NSF Grant Establishes 2024 REU Site for Undergrad Research into Intelligent Edge Computing Systems (iEDGE)
February 7, 2024
The National Science Foundation (NSF) recently awarded a team from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) to establish a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Site at Mississippi State University beginning in summer 2024. The team is composed of Drs. John E. Ball, Junming Diao, Ali Gurbuz, Samee U. Khan, Chun-Hung Liu, Yu Luo, Vuk Marojevic and Jean Mohammadi-Aragh.
The REU Site will support eight undergraduates each year for a 10-week research and development experience within the overarching domain of Intelligent Edge Computing Systems (iEDGE). iEDGE is an integrated platform comprising computational, communications and sensory elements coordinating to control and monitor various processes. iEDGE has applications in nearly all aspects of our lives, including agriculture, healthcare, transportation and energy.
Undergraduates with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences are encouraged to apply to participate in MSU’s newest REU Site to integrate and develop practical, real-world solutions. Typically, iEDGE is composed of a variety of interacting elements (e.g., actuators, battery-powered and battery-less sensors and controllers) with physical inputs and outputs, communicating through a myriad of mediums (e.g., wireless, radio frequency identification (RFID), wired, WiFi, 5G, Bluetooth), and controlled by software (e.g., operating systems, libraries, compilers, middleware). Implementing and integrating these components require knowledge taught in early undergraduate ECE and Computer Science (CS) courses (e.g., computer programming and digital design) and advanced courses (e.g., signal processing, communications, controls and computer networks).
Students selected for the iEDGE REU Site complete a two-week primer for training on iEDGE topics as part of their 10-week experience and be assigned two faculty mentors. A novel feature of the REU Site will be a thorough evaluation of knowledgebase transference, research environment and experiences.
iEDGE REU Site participants will be financially supported with a combined package (stipend, travel allowance and housing and meal allowance) of $10,000. The first edition is set for May 28 to August 3, 2024. The deadline for applications for the 2024 cohort is March 27.
For more information about the REU Site and the application process, visit https://reu.ece.msstate.edu/.
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Mississippi State University consists of 27 faculty members (including seven endowed professors), seven professional staff, and over 700 undergraduate and graduate students, with approximately 100 being at the Ph.D. level. With a research expenditure of over $14.24 million, the department houses the largest High Voltage Laboratory among North American universities. For more detailed information on the department please visit our website www.ece.msstate.edu.