National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates in Digital Accessibility

The University of Michigan-Flint NSF REU in Digital Accessibility creates opportunities for undergraduate students to engage in research projects related to digital accessibility, defined as the area of designing and developing software and technology in such a way that it can be accessed by all users, regardless of their physical and cognitive disabilities. The site will enable the direct training of students with and without disabilities in a collaborative environment. This will expose students without disabilities to the challenges faced by students and people with disabilities in both learning and using existing technologies. Conversely, students with disabilities will have the opportunity to learn how to interact and collaborate with students without disabilities, therefore preparing them for future graduate studies.

This site will build on the experience of many mentors who have worked with undergraduate students in their research to cover three themes:

Inclusive Software Requirements Engineering and Design
Inclusive Software Development
Inclusive Software Testing and Maintenance

The proposed activities will include understanding the research literature, formulating and refining relevant research questions, performing empirical studies and designing novel approaches and prototypes. In addition to conducting research, the students will participate in other professional development activities, such as field trips, professional seminars, invited speaker series, career guidance, and graduate school preparation.

Program

Stipend: $7,000 per student
Housing: Riverfront Residence (across the street from UM-Flint campus)
Week 1: Orientation, literature review, defining scope and objective of assigned projects
Week 2: Develop project requirements and understand expectations of research output
Weeks 3-8: Research work – empirical studies, software development, quantitative data analysis,
Weeks 9-10: Finalize projects, prepare presentations and publications, plan next steps in research and professional pathways

Apply

The REU site will run from May – Aug. 2024
To apply, visit NSF ETAP Opportunity
Deadline for application: May 1, 2024, 11:59 p.m.

Who should participate:

Students in computing-related disciplines, such as computer science, data science, AI, software engineering, mathematics, and statistics, want to know how advanced computing techniques in their own disciplines can help people with disabilities.
Students interested in interdisciplinary research around inclusive software design and development

Prerequisites/Eligibility

Must be an undergraduate student at an accredited institution in the fall semester following the program
Completed at least 15 college credits before the start of the program
Completed a minimum of one course in programming
GPA of at least 3.0 on a scale of 4.0 (soft requirement)
Be a U.S. citizen, national or permanent resident (required)

Contact

Questions? Contact the REU faculty advisors:
Douglas Zytko: [email protected]