Brown Computer Science is proud to present "Artificial Intelligence for Computational Creativity," an NSF Summer REU Site. This is a 9-week, fully-funded, summer residential program which brings students to the Brown University campus June 2 -- August 1, 2025 to conduct original research with computer science faculty and graduate students. Our intellectual focus is creative applications of artificial intelligence: potential research topics include creative generative models (of visual and textual content), detecting “fake” generated content, AI for game playing, user experience design for creative AI systems, and more. Research in this field is poised to revolutionize the means of personal expression for everyone: in writing, photography, design, architecture, and more.
Our REU Site is a partnership with The Leadership Alliance, a national consortium of more than 30 PhD-granting and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) dedicated to training students from diverse cultural and academic backgrounds for graduate programs and professional research-based careers. We encourage applications from students from historically-underrepresented groups, which includes (but is not limited to) students that identify as women, underrepresented minority (URM), having a disability, first-generation college, low-income, and/or LGBTQ+. In addition to conducting original research, students at our site will participate in Alliance-led career development activities, professional networking opportunities, and social events.
Apply to join us in Providence, Rhode Island this summer!
To apply for the program, submit an application via NSF ETAP:
https://etap.nsf.gov/award/238/opportunity/10245
You will also need to submit an application to The Leadership Alliance's Summer Research Early Identification Program (SR-EIP):
https://app.theleadershipalliance.org/
Please submit the same materials (statements, recommendation letters, etc.) to both applications.
The application deadline is February 3, 2025.
Admission offers will be sent out on a rolling basis after the application deadline.
Who is eligible to apply: US citizens or permanent residents who are enrolled in a degree program leading to a baccalaureate or associate degree. Students who are transferring from one college or university to another and are enrolled at neither institution during the summer may participate. High school graduates who have been accepted at an undergraduate institution but who have not yet started their undergraduate study are also eligible to participate. Students who have received their bachelor's degrees and are no longer enrolled as undergraduates are generally not eligible to participate.
Experience needed: Prospective students should at minimum have completed an introductory computer science course sequence as well as mathematics courses covering calculus, linear algebra, and probability. Additional advanced coursework in areas related to the Site's theme (e.g. computer vision, machine learning) are helpful but not strictly required. Prior research experience is helpful but also not strictly required.
Research activities: Participants will be paired with a faculty mentor and a graduate student mentor who will help guide them through a 9-week research project. This includes a weekly study group which walks students through the process of conceiving, developing, and presenting an original research proposal. In addition, the summer begins with crash courses on research methods, artificial intelligence and machine learning principles, and working with modern software tools for AI/ML.
Other activities: In addition to their research projects, students will also have the opportunity to participate in Leadership Alliance-sponsored events including faculty and alumni panels on careers in research, graduate student panels on pathways to graduate school, group dinners, and more. We also plan to organize extracurricular social activities in the local area, such as visits to the RISD museum, excursions to Newport and Rhode Island's beaches, and Saturday night visits to Providence's Waterfire celebration.
Time commitment: The program runs 9 weeks, from June 2 through August 1, 2025. You can expect to spend ~35 hours a week on your research and an additional ~5 hours a week in other required program activities. Most research and activities will take place between 9-5 Monday - Friday. Optional weekend social activities will also be included.
Funding: Participating students will receive a stipend of $6,480 for the summer, in three installments. Students will live in Brown campus housing (with other members of the REU Site cohort) for the duration of the program; housing and travel costs to and from the campus will be covered by the program.
Students who participate in our Site will be mentored by one or more of the following Brown CS faculty members:
When we review applicants to the program, we are looking for the following qualities:
- Students with strong technical skills, as evidenced by grades in computer science and math courses, prior research projects, or other relevant experience.
- Students who write thoughtful, compelling statements about why they want to pursue research in creative applications of AI.
- Students who have limited opportunities to engage in CS research at their own college or university.
- Students who will contribute to a diverse cohort with a variety of backgrounds, experience levels, and perspectives.