What is ERSP?

ERSP, or Early Research Scholars Program at the Manning College of Information & Computer Sciences at UMass Amherst,  is a structured and scalable research experience for undergraduate students. It started as an initiative to expose undergraduates to research opportunities at UC San Diego.

ERSP at CICS, is a program for early undergraduates in Computer Science and Informatics majors.  It is an academic-year, group-based, research apprenticeship experience.  Students are grouped into teams of ~4 and matched with a faculty advisor from a CICS research center and lab.  

Through ERSP, students have the opportunity to learn about CS research, improve and apply core computing knowledge, gain skills important to their future as a computer scientist, and interact closely with our amazing faculty mentors and a supportive group of peers in ERSP. 

Expect it to be challenging and lots of fun!

Applications for 2025-26 for current first year CICS students are now closed. 

ERSP Objectives

• To excite participants through early exposure to research and the challenges facing CS researchers today.

• To teach participants the fundamental skills involved in conducting CS research.

• To promote a community that works towards computing for the common good.

Below are a few of our ERSP Partner Schools! Click on them for more info