Undergraduate Research Programs

KURE provides funding to support research related to the study of intelligence that is supervised by Kempner-affiliated faculty and performed by Harvard College undergraduates. KURE awards are available for fall and spring terms of the academic year.

Prior to applying to KURE, students must identify a project with a Kempner faculty mentor.

The award amount is $1500 for term-time research. The standard expected time commitment for this award during term-time is 8-10 hours per week, though students should define specific time commitment expectations with their faculty mentor. Applicants are strongly encouraged to simultaneously apply for research support from other sources, such as the Harvard College Research Program (HCRP), to increase the likelihood of receiving funding.

In order to obtain eligibility, students must be:

• Enrolled, Harvard-College-degree-seeking students, in good academic standing
• Have a research mentor who is a co-director, investigator, steering committee member, associate faculty member, or affiliate faculty member at the Kempner Institute. Please see the list of researchers here.
• Pursuing research related to one or more of the following areas:
  • Foundations of intelligence, including mathematical and computational models of intelligence; cognitive theories of intelligence; and the neurobiological basis of intelligence
  • Applications of artificial intelligence, covering areas such as LLMs, generative AI models, computational biology, and the analysis of high-dimensional neural and behavioral data. Research may focus on the development of new methodologies or models from an engineering perspective, as well as scientific studies focused on understanding deep learning.
• The proposed project should be a self-contained research project that is feasible within one semester. KURE does not support research assistant positions.

Please note:

• Students may be funded for no more than three total terms by Kempner Institute undergraduate programs (KURE and KRANIUM), where a term is fall semester, spring semester, or summer.
• Students cannot receive a stipend for research for which they are receiving course credit or another stipend.

In addition to gaining research experience and working with a faculty member, KURE students receive:

• Term-time stipend support of $1500 per student.
• Access to Kempner community events and programming, including all-hands meetings and seminar series.
• Depending on the proposed project, students may receive access to the Kempner Institute computational cluster for specific project work if access is not already available through their mentor.

• The standard expected time commitment for this award is 8-10 hours per week throughout the term, but students should discuss more specific time commitment expectations with their faculty mentor.
• The research conducted must occur during the term for which the award was given.
• Students must submit a final report and may be asked to give a final poster or presentation to the Kempner community. The final report will be sent to the student’s faculty mentor to be approved.

Applications for fall term funding will open in late spring 2024. To receive email updates about Kempner Institute undergraduate programs, please sign up for our undergraduate mailing list.

Required application materials:

• Application Form in CARAT
• Current Resume (one page maximum)
• Current Unofficial Transcript: Download your unofficial transcript from my.harvard.edu. Fall Term applicants should upload transcripts that include their fall course schedule. Spring Term applicants should upload transcripts that include fall course grades.
• Essay Responses: In a separate document, please provide responses to the following two questions. Please ensure your name is at the top of the page.
  1. Research proposal (500 words maximum, not including citations). Please outline your proposed research project. This should include what you want to do, why you want to do it (the significance of the research), and how you will do it (an overview of the steps you will take).
  2. Describe how you will contribute to and benefit from participation in KURE and the Kempner Institute community (500 words maximum). How will participation inform your academic trajectory or contribute to your professional goals? What abilities, talents, experiences, and other attributes will you bring to the Kempner Institute that will help further its mission? Feel free to describe any relevant community activities or educational activities that you participate in or have helped to organize.
• Support Form: Please ask the Kempner-affiliated faculty member who will be supervising your research to fill out this endorsement form ahead of the deadline. They do not need to upload an additional letter of support or recommendation.
• Decisions are usually communicated within one month of the deadline.

The Kempner Research in Artificial & Natural Intelligence for Undergraduates with Mentorship (KRANIUM) program is a 10-week summer program launched in 2024, sponsored by the Kempner Institute for the Study of Natural and Artificial Intelligence as part of the Harvard Summer Undergraduate Research Village (HSURV). KRANIUM aims to provide a formative and substantive research experience for — and build community among — a small cohort of Harvard College undergraduates interested in the study of natural and/or artificial intelligence.

Students must identify a Kempner faculty mentor, work with them to identify a project, and apply to KRANIUM separately. Ideally, this research position would be secured and confirmed prior to the application deadline, but we will accept host confirmation until March 1st, 2024.

KRANIUM runs from early June to mid-August. Fellows live in one of the Harvard College houses with other fellows in the Summer Undergraduate Research Village. As part of KRANIUM, fellows participate in rich programming, including both social and academic activities, and become members of a vibrant intellectual and social summer community.

KRANIUM fellows are expected to fully participate and contribute to the community of scholars through KRANIUM workshops and evening enrichment activities, throughout the term of the Program. KRANIUM consists of the following components:

• Research Experience: KRANIUM fellows will undertake a substantive research project under the guidance of a Kempner-affiliated faculty member.
• Residential Life and Community: KRANIUM fellows will live together in a Harvard College residential house, along with fellows in the other Harvard Summer Undergraduate Research Village programs (PRISE, BLISS, PRIMO, SHARP, SPUDS, and SURGH).
• Dining: Essential dining services will be available to KRANIUM Fellows. Weekday evening meal service, sometimes in conjunction with evening activities, as well as a weekday breakfast cart, will be available. The stipend is intended to help cover other expenses, including food for weekend meals and weekday lunches.
• Special Events and Academic Programming: Fellows will attend KRANIUM-specific sessions designed to augment their knowledge around research in intelligence, including workshops on computational skills and conversations with faculty. Additionally, KRANIUM fellows will be encouraged to attend a Harvard Summer Undergraduate Research Village evening program series featuring prominent scientists in the Harvard community and the Boston area. Research Village-wide workshops on topics such as research ethics, poster presentations, and postgraduate career opportunities will be offered throughout the Program. In addition, Fellows will have the opportunity to practice speaking about their research in both small and large groups throughout the summer.
• Recreational and Social Programs: KRANIUM Fellows are eligible to register for free use of Harvard athletic facilities, including the Malkin Athletic Center, Hemenway Gymnasium, and Blodgett Pool. A calendar of Research Village activities will include a range of opportunities to socialize and take advantage of Boston’s cultural and recreational summer offerings with your colleagues, including a variety of excursions and Fellow-initiated community events.

KRANIUM offers a variety of benefits to ensure a successful summer research experience and enable fellows to form a close-knit community:

• A living stipend of $3,000 for the 10-week program
• Free lodging in designated Harvard housing
• A boarding/dining plan

• Any continuing Harvard College undergraduate student in good standing. Preference will be given to individuals who have not yet participated in a Summer Research Village Program (e.g.,PRISE, BLISS, PRIMO, SHARP, SURGH, or SPUDS).
• Must be able to commit 10 weeks* to summer research on campus.
• Must have a research mentor who is a co-director, investigator, steering committee member, associate faculty member, or affiliate faculty member at the Kempner Institute. Please see the list of researchers here.
• Pursuing research related to one or more of the following areas:
  • Foundations of intelligence, including mathematical and computational models of intelligence, cognitive theories of intelligence, and the neurobiological basis of intelligence.
  • Applications of artificial intelligence, covering areas such as LLMs, generative AI models, computational biology, and the analysis of high-dimensional neural and behavioral data. Research may focus on the development of new methodologies or models from an engineering perspective, as well as scientific studies focused on understanding deep learning.
• May accept funding for only one Harvard-funded summer experience, per the Harvard College Summer Funding Policy.
• Students may be funded for no more than three total terms by Kempner Institute undergraduate programs (KURE and KRANIUM), where a term is fall semester, spring semester, or summer.

*NOTE: Individuals taking summer school courses, preparing for the summer MCAT exam or other summer graduate school entrance exams, or engaging in full-time public service projects are not eligible to participate in KRANIUM.

Since the primary purpose of the Program is to build and foster a strong and diverse community of science scholars, a successful application will demonstrate the following:

1. A strong dedication to developing or furthering academic interest and excellence in research related to intelligence.
2. A documented and verified opportunity to participate in an active research experience with a Kempner-affiliated faculty member that fulfills a compelling and specific academic goal over the summer (confirmation may be submitted after the deadline).
3. The ability and desire to participate actively and enthusiastically in a diverse residential community of scholars.
4. An academic record demonstrating success in coursework that develops theoretical knowledge and/or practical application of the study of natural and/or artificial intelligence.

Evaluation of the applicant will be based on how well and how effectively the components of the application define and address these qualities and requirements.

Applications for Summer 2024 are now closed. To receive email updates about Kempner Institute undergraduate programs, please sign up for our undergraduate mailing list. 

Required application materials:

• Application Form: Complete the online CARAT information, which will be compiled and displayed as your application cover sheet.
• Current Resume: Indicate significant activities, achievements, and experiences in college that demonstrate your interests and potential achievements. Do not exceed one page.
• Essay Responses: In a separate document, please provide responses to the following three statements. Please be sure to include your name at the top of the page(s).
  • Briefly describe the research interest(s) you would like to pursue this summer and why. This essay should convince a committee of scientists in different fields that you have thought carefully about the science yourself and are not simply rewording material from Wikipedia or a lab web page. Please be as specific as possible, but describe the research in your own words. If you must use jargon, give your own descriptions of the technical terms you use. If you have not yet selected a lab or project, please describe your intended scientific interest (500 words maximum).
  • Describe how you expect participation in KRANIUM to inform your academic trajectory or contribute to your professional goals (300 words maximum).
  • Describe how you will contribute to and benefit from participating in a diverse residential community of researchers. Please provide descriptions of your involvement in your Harvard house or dorm (or other communities, such as a club or team or volunteer program), with specific examples of your role in contributing to the cohesion and distinctive identity of the group. (750 words maximum).
• Evaluation Form: One evaluation form is required in lieu of a traditional recommendation letter. Send your recommender the Evaluation Form, which will guide them on the topics we would like addressed in their evaluation. Your evaluation form should be completed by someone in the Harvard academic/research community who can comment on your academic initiative and interest in pursuing excellence. This form may include brief examples of how you will benefit from KRANIUM. If your academic evaluator is also your summer faculty research host, they should also confirm their mentorship in that form. In this case, the evaluation form will also count as a letter of support, and therefore you do not need a separate confirmation letter. First-year students may consider a high-school academic/research evaluator.
• Confirmation Letter from Kempner-Affiliated Faculty Mentor: A letter from your designated Kempner-affiliated faculty mentor should provide details about the proposed project, as well as the extent to which, and by whom, you will be mentored. The applicant may upload this to CARAT directly; or the faculty host may email it to kempnereducation@harvard.edu. If you do not have your mentor confirmed by the application deadline, please have them email their confirmation letter by March 1st. If your faculty host is also your academic evaluator, your faculty host should confirm their mentorship in their evaluation form, which they will upload directly to CARAT on your behalf after you indicate them in the Reference section.