NRT-DESE
Graduate Training in Data-Enabled Research into Human Behavior and its Cognitive and Neural Mechanisms (ACTIVE 2015-2020)
Our National Science Foundation Research Traineeship Data-Enabled Science and Engineering (NRT-DESE) award for Graduate Training in Data-Enabled Research into Human Behavior and its Cognitive and Neural Mechanisms provides cross-training for graduate students in computer science, brain and cognitive science, and data science.
In addition to coursework on the relevant computational foundations of data science (e.g., machine learning, data mining, statistics, cognitive modeling, computational neuroscience), students will also receive opportunities for professional development, such as:
- Communications training
- Career development workshops
- Networking opportunities with leaders from academia and industry
- Internship assistance
- Conference assistance
In addition, a set of PhD students from the Departments of Computer Science and Brain and Cognitive Sciences will receive financial support from the program. Support is limited to US citizens and permanent residents.
About the Program
The National Science Foundation Research Traineeship (NRT) program focuses on understanding the nature of intelligence, both artificial and biological, and provides students with an integrated, multidisciplinary training experience encompassing computer science, brain and cognitive sciences, and related disciplines.
Student will use theories and methods from data science (including machine learning and statistics) to gain a foundation in theory development, computational modeling, and data analysis. This foundation then serves as a conceptual and methodological framework unifying their studies of artificial and biological intelligence.
By emphasizing both practical applications and basic science, our students will be able to design research solutions relevant to today's societal needs, as well as develop research approaches of critical importance to future needs. Through our hands-on projects students will also learn how to conceptualize, design, and implement large-scale research projects from beginning to end.
Practicum Projects and Class Members
Visiting Scientists
Each year we host one or more scientists who play leading roles in major research laboratories for three-day visits. In addition to scientific talks, the visits include conversations about types of jobs for PhD graduates, ways to build a social network that supports career development, and advice for job searching and interviewing. Over the course of the NRT program, these immersive encounters will include leading figures from industry and academia.
Distinguished Research Seminar Series
As part of its commitment to research, the NRT program hosts academics from all over the country to speak about their boundary-pushing research and its impact on the world.
Video recordings are available for Katie Bouman's talk from January 17, 2020 and Jack Gallant's talk from September 13, 2019. Click on the posters to view the corresponding videos.
| January 17, 2020 | September 13, 2019 | April 4, 2019 | November 9, 2018 |
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| October 5, 2018 | September 14, 2018 | April 16, 2018 | March 23, 2018 |
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| December 8, 2017 | October 6, 2017 | November 1, 2016 | March 3, 2015 |
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Applying
NOTE: NSF Award 1449828 is in its final year and will end with the 2020-2021 trainee cohort. Any University of Rochester graduate student in a discipline related to computer science, data science, or brain and cognitive sciences is welcome to apply.
BCS/CS NRT Fellowships
Each year, a group of PhD students from the Departments of Computer Science and Brain and Cognitive Sciences receive a one-year fellowship. The fellowships augment other sources of support for PhD students, such as research assistantships and teaching assistantships, but do not support any one student for the duration of his or her studies. Fellowships are limited to US citizens and permanent residents.
Fellowship students are normally in the first two years of their PhD program. Nominations for a student to receive a fellowship can be made by faculty members from the two departments, and should be submitted to Professor Ehsan Hoque and Professor Greg DeAngelis.
Contacts
PI
M. Ehsan Hoque
Asaro-Biggar ('92) Family Assistant Professor
Computer Science
Co-PIs
Ajay Anand
Deputy Director
Goergen Institute for Data Science
Greg DeAngelis
Professor
Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, Neuroscience, Center for Navigation and Communication Sciences
Robert Jacobs
Professor
Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Computer Science and the Center for Visual Science
Program Administrator
gids-ms@rochester.edu
Lisa Altman
Academic Program Manager
Goergen Institute for Data Science
External Advisory Committee
Jack Gallant
Professor of Psychology
University of California, Berkeley
Joshua Tenenbaum
Professor of Brain and Cognitive Sciences
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Oren Etzioni
Director
Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence
Eric Horvitz
Managing Director
Microsoft Research
Program Evaluation
Cathleen Cerosaletti
Associate Director of Program Evaluation, Center for Professional Development and Education Reform, Warner School of Education, University of Rochester
Other Participating Faculty
James Allen
John H. Dessauer Professor of Computer Science
Computer Science, Linguistics, and Brain and Cognitive Sciences
Whitney Gegg-Harrison
Assistant Professor
Writing, Speaking and Argument Program
Daniel Gildea
Associate Professor
Computer Science
Ralf Haefner
Assistant Professor
Brain and Cognitive Science
Thomas M. Howard
Assistant Professor
Electrical and Computer Engineering, Computer Science and Biomedical Engineering
T. Florian Jaeger
Professor
Brain and Cognitive Sciences and Computer Science
Jiebo Luo
Professor
Computer Science
Rajeev Raizada
Assistant Professor
Brain and Cognitive Sciences
Lenhart K. Schubert
Professor
Computer Science
Founding PI
Professor and founding director of the Goergen Institute for Data Science
Computer Science