nyu asc summer research program

Published July 20, 2023

Summer Research Inspires Innovation and Exploration

Staff Writer

• Students in the Undergraduate Summer Research Program conduct 10 weeks of research.
• New York City, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai students can participate.
• Career development, graduate school preparation, and research processes are also covered.

Each summer more than 100 undergraduates join NYU Tandon School of Engineering faculty inside their labs for the Undergraduate Summer Research Program. Guided by faculty and staff mentors, students conduct 10 weeks of practical research. In fact, their research explores cutting-edge ideas in cybersecurity, data science, emerging media, sustainability, urban engineering, and more. Students from Tandon, the College of Arts and Science and Tandon dual-degree program in Science and Engineering , NYU Abu Dhabi , and NYU Shanghai can participate. Many participants also receive a stipend to help cover expenses during the summer. Beyond the lab, students attend sessions on topics like career development , graduate school, and the research process from planning to publication.

Improving Pedestrian Safety

Lukelo Luoga, an NYU Abu Dhabi Computer Engineering major, participated in the Undergraduate Summer Research Program. Moreover, he partnered with the Connected Cities with Smart Transportation center at Tandon for his 2022 summer research project. “I am very interested in pursuing research. Becoming involved in research in New York City was a huge step toward this dream,” Lukelo shares. “This was also a chance to meet people from different backgrounds and form relationships that will benefit my career. My mentors have been very helpful in providing insights about professional life and graduate education.”

For his project, Lukelo optimized a machine-learning algorithm to help autonomous and connected vehicles predict pedestrian behavior and prevent harm. From the start, his faculty and mentors were supportive, helping him learn about the field and strengthen his problem-solving techniques. “They helped me understand even the smallest details of the project, which allowed me to feel a part of the team and provide important contributions,” he says. Already, the results are exciting. The model can closely predict the paths of real New York City pedestrians.

Harvesting Solar Energy Underwater

Alice Zhang, who is on the BS/MS track of Tandon’s Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering program, participated in the Undergraduate Summer Research Program twice. It allowed her to gain experience in research and data analysis and practice her presentation skills while contributing to a field she’s passionate about. “I have always wanted to get more involved in sustainability,” she explains. “I wanted to understand more about renewable energy, and I wanted to do research through experimentation.”

Most recently, Alice helped develop a lab test to measure how solar cells will perform at various depths below sea level. In fact, improving underwater energy collection could spark advances in seabed monitoring and other underwater systems. In addition to experimenting with innovative technologies, Alice has established strong relationships with her mentors and peer researchers. “Not only did they help me learn, but the conversations I had greatly impacted my decision to continue my studies in graduate school,” she says.

The Tandon Undergraduate Summer Research Program =

• 10 weeks of direct research and mentorship
• 350+ hours of focused research per project
• 100+ student participants every year

Designing More Inclusive Spaces

Joanna Ibrahim, a Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering major at Tandon, spent her summer research project assessing and measuring the importance of inclusive building design. For their project, Joanna’s team re-created an NYU facility in a virtual reality (VR) environment. In a second VR environment, they updated the space to better follow inclusive design principles. Individuals then attempted to navigate each environment while wearing a VR headset and experiencing simulated visual impairment. In the space featuring inclusive design, participants achieved significantly improved mobility.

Thanks to this experience, Joanna feels confident in her abilities as she applies for internships in research and development. Like her fellow students, she credits the program with building her research, problem-solving, and communication skills, thus preparing her to push forward new discoveries and scientific growth in academia and the professional world. “This experience taught me how to collaborate on projects, conduct proper literature reviews, and reach out to other researchers and experts,” says Joanna. “It also really reinforced my love for engineering and research and made me excited about my future.”

Learn more by visiting NYU Tandon’s website.

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Career Edge - NYU High School Summer Program

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Getting ready for college while preparing for your professional future.

While there are many summer programs for high school students in NYC, the Career Edge NYU Summer High School Program affords students an exceptional college and career readiness experience. Career Edge is the premier summer college program, and has served thousands of high school students from around the world in exploring career paths and experiencing what it is like to live on the NYU campus and learn at a renowned US university. Unlike pre college programs, these courses do not offer college credit, but instead immerse you in a professional field while answering questions such as: What is college like? How can I prepare for college? What is a good career for me?

Information Table

Students from around the world attend NYU summer programs, but only a college prep program like High School Academy provides the opportunity to explore both traditional and emerging career paths.

Projects and short assignments provide take-aways that prepare you for college classroom work, while demonstrating your newly acquired skills.

Career Edge Schedule

Start Date: June 24, 2024 End Date: June 28, 2024

Start Date: July 8, 2024 End Date: July 12, 2024

Start Date: July 15, 2024 End Date: July 19, 2024

Start Date: July 22, 2024 End Date: July 26, 2024

Start Date: July 29, 2024 End Date: August 2, 2024

Start Date: August 5, 2024 End Date: August 9, 2024

International Student Deadline: March 15, 2024 Residential U.S Student Deadline: May 17, 2024 Commuter U.S Student Deadline: June 7, 2024

Application Requirements and Fees

To apply you must have successfully completed grades 9,10, or 11. You must submit the online application, a 250-500 word essay, and an official high school transcript. Essay Topic: Please describe why you would like to take your selected course(s). Please include any previous courses you've taken in this subject or previous experiences with this subject. Give more detail as to why you would like to take this course over the summer. Your response should be 250-500 words total. If selecting multiple courses, please contain all responses to a single essay.

Fees for Summer 2024

Application Fee: $50 (non-refundable) Tuition: $2,579 per course Housing & Dining Fees (add on): $618 per week Please note: No financial aid, scholarships, or discounts are available for Career Edge

For International Students

Resources and visa information for international students interested in studying abroad in NYC

Program Contact

212-998-7006 - [email protected]

Admitted Students

Resources for students who have been admitted to the program

NYU High School Academy Experiences Carousel

The Integrated Marketing class was very informative. The instructor was a real pro. Visits to digital agencies and marketing firms gave me an insider's view of what it's like to work in the field.

I loved the Digital Photography class. We got to shoot pictures all over New York City. I was able to build my portfolio for college and learned to manipulate my images using Photoshop.

The Finance NYC class was great! We explored Wall Street, visited Federal Hall and the Finance Museum, and learned how to trade stocks. The instructor made the course interesting and entertaining.

The Career Edge Program offers you the chance to explore a career path prior to declaring it as a college major. Many students opt to attend multiple weeks, taking a different course each session.

Career Edge courses focus on content that provides a comprehensive overview of your area of interest. Field trips to related companies and organizations bring what you learn in class to life!

Living and learning in NYC is an unforgettable adventure. You'll dive deep into course content that immerses you in industry, while enjoying the culture and excitement of the city that never sleeps!

Career Edge - NYU High School Summer Program Courses

Courses deliver rich content and hands-on experience that totally immerses you in the professional environment. Classroom learning is enhanced through guest lectures and field trips. Four summer sessions are available from which to choose. Take one course or attend multiple session to maximize your experience.

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We are dedicated to develop a variety of enrichment programs to help students improve their academic performance. Based on this principle, KSE Global, is the first company, inviting professors from elite academic institutions from United States, to hold academic summer sessions in China and elsewhere in the world for high school and college students since 2012.

We are dedicated to develop a variety of enrichment programs to help students improve their academic performance. Based on this principle, Fujen International Education Group, is the first company, inviting professors from elite academic institutions from United States, to hold academic summer sessions in China and elsewhere in the world for high school and college students since 2012.

Customized research projects Field research projects Research and learning projects Competition projects

KSE Global, founded in US, is a group of companies dedicated to fosteringglobal education equity and offeringhigh quality educational resources to students from a wide spectrum of disciplines. Its main business includes teaching management services, international course projects, international academic exchange and assessment, college counselling, etc. As amajor player in the international education sector, KSE has developed enduring partnerships with over 900 professors from elite universities, particularly from the Ivy League institutions in US. In the past decade, over 10,000 students from US, China and other Asian Pacific countries have been recruited to participate in research programsand independent studies.

MasterScholar

NYU-MasterScholar Summer Research Program TCR Intensive Summer Camp At Columbia University

MasterScholar is a series of highly selective academic programs, dedicated to helping the most talented students who are seeking guidance from world-class faculty of all academic fields. All students of the MasterScholar are required to apply and strictly selected by faculty based on the students’ academic performance and integrity. Supported by the strong network of ASC and KSE, MasterScholar Academic Programs are able to establish strong connections with programs of different particularly angled academic focuses at NYU, Columbia University, and Duke University.

Over the past three years, only the best students would be admitted to MasterScholar programs, and all of them have gained admissions into the top-30 U.S. universities and G5 universities. This proud success of the past and the powerful support from the world’s most prestigious academic institutions would guarantee the continuous prosperity of all MasterScholar academic programs.

New York University Connect Program

The NYU Connect Program, offered by the New York University School of Professional Studies, is an immersive and comprehensive first-year experience designed for aspiring non-native high school graduates eager to pursue a smooth transition into university life. Focused on advancing both language proficiency and academic readiness, the program stands out by providing an unparalleled environment for students to enjoy a first-rate education in the most dynamic city of the world. The The NYU Connect Program, will provide more candidates who dream of becoming NYU students to enter and complete college in a more flexible and time-saving way.

Admissions Consultants Graduated from Top-tier U.S. Universities Exam Preparation College Admissions School Selection Strategies Essay Writing and Interview Preparation Application Planning

Ivyuan is a professional consulting firm specializing in applications and planning for top-tier universities and high schools in the United States. Adhering to the educational philosophy of cultivating high-quality talents with multicultural awareness and an international educational background, Ivyuan provides accurate and comprehensive information on institutions and offers professional and personalized consulting and course services tailored to each student aspiring to study in the U.S. Beyond planning and application, Ivyuan also actively collaborates with leading educational institutions in the U.S. to create top-quality study abroad programs for Chinese students.

Headquartered in Shanghai, Ivyuan has established branch offices in Beijing, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Hangzhou, and Nanjing. Over the years, it has maintained close ties with top U.S. universities, liberal arts colleges, private high schools, and leading domestic middle schools. It organizes various levels of international courses and college guidance programs in many cities, gaining wide recognition in the field of enrollment from well-known educational institutions both at home and abroad.

Leveraging years of experience in professional consulting and planning, Ivyuan provides aspiring students with accurate and comprehensive information about institutions and offers professional and personalized consulting and course services for each student planning to study in the U.S.

Our job is to help our clients

Our process begins with a collaborative and holistic assessment to gain a robust understand of you,your business and key stakeholders. We will explore your business problems and needs co-creatively.

NYU Precollege

Spring precollege.

Spring 2025 Precollege Application Opens November 1! 

Experience life as an NYU college student!  

Through NYU Precollege, you can earn college credits, connect with NYU faculty and classmates, and explore interests that will shape your academic future. Precollege offers rising 11th and 12th graders the opportunity to experience life as an undergraduate, and take advantage of everything NYU has to offer. Whether you already know what you want to major in, or you want to try out a subject you've never studied before, NYU Precollege is the best way to develop your skills and prepare for college.

Gain first-hand experience in a college classroom and discover what it's like to live and learn at NYU's campus in New York City. Connect with students from around the world in and outside of class. Whether commuting or living on campus, Precollege students ARE NYU students, with full access to campus resources, including dining halls, the NYU library system, peer tutoring services, and more.

How to Apply

Eligible applicants must be rising 11th or 12th grade high school students in summer or current 11th or 12th grade students in the fall or spring semesters. Students must have strong academic records (minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale). 

• To start your application, fill out the  Precollege Application Account Creation Form . On this form, you will be asked to provide some basic information such as name, date of birth, and email, in order to create your account in our application system.
• Upon submission of the Application Account Creation Form, you will receive an email containing a temporary PIN and instructions for finalizing your account setup. Please follow these steps carefully. 
• To resume your application, log into the  Application Management page  and proceed through the application. Please pay close attention to the information on the Instructions page for guidelines regarding submission of the application and any required supplemental documents.
• After submitting your application, you will receive a confirmation email. Within a few days, you will receive a second email containing your NYU credentials and instructions for accessing your applicant portal, where you can check the status of your application and any missing documents.

Please note that your application will not be considered complete or reviewed until all required materials and the application fee are received. Admissions decisions are typically sent 2-3 weeks after receipt of a complete application and all required materials.

International students are required to provide proof of English language proficiency as part of their application.

View more information for international applicants .

Areas of Study

NYU Precollege students get to experience the dynamic, intellectually rigorous atmosphere of an NYU classroom. With dozens of courses to choose from, you can follow your curiosity as you discover new ideas and build practical skills. Get inspired by NYU's award-winning faculty, and benefit from NYU's unique access to leading New York institutions and professionals. 

Explore a selection of Precollege courses below.

• College Writing Workshop
• Internet Design
• Storytelling: From Aristotle to Beyonce and Beyond
• Special Effects Makeup I
• The Language of Film
• Cultural Capital: Media & Arts in New York City
• Introduction to Media Studies
• Acting for the Camera
• Introduction to Computer Programming
• Environmental Systems Science
• Introduction to Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory
• Introduction to Engineering and Design
• Introduction to Science and Technology Studies
• Calculus II for Engineers
• Introduction to Psychology
• Introduction to Archaeology
• Introduction to Sociology
• Politics, Power, and Society
• Classical Mythology
• Revolutionary Movements of the 20th Century
• Born in Flames: Radical Feminism in Film
• Medical Ethics
• Business Organization & Management
• The Business of Nonprofit Management
• Introduction to Macroeconomics
• Introduction to Microeconomics
• Principles of Accounting
• Principles of Marketing
• Introduction to Hospitality
• Hospitality & Tourism Sales & Marketing
• Real Estate Finance
• Use of Space and Urban Design in Real Estate
• Introduction to Sports Management
• Organizations in Sports
• Sociology of Sports

In addition to classes, Precollege students can participate in the College 101 workshop series, which offers training in essay writing, research, and other essential college skills. College 101 also prepares students for the college admissions process, providing guidance and tools to help them build a strong application.

Student Life

Precollege students are NYU students during their time attending class. Courses are available in person and online, and campus housing is available to students in the summer.

As a Precollege student, you'll enroll in your own classes and study alongside NYU undergrads and fellow Precollege students from around the world. Precollege students can avail themselves of University resources, like the vast NYU Library system, peer tutoring, the Student Health Center, and much more.

In the summer, students can participate in a full calendar of on-campus social acitivities and organized trips to Broadway shows, baseball games, museums, and much more.

Important Deadlines and Dates 

Tuition & Charges

Tuition is charged by credit, and the cost of a student's courses would depend on their total credit worth. Students can take courses totally 0-8 credits for an estimated tuition fee charge of $700 to $14,000. For more on tuition and charges, visit the NYU Precollege website . 

Summer Housing and Dining

Students can elect to live in on-campus in one of NYU's residence halls in the summer only. Precollege students live together in the same hall and have the support of full-time residential staff who are on hand to help students access the resources they need and plan fun activities throughout the summer. Students enrolled in on-campus housing will be automatically enrolled in an on-campus meal plan they can use to access NYU dining halls.

Scholarships are available for students in the summer. Students may apply for need-based scholarship that covers up to 50% of Precollege tuition. If you are interested in applying for a summer scholarship, indicate your interest in the online Precollege admission application.

You will receive an email with instructions on how to apply for a scholarship, which requires submitting household income information.

The scholarship application deadline is April 1. Please submit your Precollege admission application by no later than March 15 so that you will have time to submit your scholarship application by the April 1 deadline.

In the summer, students can elect to live on campus in one of NYU's residence halls. Precollege students live together and benefit from the support of full-time residential staff who are there to offer guidance.

Students who live on campus in the summer should expect to have one or more roommates or suitemates who will be fellow Precollege students.

Yes. All Precollege students commute to and from campus in the fall and spring terms. NYU Precollege in summer is open to both commuters and residential students. 

During the summer, commuters will have access to the same on-campus Precollege activities and organized events as our residentials students and will find plenty of opportunities to connect with peers and take advantage of everything campus has to offer.

Yes. Precollege welcomes students from all over the world! International students are welcome to attend online in the fall and spring term, and can join the program in person in summer. The summer application deadline for international students is in March to allow plenty of time for students to apply for and process necessary visa requirements.  

Thanks for applying! You should receive your admissions decision roughly 2-3 weeks after you submitted your application in full.

Precollege students can choose from courses spanning a variety of academic subjects each semester. Course lists for fall, spring, and summer are available on the program website .  

Program Dates Fall, Spring, and Summer

( See tuition & charges )

Credits 0-8

E-Mail [email protected]

Application Deadlines

Fall Term: August 15

Attend a Virtual Information Session

Gallatin Summer Research Blog

Blog for students involved in the Gallatin Summer Research Program

Kate Menninger: The Enduring Myth of Genius in the Art World

In these final weeks of research, I’ve focused on understanding the contemporary artistic crisis we face today, particularly its ties to the legacy of Romanticism. My exploration has centered on how modernization and the socio-political changes of the Romantic period forced art into an autonomous sphere, now known as the art world. Nicholas Wolterstorff’s theory of the “grand narrative of art” has been pivotal in guiding my understanding. The core idea of this “grand narrative” is that the primary way to engage with art is through contemplation—a focused, disinterested attention where the work is appreciated solely for its aesthetic qualities. This marked a significant departure from pre-Romantic models, where art was deeply integrated into religious and social practices.

Drawing from Herder’s ideas, I’ve come to see how valuing historicism and cultural relativism in artistic contemplation led to this model of disinterested attention. However, Herder’s theories were merely the catalyst. The most influential force in the creation of the modern art world was the cultural elite of the eighteenth century. They transformed art into a marker of social distinction, where the ability to appreciate fine art became a sign of cultivation and refinement. This structured environment, centered around disinterested contemplation, initiated the alienation of art from its social functions.

Throughout my research, I explored why the art world, formed during the Romantic period, has led to an artistic crisis. In part, the crisis stems from the underlying teleological narrative in Western thought. Although Romanticism was a rebellion against Enlightenment ideals, it didn’t extinguish the underlying belief in progress; it simply redefined it. The Enlightenment’s belief in progress toward harmony was replaced by the Romantic ideal of progress toward freedom. This freedom, as conceived by the Romantics, is intangible and elusive—an ever-receding horizon rather than a fixed destination.

This elusive ideal has made freedom a potent and enduring concept in art. The vitality of art under the disinterested contemplation model depends on its ability to resist finality and continually pursue new, unattainable ideals. However, the Romantic emphasis on art’s transcendence of reality has isolated art from practical social functions and altered the psyche of the artist. The post-Romantic sphere of art developed an indefinable and immeasurable artistic ideal: genius. Romantic artists were not striving to achieve a specific technical aesthetic ideal; rather, their social value hinged on the cultural elite’s recognition and bestowal of the elusive and transcendent title of genius. As Hauser explains, the Romantic concept of genius is a myth perpetuated by artists, poets, and thinkers who sought to claim the privileges of an “aristocracy of the spirit.” This notion of genius, whether believed to be divinely or naturally bestowed, served to elevate artists’ social status, allowing them to mask their origins through their achievements (Hauser, 115). This myth has contributed significantly to the isolation of artists from everyday society. Understanding that the purpose and value of art, which I once believed to be innate, are actually products of Western history has allowed me to think more expansively about my own practice.

Hauser, Arnold, and Kenneth J. Northcott. The Sociology of Art . Routledge, 2011.

Wolterstorff, Nicholas. “Philosophy of Art after Analysis and Romanticism.” The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism , vol. 46, 1987, pp. 151–67. JSTOR , https://doi.org/10.2307/431272. 

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Towards open and standardized human mobility data: NYU Tandon researchers address key challenges and solutions

Despite the vast amounts of human mobility data generated by smartphones, a lack of standardized formats, protocols, and privacy-protected open-source datasets hampers innovation across various sectors, including city planning, transportation design, public health, emergency response, and economic research. The absence of established benchmarks further complicates efforts to evaluate progress and share best practices.

Takahiro Yabe , assistant professor at the Center for Urban Science + Progress (CUSP) and  Department of Technology Management and Innovation at NYU Tandon, recently collaborated with a team of researchers — Massimiliano Luca (Fondazione Bruno Kessler), Kota Tsubouchi (LY Corporation), Bruno Lepri (Fondazione Bruno Kessler), Marta C. Gonzalez (University of California, Berkeley), and Esteban Moro (Northeastern University) — to advocate for the necessity of open and standardized human mobility data. Their opinion piece, published in Nature Computational Science , builds upon the recent release of the open-source, anonymized, large-scale human mobility dataset YJMob100K developed by several authors of this paper.

"The creation of the YJMob100K dataset and associated HuMob Challenge 2024 was motivated by our concern that similar human mobility datasets are exclusive to select researchers and industry organizations," said Yabe. 

Unpacking the complexities of human mobility data pre-processing

Tracking a journey from origin to destination using mobile phone data is not straightforward. Data can vary significantly depending on the application employed, and datasets may not capture all transit modes. Inconsistencies in definitions, classifications, and data tags can introduce biases.

For example, defining what constitutes a "stop" — whether it’s a pause of 5 minutes, 30 minutes, or an hour — can be somewhat subjective. “To detect a stop within a mobility trajectory, data scientists need to define arbitrary hyperparameters such as the minimum number of minutes spent at the stop and the maximum movement distance allowed from the stop centroid,” noted the authors. “With several hyperparameters needed for each pre-processing step, a slight change in the selection of these parameters could result in a very different processed human mobility dataset.”

Pre-processing human mobility data is critical for protecting individual privacy. However, the methods used in this process are often kept confidential, creating a "black box" problem that raises concerns about data validity and accuracy. To address these issues, companies evaluate datasets by comparing them with external sources such as census data. However, researchers aiming to introduce and evaluate new methods for predicting human mobility continue to face a significant hurdle: there is currently no standard open benchmark dataset.

Advancing human mobility research with the YJMob100K dataset

The authors propose two strategies for approaching this challenge: creating synthetic, privacy-preserving human mobility datasets using machine learning models, or anonymizing a large-scale mobility dataset through collaboration with a private company. The latter strategy was employed for YJMob100K, which was developed through a collaboration involving Takahiro Yabe from NYU Tandon, Yoshihide Sekimoto and Kaoru Sezaki from the University of Tokyo, Esteban Moro and Alex Pentland from MIT, along with Kota Tsubouchi and Toru Shimizu from the private Japanese internet company LY Corporation.

The YJMob100K dataset was anonymized by converting location pings into 500x500 meter grid cells and aggregating timestamps into 30-minute intervals while masking the actual dates. Individuals who contributed data signed a consent form outlining the frequency and accuracy of location data collection as well as its intended use. All data processing and analysis were conducted on servers managed by the company.

To promote the dataset, the authors initiated the Human Mobility Prediction Challenge (HuMob Challenge) in 2023, which is currently underway for its second year. Selected entries will be showcased at the ACM SIGSPATIAL conference, taking place in Atlanta from October 29 to November 1, 2024.

"Inspired by advancements in natural language processing models like transformers, many submissions in the 2023 edition used AI and machine learning approaches," said Yabe. "Eight of the top ten submissions used deep learning techniques. With over 85 teams and 200 participants from 22 countries, the overwhelming response motivated us to continue into 2024. This year's challenge is more advanced, targeting predictions for cities that lack data."

The authors have identified several key challenges they aim to address in their future work. First, they aim to establish criteria for creating “fit-for-purpose” benchmarking datasets to achieve consensus within the research community. This involves defining clear metrics for data specification and establishing industry standards for pre-processing. Second, recognizing that different tasks require different types of data, they propose creating a collection of “fit-for-purpose” datasets, each tailored to specific research domains, communities, and socio-spatial-temporal contexts. This necessitates a bottom-up approach led by relevant research communities to ensure the datasets are well-aligned with their intended uses.

Yabe, T., Luca, M., Tsubouchi, K., Lepri, B., Gonzalez, M. C., & Moro, E. (2024). Enhancing human mobility research with open and standardized datasets. Nature Computational Science , 4 (7), 469-472. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43588-024-00650-3

Takahiro Yabe

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