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The mission of the Institute for Intelligent Systems (IIS) is to explore intelligent systems in humans, animals, computers, and abstract information technologies. The IIS is fundamentally an interdisciplinary enterprise, so the seminars and research projects include faculty and students from different departments and different walks of life. While interdisciplinary research is the primary focus, we are firmly committed to the education of many types of people as we conduct our work. As such, we offer many levels of participation in the research enterprise of the IIS to facilitate the education of future researchers. In an effort to create greater educational opportunities for young students, who have yet to engage in research formally, we have created an Institute for Intelligent Systems Internship Program. In this program, we invite young talented individuals in the greater Memphis area to participate and learn about researching in the 21st century, and in particular about the research conducted by the IIS. To foster all these aforementioned goals, the IIS invites motivated students at the undergraduate and high school level to apply for the IIS Internship Program. Once accepted into the program, the intern will join a research team of their choice and participate in the projects undertaken by that team. Furthermore, exceptional applicants may engage in projects of their own creation in service of the research goals of the IIS. The primary goal of the internship program is to provide educational and experiential benefits to students, instead of conducting work for hire. Hence, the internship environment will be one where the intern will feel little pressure and engage in activities of his or her choosing that fulfills the individual’s educational and career goals for the future. The internship program should be considered formal in nature; however the application process is intentionally open-ended and ambiguous (but please be sure to include basic personal information in your materials). The IIS researchers are looking for highly motivated, creative, and talented students that have an interest in learning more about interdisciplinary research opportunities. Submitting materials that strongly demonstrate these characteristics will serve as your formal application to the program. Applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis and judged by IIS researchers based upon the applicant’s individual merit and appropriateness of educational experience. While creativity, talent, and motives are the three factors on which applications will be judged, an applicant need not directly address all three factors in their application. A recent successful high school applicant submitted a simulation environment that he developed and a statement of his interests and ideas regarding the research team he wished to join. Another successful applicant submitted a resume and a personal statement outlining her goals for the future and what she hoped to learn from the internship experience. Again, the focus is on demonstration of creativity, talent, and motivation; submission of materials in support of these characteristics is not only highly encouraged, but also will dramatically improve an individual’s chances for acceptance into the program. If you have any questions regarding the internship program please email or call Andrew Olney (aolney@memphis.edu, 901.678.2358). If you wish to submit an application, please submit materials to Renee Cogar, the IIS Internship Coordinator. She can be reached via email at hcogar@memphis.edu or via phone at 901.678.5102. The departmental brochure, departmental application, and University Graduate School Application are all avilable at the following web site: http://www.psyc.memphis.edu/prospective.shtml
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