CRA Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Award
Forecasted
CRA Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Award supports undergraduate computing researchers with conference travel assistance, honoring outstanding contributions and exceptional research potential.
Funder: Computing Research Association
Due Dates (Anticipated): October 2027 (Nomination deadline)
Funding Amounts: Up to $1,500 per awardee for research conference travel; up to eight awardees
Summary: Recognizes undergraduates at North American colleges and universities who demonstrate outstanding potential in computing research.
Key Information: Students cannot self-nominate; nominations require submission by their home department and the chair/head’s electronic signature.
Description
The Computing Research Association’s Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Awards recognize exceptional research potential across the breadth of computing. The program honors undergraduate contributions rather than funding a proposed research agenda. Recognized work spans theoretical computer science and algorithms, artificial intelligence and machine learning, robotics, human-computer interaction, security and privacy, graphics, and computational biology, including applications to health, education, and accessibility.
Excellence in research is the primary selection consideration. Successful nominees are also expected to have excellent academic records and some involvement in service, such as club leadership, teaching, or peer tutoring. A committee of computing researchers reviews nominations, with recognition given to awardees, runners-up, finalists, and honorable mentions. Awardees receive assistance to attend a research conference of their choice.
