Summer 2002 Awards

Student Applications | Mentor Applications

CRA's Committee on the Status of Women in Computer Science and Engineering (CRA-W) is pleased to announce the expansion of its highly successful Distributed Mentoring Project (DMP) to include an affiliate program. The DMP, active since its inception in 1994, pairs and funds outstanding undergraduates with female mentors for a summer of research with the overall goal of increasing the participation of women students in graduate school in Computer Science and Computing Engineering (CS&E). Having the same goal, the DMP affiliate program expands the range of faculty and students who can participate in the DMP by providing some of the benefits of the DMP program to an already matched pair of student researcher and faculty member.

The Distributed Mentoring Affiliates Program (DMAP) differs from the regular DMP in that faculty member and student have their own research funding and apply as a pair, rather than being matched by the program. There are no citizenship requirements for student applicants, male mentors are encouraged to apply, and the program is open to student/mentor pairs in both Canada and the U.S. This research experience will provide students with a window on research and graduate life, and gives them a close mentoring relationship with a faculty researcher.

Participation in the DMAP will provide the following benefits to students: inclusion in the DMP network, eligibility to apply for travel funds to attend a conference with their advisor, and an invitation to attend the DMP reunion at the Grace Hopper Conference in October 2002. Mentors will also be invited to attend the DMP reunion, and will be recognized for their participation in the program. Both student and mentor will receive training materials on how to get the most out of this mentoring and research experience.

Eligibility: Student/faculty pairs are eligible to apply to the DMAP if the faculty member is working at a university in the U.S. or Canada with an active research program into which the student will be integrated. Students are expected to prepare a web page that describes their project (see the DMP web page for examples). All participants are expected to take part in the standard DMP program evaluation.

Selection criteria: The primary selection criteria are:

  • The suitability of the professor's research project for the participating student
  • The conduciveness of the professor's university environment to the goals of the project (e.g. an active summer research population that would provide the student with a window on graduate student life)
  • The potential that the participation of the professor and student will advance the goals of the program.

For background information on the CRA DMP and Canadian DMP programs, see http://www.cra.org/Activities/craw/dmp and http://www.cra.org/Activities/craw/cdmp.

Applications should be sent via e-mail to Donnajean Ward, ward@cra.org, at the CRA office. Student and mentor applications should be sent separately. Questions about the program can be directed at Anne Condon (condon@cs.ubc.ca) or Mary Lou Soffa (soffa@cs.pitt.edu). The deadline for applications is FRIDAY, MAY 3, 2002. Notifications will be given to applicants by Monday, May 13, 2002. The application forms are below; plain text files are preferable to formatted documents.




  • Name
  • Academic year address and telephone number
  • Permanent home address and telephone number
  • E-mail address
  • Number of years completed by May 2002
  • Major
  • Name of mentor
  • Please indicate your willingness to create a web page about your project, and to take part in a standard evaluation of the program (yes or no)
  1. Basic Information
    • Name
    • Telephone number and fax number
    • E-mail address
    • Names and addresses of your department chair, dean, or anyone else who should be notified of your selection and contributions if you are selected.
    • Name of student(s) you are sponsoring
    • Starting and ending dates for project
    • Funding source and monthly amount for student
    • Number of hours the student is required to work
    • Indication of your willingness to take part in a standard evaluation of the program (yes or no)

  2. Research Proposal(s)
    Submit a short (no more than one page) description of the research project. A copy of material prepared for another grant proposal is acceptable. Also, explain what the student will be doing as part of this project.

  3. Mentoring Skills
    4. Include information about your mentoring skills and experience.

  4. Working Environment
    5. If possible, describe the expected working environment for the student. Useful information includes opportunities for technical and social interaction with graduate students, and institutional commitment (office and computer facilities).