REU Site: Advancing high-performance computing opportunities in undergraduate research at UW-Eau Claire to meet challenges of multidisciplinary computational science

In recent years, computationally intensive scientific and engineering studies involving large-scale data processing have driven groundbreaking innovations across STEM disciplines. These studies require an interdisciplinary approach, combining domain-specific expertise with the development of scalable algorithms, including applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in data analysis and model optimization.

The nine-week Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire will continue to offer a comprehensive research experience in High-Performance Computing (HPC), aiming to inspire a diverse group of students to pursue careers in STEM fields related to multidisciplinary computational science and AI. The REU site will support ten undergraduate students each summer, engaging them in collaborative research focused on designing computationally intensive algorithms and simulation models using HPC.

The program will expose students to advanced computing resources and hardware, providing hands-on experience that many undergraduate students do not typically encounter during their studies. This experience will also introduce students to the role of AI and machine learning in solving complex scientific problems by optimizing simulations and data-driven models.

A central goal of the program is to attract students to STEM careers, especially in fields where computing and AI intersect with domain-specific challenges, and to train them in using advanced technologies. Furthermore, the REU site will promote national STEM workforce diversity goals by recruiting students from underrepresented groups, particularly from two-year colleges where research opportunities are limited.

With its focus on HPC and its application in diverse scientific disciplines, the project will serve to fulfill several of the key goals of NSF: to advance discovery and learning, to promote inclusion in the science and engineering workforce, and provide an integrated strategy to advance the frontiers of knowledge.

Through a focused research experience guided by dedicated mentors, students will have the opportunity to develop new algorithms utilizing HPC infrastructure to solve real-world scientific problems. They will learn to complete end-to-end research projects, including developing simulation and predictive models, analyzing results, preparing manuscripts for submission to journals and conference proceedings, and delivering technical presentations.

Students will be able to choose from eight projects across four computational science domains: (1) Deep Learning and Computer Vision, (2) Bioinformatics, (3) Computational Materials Science, and (4) Computational Chemistry. As part of the REU program, students will also have opportunities to enhance their leadership and interpersonal skills through seminars on undergraduate research, diversity in STEM, scientific writing, ethics in computing, career planning, and preparing for graduate school.

In addition to these developmental activities, students will participate in field trips to key research centers. These include a visit to Mayo Clinic Health System and the Center for High Throughput Computing at University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Chippewa Valley Technical College Regional Data Center among others where students can explore cutting-edge applications of computational science and HPC in medicine and large-scale data analysis.

Moreover, students will present their research at the Wisys Spark Symposium, which highlights research from all 13 campuses in the Universities of Wisconsin System, providing them with a valuable platform to showcase their work to a broader scientific community. This experience, combined with invited guest speaker presentations and workshops, will further enhance students' communication, networking, and presentation skills.

The success of the REU site will be evaluated through internal assessments as well as by utilizing the evaluation resources and services offered by the CRA Center for Evaluating the Research Pipeline (CERP).

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.