Author: Samuel A. Rebelsky
This document summarizes summer opportunities for students interested in doing projects related to computer science and computing. It is not intended to be comprehensive. While I strive for accuracy, it is not guaranteed to be accurate.
This document may be found on the Web at
http://www.cs.grinnell.edu/~rebelsky/Department/cs-summer.html
and
http://www.cs.grinnell.edu/~rebelsky/Department/cs-summer.pdf
This document is certainly not the only resource available to you. For
example, there's a plethora of information on summer opportunities
available at
http://cerebro.xu.edu/summerinternships.html.
ACM Crossroads also provides an internship database.
http://www.acm.org/crossroads/resources/internships.html.
Warning! Deadlines for most programs are approaching quickly. Some have already passed. You should move quickly.
Contents:
As you investigate summer opportunities, you should consider your goals (both short term and long term). In particular, you should consider what you hope to get from the summer. Do you want to learn more about the discipline? Do you want to exercise your skills? Do you want to investigate a possible career? Do you just want to make money? I've tried to note some particular advantages and disadvantages of each kind of program.
Advantages
Disadvantages
Contact: Janet Davis
davisjan@cs.grinnell.edu.
Advantages
Disadvantages
Contact: Marc Chamberland, chamberl@math.grinnell.edu, Chair of Mathematics and Statistics, should have a list of Math faculty who will be supervising summer MAPs.
Computing services typically hires a few students to work on a variety of projects over the summer, including help desk. We don't know how many students they plan to hire this summer.
Advantages
Disadvantages
Contact: Karen McRitchie
mcritchi@grinnell.edu
Leonya Ivanov, the campus Webmaster, often has projects for interested students. Unfortunately, he rarely has funds to pay students to work on those projects.
Advantages
Disadvantages
Contact: Leonya Ivanov,
ivanovl@grinnell.edu
There are, of course, a variety of other jobs available on campus students who are really interested in staying at Grinnell. Some of these jobs may have a computing component. You will need to spend some effort finding these jobs and convincing appropriate folks to hire you.
The National Science Foundation sponsors a number of REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) projects nationwide. The NSF site can provide you with some pointers, including some that are nearby. Sites include Iowa State, DePauw University, Harvey Mudd, and Hope College. The CS faculty know folks at DePauw, Harvey Mudd, and Hope.
Advantages
Disadvantages
Contact: Individual institutions. See the list at NSF,
http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/list_result.cfm?unitid=5049,
for more details)
Here are a few institutions that we know a bit better. I've done a quick check of their Web sites, and it looks like they are still operating.
http://facweb.cs.depaul.edu/research/vc/medix/2008/index.htm (Deadline 2008.03.07; Decisions 2008.03.24)
http://www.depauw.edu/univ/reu/ (Deadline 2008.03.12; Decisions 2008.03.30)
http://www.cs.hmc.edu/REU/ (Deadline 2008.03.14; Decisions a few weeks later)
http://www.cs.hope.edu/reu/ (Deadline 2008.03.07 or so)
http://www.hci.iastate.edu/REU/ (Deadline 2008.02.10; Decision 2008.04.01)
http://www.math.iastate.edu/reu/ (Hmmm ... they're still awaiting funding; check back)
You should talk to career services about potential internships. You should also search on the Web. Grinnell students have done internships with a wide variety of companies. Some that come to mind include:
http://www.a-t-g.com/
http://www.aero.org/careers/intern.html
http://www.cgi.com/web/en/home.htm
http://www.microsoft.com
Some students have also had good luck contacting alumni for ideas. The CDO is likely to be able to provide some leads.
Advantages
Disadvantages
work timeon international student visas
International Students: The Career Development Office has a special form for obtaining curricular practical training (whatever that is) for the summer.
For more information and ideas, visit Grinnell's Career Development Office
You might also consider applying for internships at research laboratories.
Advantages
Disadvantages
Contact: Individual researchers. Here are a few possibilities.
http://www.vcu.edu/csbc/bbsi/. (Deadline 2008.03.01)
http://www.ait.nrl.navy.mil/vrlab/ (no deadline specified)
(U.S. Citizens only)..
http://www.cra.org/Activities/craw/dmp/. (Deadline 2008.02.15)
These are competitive internships available to Grinnell students to undertake interesting and socially responsible applications of computing and technology. The internship must be at a nonprofit or governmental institution. Certainly, not all of these internships are in computing related fields, but many are. In the past, some these fellowships have been used to support students working for Freenets, students developing computer applications for other disciplines at other Universities, and students doing computer work for nonprofits. Two are typically awarded. These can also be used for off-campus opportunities, and often are.
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Contacts: Samuel A. Rebelsky (rebelsky@grinnell.edu) and CDO.
In summer 2007, three Grinnell students were supported for Google Summer of Code projects. The Google Summer of Code supports undergraduates to work on open-source projects. Right now, I can't find information on summer 2008 (will they have it?), so you'll havea to look.
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Disadvantages
