Data-Intensive Distributed Systems LaboratoryBigDataX REU Program Activities -- Summer 2025
The BigDataX (from theory to practice in Big Data computing at eXtreme scales) is a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site in Chicago Illinois. The program has five mentors at two institutions, the Illinois Institute of Technology and University of Chicago, with a variety of complementing expertise from computer systems, distributed systems, and data science.
The BigDataX 2025 program will host 10 students who will spending 10 weeks in the summer 2025 doing research in one of two interdisciplinary laboratories: 1) the DataSys Lab in CS at IIT or 2) the Systems Group in the CI/CS at UChicago. This program will be conducted only in-person, and unfortunately we will not be able to accommodate a virtual format. Tuesday May 27th 2025 at 9AM to August 1st 2025 at 5:30PM. Since housing will be provided to you from May 26th to August 2nd, it is recommended that you travel to and from the site on the 1st day and last day of the housing lease.
You will find the official 2025 announcement online. For eligibility requirements, click here.
For REU BigDataX program highlights from prior years, see the BigDataX Overview. The group maintains a public social network presence through a LinkedIn group at https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8301753.
For any questions, please send email to bigdatax-group@iit.edu.
Apply to the 2025 Summer REU BigData Program online (deadline March 4th, 2025).
Institutions:
Faculty Mentors:
- Ioan Raicu (IIT)
- Stefan Muller (IIT)
- Andre Bauer (IIT)
- Kate Keahey (UChicago)
- Kyle Chard (UChicago)
Project Areas:
- Blockchain Systems(more here)
- Data Analytics and Systems (more here)
- Resource Management in Data Science (more here)
- Theory of Priority Scheduling Systems (more here)
- Edge Computing with CHI@Edge (more here)
- Undergraduate student in Mathematics, Computer Science, or Engineering at a US institution
- US citizen or permanent resident on or before May 27th, 2025
- Minimum GPA 3.0
- 2 recommendations; must be received by March 4th, 2025
Important Dates:
- Application deadline: March 4th, 2025
- Recommendations due:March 4th, 2025
- Notification of decision: March 18th, 2025
- Program starts: May 27th, 2025
- Program ends: August 1st, 2025
Program Highlights:
- Spend 10 weeks immersed in research on Big Data at either Illinois Institute of Technology or University of Chicago
- Work on large scale distributed systems (e.g. Amazon AWS Cloud, Chameleon Cloud, Aurora Supercomputer, Mystic)
- Prepare for graduate school
- Publish papers and attend international conferences
- Spend the summer in one of the greatest cities in the world, Chicago Illinois
- Finances (per summer):
- $7000 stipend (taxable as income)
- $500 relocation allowance for travel to and from the BigDataX site (minimum of 50 miles away)
- $500 travel funds to attend conference (e.g. IEEE/ACM Supercomputing/SC 2025)
- Housing and meal plan included on the IIT campus paid directly to IIT housing (a $2250 value)
Online Application:
To apply to the program, please submit your complete online application by the March 4th, 2025 deadline. For any questions, please send email to bigdatax-group@iit.edu.