i.e., Green Card holders). If you are neither a citizen nor have a green card, we cannot provide funding. If you have support from another source, please reach out to the Program Coordinator about opportunities to participate as an unfunded REU student.

Is this program open to current U of I students?
Any U of I student who meets the requirements regarding citizenship and undergraduate status is eligible. Priority is given to students outside of the university.

I am a senior and will graduate in May. Am I still eligible for your program?
Students who have received their bachelor’s degree by the time the program starts are ineligible. Students who have finished a 2-year degree and are considering pursuing a 4-year degree are encouraged to apply.

I’m only a first-year/freshman or sophomore. Can I apply? 
Preference will be given to students who have completed 48 hours of class by the program’s start. All other student levels with a strong interest in digital agriculture are welcome to apply. 

My school is on a quarter system, and my finals are not over until June. Can I still be accepted to the program?
Unfortunately, the first two weeks of the program are critical to orientation, so we are unable to accommodate a delayed start.

Can I take a part-time job and/or take summer classes while participating in the REU program?
Participation in CDA REU is a full-time commitment. Outside employment or enrollment in summer classes is highly discouraged.

If I attend a community college, am I eligible to participate in the REU program?
Yes. However, if you will complete your education at the community college before the REU program starts, you must show that you are transferring to a four-year institution for a BA/BS degree.

Can I receive academic credit for the summer experience?
Yes. Students may work with their home institution to pursue academic credit for the experience.  Often, this takes the form of internship credit, undergraduate research credit, capstone course credit, or similar. We are happy to complete any necessary paperwork to verify the opportunity, allowing students to receive credit.

I have external/personal activities that may result into missing a day or two of the program. Will this be a problem?
In general, participants are expected to be in residence during the full period of the REU program. Occasional absences may be approved in advance with the Program Coordinator.

Is a travel stipend included in the program?
Yes. We have a budget of $800 per student. If you are flying to join us for the summer, we will book your ticket directly. Any remaining travel budget can be used to reimburse you for baggage (excluding overweight and oversized fees) and travel to/from the airport. You must keep itemized receipts for baggage. If you drive, we reimburse you at $0.70 per mile, in accordance with the university’s driving per diem. You do not need to save gas receipts. If the cost to drive is greater than the cost to fly, the traveler must provide justification for driving.  Reimbursement for mileage and baggage does not process until after the program is concluded.

Where will I live during the program? How does the housing payment work?
We arrange on-campus housing and cover the costs directly. Once accepted, we have a series of questions that we ask participants to help select roommates from among our cohort members.

Where will I eat during the program?
We provide a meal allowance of one meal per day, paid with your stipend. You can choose to use that money to order food or purchase groceries and cook for yourself. We provide a basic kitchen kit for students to borrow for the summer.

Can I bring my pet? 
The on-campus housing facilities do not allow pets. Service animals are allowed with documentation. If there are any concerns about on-campus housing that might interfere with your ability to participate or are a barrier to your application, please contact the Program Coordinator to discuss alternative housing options.

Do I need a car?
You are not required to bring or acquire a car, but having your own transportation for the summer can have advantages, especially if your research involves working at field sites off the main campus. However, if you do not have your own transportation, we can arrange transportation to field sites. Parking at the housing and around campus is not free. REU participants with cars are responsible for paying their own parking expenses.

Champaign-Urbana has a great public bus system that REU participants can ride for free, so access to general needs on campus and around town is not restricted without having your own car.

Do I need to know computer programming? 
Computer programming knowledge is not required. We will pair students with projects based on interests and skills. Training will be provided for background that is needed for research projects.

I don’t know if I want to go to grad school. Can I still participate in the REU program? 
The REU program is a great place to explore if you are interested in research. You will also learn skills you can apply in industry if you decide graduate school is not a good fit for you.

I have a question not mentioned here. Who do I contact?
You can email Program Coordinator Christina Tucker lyvers2@illinois.ed