Research Opportunities in Scientific Computing
Students and their faculty sponsors must complete a Contract for Registration in Directed/Independent Study in Scientific Computing and have it signed by one of the Directors of the Scientific Computing minor (Professor Bodenheimer, Palmeri, or Weintraub):
https://www.vanderbilt.edu/scientific_computing/images/SCContractforRegistrationIndependent.pdf
Undergraduates interested in Scientific Computing are encouraged to seek out opportunities to participate in ongoing research projects at Vanderbilt. These often take the form of an Independent Study (SC 3850 Independent Study in Scientific Computing) project. In some cases, Directed Study, Independent Study, or Honors research hours taken in another department can also count toward the Scientific Computing Minor; contact one of the directors of the minor for more information.
Research in Scientific Computing can be an excellent Immersion Experience for undergraduates at Vanderbilt. See our Immersion Hub listing for details: https://amplifyvu.vanderbilt.edu/s/immersionhub/activities/detail/63832
Most departments in the social sciences, sciences, and engineering have some form of directed or independent study. In order to qualify as Independent Study in the Scientific Computing minor (SC 3850), or for directed/independent/honors research listed under another undergraduate program to count towards the SC minor, projects must combine scientific computing tools and techniques with a substantive scientific or engineering problem. Students (and their faculty sponsors) should talk with one of the Directors of the Scientific Computing minor if there is any uncertainty about what might or might not qualify for a directed or independent study in the minor. Independent study is intended for students in their junior and senior years. Exceptions may be made for well-qualified sophomores.
Students wishing to take Independent Study (SC 3850) Scientific Computing must do the following:
- Obtain permission to enroll in a independent study from the faculty sponsor. Consult with the faculty sponsor well in advance of the Course Request Period of registration for the semester in which the independent study will be undertaken.
- Work with the faculty sponsor to ensure that the proposed project combines scientific computing tools and techniques with a substantive scientific or engineering problem. Students (and their faculty sponsors) should talk with one of the Directors of the Scientific Computing minor if there is any uncertainty about what might or might not qualify for a directed or independent study in the minor.
- Make a written study plan detailing the nature of the project and the amount of credit (using the Contract for Registration in Independent Study in Scientific Computing) and have it approved (and signed) by the faculty sponsor and by one of the Directors of the Scientific Computing minor (Professor Bodenheimer or Palmeri).
- Submit completed and signed Contract to the OAS in the School of Engineering (which administers the SC minor), who will register you for the independent study: engineering-oas@vanderbilt.edu
SC 3850/3851 Independent Study in Scientific Computing. Development of a research project by the individual student under direction of a faculty sponsor. Project must combine scientific computing tools and techniques with a substantive scientific or engineering problem. Consent of both the faculty sponsor and one Director of the SC minor is required. [1-3 each semester]