As summer comes to a close at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA), student researchers across multiple summer programs are reflecting on their accomplishments over the season. NCSA’s student research programs offer undergraduates a way to get involved in hands-on, cutting-edge research. They’re embedded in research teams led by highly experienced NCSA research staff and affiliated faculty at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U. of I.), giving students an up-close opportunity to learn as they work on research projects.
This summer, NCSA hosted undergraduate researchers across four major summer programs:
- Students Pushing INnovation (SPIN)
- REU FoDoMMaT (Foundations of Data Science, Mathematical Modeling, and Advanced Technology)
- NCSA International Research
- CS Distributed REU
Together, these programs offered students from U. of I. and institutions across the nation the opportunity to collaborate directly with seasoned research staff and faculty. From advanced cyberinfrastructure and machine learning applications to computational modeling and data-driven domain sciences, interns tackled cutting-edge projects with real-world impact.
Fostering Community Through Lightning Talks and Public Presentation
To broaden their scientific horizons beyond their immediate research groups, summer interns participated in weekly joint Lightning Talks. These fast-paced, interactive sessions allowed students across SPIN, REU FoDoMMaT, NCSA International Research and CS Distributed REU to present their progress, exchange feedback with peers and learn about the diverse array of research happening across NCSA.
The culmination of their summer efforts took center stage at the 4th Annual STEM Career Exploration and Symposium, held on July 30, 2026. The landmark event featured 223 student presenters and welcomed approximately 600 attendees, including faculty, industry partners, fellow students and community members. NCSA interns showcased their summer findings through interactive poster presentations and discussions, demonstrating both their research expertise and helping them practice effective science communication.
Welcoming Returning Researchers & New Academic Year Cohorts
As NCSA prepares to welcome a new cohort of undergraduate researchers joining the SPIN Academic Year 2026–27 program, several summer interns will also return to build on their summer breakthroughs throughout the upcoming school year.
Two returning students reflected on their summer experiences and shared their perspective on what makes research at NCSA unique:
Sophia Renee Moylan
SPIN Student, U. of I.
What did you value most about SPIN?
“I really valued growing as a researcher in an environment that felt so welcoming and supportive. SPIN helped foster a strong sense of community that kept me motivated throughout my project. Getting to share my own progress and learn about my peers’ fascinating research—from extrapolating a much broader field of view from a single camera perspective to testing cutting-edge quantum encryption techniques—was easily one of the highlights of my summer.”
How does SPIN stand out from other research opportunities on campus?
“Beyond receiving technical feedback and mentorship for my research, I cultivated a tight-knit community with my peers. The SPIN coordinators actively fostered this environment by prioritizing group collaboration and organizing memorable community events—my personal favorite being our trip to Curtis Orchard! Their dedication turned professional events and social outings into genuine bonding moments, creating a supportive network that sets SPIN apart from any other research program I’ve participated in.”
Ella Madalinski
REU FoDoMMaT Student, Samford University (Birmingham, AL)
What did you value most about REU FoDOMMaT?
“Although it’s so difficult to choose from all of the valuable experiences I had as part of the REU FoDOMMaT program this summer, I’d say what I valued most about the program was the connections I was able to make with my mentors, Drs. Volodymyr Kindratenko, Sharon Donovan and my peers in the program. Because of the intentionality and expertise each of my mentors brought, I was able to grow both personally and professionally. Not only were they available to support me throughout the summer, but they have also made it clear that they are here for me if I need anything throughout my future career. Connecting with my peers helped broaden my network for the future, but more than that, developing friendships had to be one of the most enjoyable parts of the summer.”
Recognizing Outstanding Work: Students and Mentors
NCSA extends its sincere gratitude to all of our student researchers, participating faculty, and staff mentors whose guidance and dedication make these programs possible.
We are proud to recognize the outstanding contributions of this year’s interns and mentors across our summer programs:
Recognized summer 2026 students & mentors
Outstanding 2026 Summer REU FoDoMMaT and CS Distributed REU Fellows:
- Benjamin Berol, REU FoDoMMaT
- Noah Dengler, REU FoDoMMaT
- Ella Madalinski, REU FoDoMMaT
- Howard Tang, REU FoDoMMaT
- Pranav Verma, REU FoDoMMaT
- Audrey Feng, CS Distributed REU
- Victoria Zhang, CS Distributed REU
Outstanding 2026 Summer SPIN Interns:
- Emma Chen
- Xinghan Chen
- Nihar Koganti
- Ajay Nagi Reddy Kumdam
- Yifei Li
- Sophia Moylan
- Amul Prakash
- Leyi Qian
- Chuck Wang
- Suri (Xinyi) Wang
- Zonghang (Ben) Wu
- Diyun Zheng
Outstanding 2026 Summer REU FoDoMMaT and CS Distributed REU Mentors:
- Angela Lyons, REU FoDoMMaT
- Volodymyr Kindratenko, REU FoDoMMaT
- Anastasia Stoops, REU FoDoMMaT
- Phuong Cao, CS Distributed REU
Outstanding 2026 Summer SPIN Mentors:
- Joshua Allen
- Kevin Chang
- Volodymyr Kindratenko
- Deana McDonagh
- Michael Miller
- Jill Naiman
- Bin Peng
- Sever Tipei
Looking Ahead
Applications and information for upcoming research internships and the SPIN Academic Year program are available on the NCSA Student Opportunities webpage.
ABOUT NCSA
The National Center for Supercomputing Applications at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign provides supercomputing, expertise and advanced digital resources for the nation’s science enterprise. At NCSA, University of Illinois faculty, staff, students and collaborators from around the globe use innovative resources to address research challenges for the benefit of science and society. NCSA has been assisting many of the world’s industry giants for over 35 years by bringing industry, researchers and students together to solve grand challenges at rapid speed and scale.