Annually, the University of Wisconsin–Madison Department of Computer Sciences awards several summer research assistantships (RAships). These awards provide two months of summer support to outstanding students who were first-year graduate students during the preceding academic year.
The principal criteria for RA selection are academic excellence and the quality of the expected outcomes of the proposed research project. Students who receive the award are advised by the nominating faculty member during the summer and give a 30-minute presentation on their results in a special seminar during the fall semester. Students are encouraged to discuss potential topics with Computer Sciences professors with whom they might want to work. It is expected that the nominating professor will contribute one half of the funding for the two-month RAship.
How to apply
Students are nominated by a Computer Sciences faculty member in April. Each nomination includes:
- Description of the proposed research (no more than three pages, 12-point font)
- Student resume (one or two pages)
- Letter of nomination and recommendation from the nominating faculty member (no more than two pages)