The University of Central Arkansas hosted the Research Experiences for Undergraduate students (REU) program for the second year. The program encourages undergraduate students to pursue graduate study and research careers in computer science by providing them a competitive research experience.
UCA’s REU program, called “HIT@UCA: Applied Research in Health Information Technology,” integrates fundamental research of computer science with applications in health information technology.
This is the first REU program in Arkansas related to computer science. It is led by Dr. Vamsi Paruchuri and Dr. Yu Sun, both faculty of UCA’s Computer Science Department. The department received a three-year grant, totaling $324,977, from the National Science Foundation for the program.
Ten talented undergraduates from Washington, New Mexico, Illinois, Mississippi, Tennessee, Fayetteville and UCA participated in the nine-week program. The students’ research ranged from a smartphone application that tracks medication used by a patient to a way to predict high risk fetuses at an early stage.
The interdisciplinary nature of the program offers students the opportunity to perceive the importance of computer science and to continue their education in the field, Paruchuri said.
“We want to bring the students here, involve them in research projects and tell them how they can really make a difference in the world,” he said.
Josh Hawkins, a senior at Eastern Illinois University, said undergraduates should consider applying for the program if considering graduate school.
“It’s something that goes great on a resume and your name gets onto some sort of research or often does, which is key when applying to graduate schools,” he said.
Learn more about the REU program at UCA’s YouTube page.