Faculty win NSF grant to launch AI research program for undergraduates

The University of Arizona's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering has secured a $498,627 National Science Foundation grant to establish a Research Experiences for Undergraduates site focused on artificial intelligence systems and efficiency.

Starting summer 2027, assistant professors Huanrui Yang, principal investigator, and Jyotikrishna Dass, co-principal investigator, will lead the AI Research for Intelligent Systems and Efficiency (ARISE) REU site. The three-year grant will fund eight undergraduate students each summer to conduct hands-on research at U of A, alongside faculty mentors.

"This is a gateway for undergraduate talent in the U.S. to know that exciting research opportunities exist at the intersection of AI software and hardware systems – and as a department, we are leading it in the state of Arizona," Dass said.

The program focuses on three areas: AI applications, efficient algorithms and hardware systems. Each student is co-mentored by faculty from at least two of those tracks, an arrangement designed to give participants a "full-stack" understanding of AI development – one that spans software, algorithms and hardware.

"It's a testament not just to us as PI and Co-PI, but of what is so unique about ECE – we have three programs, three different pools of faculty expertise, all focused on AI," Yang said.

"This grant is a powerful affirmation of the direction our department is heading," said Michael Wu, ECE department head and Thomas R. Brown Leadership Chair. "Our faculty have built something that reflects the very best of what ECE offers – deep expertise across software, hardware and AI systems, all under one roof. Investing in undergraduate talent today is how we build the workforce Arizona and the nation will need tomorrow." 

Over ten weeks, participants will take part in AI boot camps, weekly research seminars, professional development workshops and collaborative projects with the potential to produce publications. The program integrates with UROC, giving ARISE students access to an established network of professional development resources and peer community beyond ECE. It is also designed to complement the department's growing AI curriculum, including the ECE 425/525 course and the AI SPARK workshop series and AI IGNITE showcase launched by Yang and Dass.

Applications will open each fall and all U.S. undergraduates are eligible.

"The core mission of faculty extends beyond research to mentoring the next generation of talent," said Dass. "This summer program allows us to inspire bright undergraduate students nationwide by welcoming them to ECE, sparking a lifelong curiosity for efficient AI and systems research while collectively advancing the field."