Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Science Foundation's Division of Computing and Communication Foundations awarded a $370,039 Project Grant to Grand Valley State University effective October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2029, under the Computer and Information Science and Engineering program (CFDA 47.070). This Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site grant supports an interdisciplinary training program at the intersection of computer science and digital evolution, providing ten undergraduate students annually with ten-week summer research experiences over three years. Participants conduct hands-on research projects spanning digital evolution, evolutionary computation, search-based software engineering, cell and molecular biology, and ecology under faculty mentorship from GVSU's College of Computing, the GVSU Annis Water Research Institute, and external experts from the Van Andel Institute.

The program delivers comprehensive professional development and research training through multi-disciplinary research teams, empirical research methods instruction, ethics training, scientific communication workshops, and field work conducted under faculty supervision. Students gain experience in applying evolutionary theory to solve complex computational and real-world problems while developing workforce-ready skills in computational problem-solving, interdisciplinary collaboration, and data communication to both scientific and general audiences. This REU Site advances undergraduate STEM education by preparing the next generation of scientists capable of bridging computational methodologies with practical challenges across biology, engineering, and environmental disciplines.