National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates in Digital Accessibility
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The University of Michigan-Flint National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates 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 program 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. 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.
The program will also build on the experience of many mentors who have worked with undergraduate students in their research to cover three themes:
- Accessible Software Requirements Engineering and Design
- Accessible Software Development
- Accessible Software Testing and Maintenance
Proposed activities include understanding the research literature, formulating and refining research questions, performing empirical studies, and designing novel technologies and prototypes. Students will participate in professional development activities, including field trips, professional seminars, invited speaker series, career guidance, and graduate school preparation. Faculty and industry mentors will encourage students to disseminate their research findings through presenting and publishing in peer-reviewed venues. Multiple students from previous editions of this REU program have been successful in publishing, including receiving Best Paper Honorable Mention Awards at CHI and CSCW.
Program Overview
- Ten-week program
- Program period May – July 2026
- Stipend: $7,000 per student
- Travel reimbursement to and from UM-Flint
- Free housing: Riverfront Residence
Project Schedule
- 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
Application window: November 9, 2025 – March 9, 2026
Eligibility Requirements
- Students in computing-related disciplines such as Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction, Human-Centered Design, Information Systems, Data Science, AI, Software Engineering, Mathematics, and Statistics, who want to know how computing techniques in their own disciplines can help people with disabilities.
- Students in social science and human-oriented disciplines, such as Psychology and Sociology, who want to know how their knowledge of human behavior can be applied to technology design.
- Students interested in interdisciplinary research around accessible software design, development, and user experience
Eligibility/Must-haves
- Be a U.S. citizen, national or permanent resident (required)
- Still be an undergraduate student at an accredited institution in the fall semester following this summer program
- Completed at least 15 college credits before the start of the program
Nice-to-haves
- GPA of at least 3.0 on a scale of 4.0
Questions?
Contact the REU faculty advisor:
