Do you want to learn more about AI technologies like those behind tools such as ChatGPT, DeepSeek and CoPilot?
Would you like to work alongside researchers making breakthroughs in areas such as materials data science, animal ecology, biomedical imaging and engineering?
Do you want to learn about using supercomputers to help solve tough scientific challenges?
The annual summer AI Research Experience (AIRE) program is looking for postsecondary students in Ohio who are interested in working on an AI-focused research project with a university research team during summer 2025. The project provides a stipend for nine weeks of in-person or hybrid work at approximately 36 hours per week.
The aim of AIRE, managed by the OH-SCIPE project, is to increase awareness of the work of Cyberinfrastructure Professionals (CIP), individuals who provide IT support to university researchers, with a growing focus on supporting AI. The AIRE program can help undergraduates explore potential education and career paths in this emerging field.
As a program participant, you are matched up with a research team at Case Western Reserve University, The Ohio State University or University of Cincinnati to work on an AI research project for nine weeks, May through July. The OH-SCIPE team, including researchers and CIP, will provide training and guidance on the AI and HPC technologies needed for your project.
Apply to the 2025 AIRE program
The 2025 program
The AIRE program will run for nine weeks, from the week of May 19 through the week of July 14. We are seeking science undergraduate students from colleges in Ohio to participate in AI research projects. Each participant will be assigned an AI research project and work with a science mentor to guide the research activities. Participants will additionally have support from OH-SCIPE CIPs who can provide additional guidance on use of the software and computer systems needed for the projects. We anticipate having about five research experiences this year.
Schedule:
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Week 1 (May 19-23) – in-person kickoff event, followed by virtual training: Python, Linux, HPC basics
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Weeks 2-8 (May 27-July 11) – carry out project, meet regularly with science mentors, join CIP office hours
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Week 9 (July 14-16) – project wrap-up, deliverables to science mentor, summary of work (poster, short video or blog)
Expectations:
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Must be available to work ~36/week during standard working hours on-site or hybrid as requested by the science mentor during the weeks listed above.
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Must take the initiative to learn about the computer software and systems required for the project.
Eligibility/Requirements:
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You must be 18 years of age or older.
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You must be a domestic undergraduate student at a postsecondary institution in Ohio.
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You must be eligible to work in the U.S. without visa sponsorship.
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You must have completed one or more software programming courses or have equivalent programming experience.
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You must have a laptop or desktop computer to use for any remote work.
Process:
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Fill out the application form to be screened for eligibility by April 3, 2025.
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Eligible applications are anonymized and reviewed by research teams.
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Research teams identify and contact two to three applicants for interviews.
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You are informed if you are selected and are offered an AIRE position by April 24, 2025 (tentative).
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You accept and fill out paperwork for EFT payment, within 1 week of receiving the offer.
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Stipends, totaling $5,000, will be distributed as two or more payments with the final payment authorized after program completion.
We are happy to answer your questions; please contact aire-info@osc.edu.
Background:
Faculty and research computing staff at Case Western Reserve University, Ohio Supercomputer Center and University of Cincinnati were awarded funding from the National Science Foundation’s Strengthening the Cyberinfrastructure Professionals Ecosystem (SCIPE) program for the project “Interdisciplinary Research Support Community for Artificial Intelligence and Data Sciences,'' NSF Awards OAC-2320952, 2320953, 2320954.
We refer to this project as OH-SCIPE. The summer AIRE program is funded as part of this project to increase awareness of opportunities for using and supporting AI as a CI Professional. Please see this article or the project website for more information about OH-SCIPE.
Example Project from 2024: AI-Driven Biodiversity Image Retrieval System
Project Description: The Imageomics Institute is at the forefront of integrating AI with biodiversity data. We have trained an OpenCLIP-based model we call BioCLIP on 10 million images of organisms from across the tree of life along with their taxonomic hierarchies. This summer, we aim to develop an image retrieval system that leverages this model. The system will enable users to input text or images and retrieve the most similar images from the dataset using a vector database that indexes the model's embeddings. This will provide tangible insight into what the model is "thinking" by visualizing its interpretation of similarity.
Motivating Science Area: This project significantly contributes to biodiversity informatics and computational biology, supporting our researchers in identifying and classifying organisms, understanding evolutionary relationships and potentially discovering new species.
Learning Outcomes:
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Hands-on experience with Python, AI frameworks and supercomputing infrastructure.
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Skills in working with vector databases and image embedding spaces.
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Integration of AI models into practical applications.
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Basics of biodiversity and taxonomy.
Desired Background / Student Skills:
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Basic knowledge of Python programming.
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Familiarity with machine learning concepts.
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Interest in AI applications and biodiversity informatics.
