DSI Summer Lab

The Summer 2026 application has closed.

The Data Science Institute Summer Lab program is an immersive 8-week paid summer research program at the University of Chicago. In the program, undergraduate students (and Chicago-area high school students) are paired with data science mentors in various domains, including: computer science, data science, social science, climate and energy policy, public policy, materials science, and biomedical research. Through this pairing the research assistant will engage with and hone their skills in research methodologies, practices, and teamwork. We encourage participation from a broad range of students, and require no prior research experience to apply. This year’s program will run from June 15 – August 7, 2026.

For answers to many common questions, please consult our FAQ page. If your question is not answered there, contact Lilly Gullickson (lgullickson@uchicago.edu) for additional questions related to Summer Lab. Please note that high school students who do not reside year-round in the Chicago area are not eligible to apply.

Learn about another DSI summer program, Data Science for Social Impact Summer Experience, here. DSSI is open to undergraduate students early in their data science careers who attend UChicago and certain partner institutions.

DSI Summer Lab Team

Kyle Chard is a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory. He has been Program Director of the Data & Computing Summer Lab since its first iteration under CDAC in 2019, and previously oversaw the Summer Internship Program ran by the former Computation Institute.

He received his Ph.D. in Computer Science from Victoria University of Wellington in 2011. He co-leads the Globus Labs research group which focuses on a broad range of research problems in data-intensive computing and research data management. He currently leads projects related to parallel programming in Python, scientific reproducibility, and elastic and cost-aware use of cloud infrastructure.

Maria Lema serves as the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Data Science Studies. Over the course of her career, Maria has held positions across higher education and college access. She holds an MA in Higher and Postsecondary Education from Teachers College, Columbia University and a BA in Mathematics and Philosophy from Buffalo State University.

As Research Program Administrator, Lilly Gullickson manages summer research programs and supports research-oriented events, educational programming, and outreach. Before joining DSI in November 2025, Lilly worked as Assistant Director of Operations for the UChicago Student Centers where she managed operational needs across Ida Noyes Hall and Reynold’s Club, a team of 25 student workers, and daily events across the two facilities. In addition, Lilly has held administrative roles within the Booth School of Business, the Harris School of Public Policy, and the Office of the Provost. Lilly received her Master of Public Policy (M.P.P.) from the University of Chicago and her bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.