ERSP is an academic-year-long program including a 4-unit class in fall and 2-units of independent research in each of winter and spring.
* If selected, you are expected to commit to the entire duration of the program unless unforeseen circumstances arise. By the end of Fall quarter you will have a research proposal that you will work on in the remaining two quarters. You will be supported throughout this experience. The program culminates with a poster presentation about your research, and a possible opportunity to join a research lab in subsequent quarters.
* ERSP targets students who are early in their CS careers at UCSB. Preference will be given to those who have just completed their first year in CS and are entering their second year this Fall and students who are transferring into the major this Fall. However, you can still apply.
As an ERSP participant you will:
- Observe and participate in regular (approximately weekly) meetings between CS Faculty and their graduate students and research teams
- Perform research activities such as reading research papers, keeping a research log, making presentations, and making contributions to the research project where appropriate (these tasks will increase in complexity as the your engagement in ERSP progresses)
- Enroll in a CS elective course in Fall 2020 called "Introduction to Computer Science Research"
- Meet on a weekly basis in Fall/Winter/Spring with a lead faculty advisor to practice and learn fundamental research skills
Time commitment:
- In Fall: The time commitment is equivalent to a 4-unit course. The syllabus for the course and all graded components are attached
- In Winter and Spring: The commitment is to meet with the ERSP advisor weekly for half and hour and with your research mentor for half hour. Beyond that you are expected to focus on your research project (putting in approximately 10-12 hours per week). There will be no additional graded components, just milestones to help you make progress.