NSF CISE REU Survey:
2023 Annual
Report
CERP Staff
Last Updated: 11/01/2024
Introduction
About the Survey
The United States National Science Foundation (NSF) Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Survey, managed by the CRA Center for Evaluating the Research Pipeline (CERP), is a new data source providing critical information to the community on how participation in undergraduate research opportunities impacts student pathways to computing graduate education and computing careers.
This recurring survey follows cohorts of undergraduate students over one year from the time they participate in a formal research experience, such as the NSF REU (Site or Supplement) program or the NSF Distributed Research Experiences for Undergraduates (DREU) program. Participants in each cohort are asked to take up to three surveys:
- An initial pre-survey that is administered before participants begin their research experience. The pre-survey collects information about participants’ demographics, educational background, current degree program, college activities, pre-program skills, knowledge of different topics, attitudes, self-perceptions, and future plans.
- A post-program survey that is administered immediately following their research experience. This second survey collects information on the time spent on various activities, career development, professional growth, and learning activities. The post-survey data also gathers information on students’ self-reported interest in pursuing different careers, their skills, knowledge of various topics, attitudes, and self-perceptions immediately following the conclusion of their research experience.
- Participants who agree to participate in a follow-up survey are contacted approximately one year after completing their research experience. The follow-up survey includes questions similar to those in the initial pre-survey. It collects information about students’ attitudes toward research and research careers, their self-assessments of abilities, and their educational and career goals and aspirations.
For more information about the survey, visit https://cra.org/cerp/cerp-reu-evaluation/.
This Report
This report presents selected findings from the 2023 REU Survey pre survey that focus on who participated in a formal research experience program in 2023. Report sections highlight key details about participants’ backgrounds, home institutions, and pre-college and college experiences. Selected measures presented in the report are disaggregated by gender identity to offer a comparative summary by gender. Summary tables included in the body of the report are available for download from the Downloads section.
Institutional Characteristics
The 2023 REU Survey collected responses from 725 students at 268 (unique) institutions across the United States between May 2023 and July 2023. The proceeding section provides information about select characteristics of the institutions 2023 REU Survey participants were enrolled in.
Geographic distribution
The map below highlights where survey participants were enrolled in
college or university in the United States:
| No participating institutions | 1 to 8 participating institutions | 9 to 17 participating institutions | 18 to 26 participating institutions | 27 to 34 participating institutions |
|---|
For a full list of participating institutions, download our List of REU Survey United States postsecondary institutions.
Institution Type
This section presents information on the types of institutions survey participants were enrolled at, including their minority status and Carnegie classification. Among the 0 American post-secondary institutions represented in the sample, 31.7% were classified as universities serving low income populations. Few institutions in the sample (0.4%), however, were categorized as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions. The chart below shows the percent of institutions included in the 2023 REU Survey by type of Minority-Serving institution. Percentages may sum to greater than 100 as institutions can be classified as more than one type of Minority-Serving institution.
Types of institutions included in the 2023 REU Survey by Minority Status.
| Universities serving low income populations | 31.7% | |
| Hispanic Serving Institutions | 20.6% | |
| Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions | 12.2% | |
| Historically Black Colleges or Universities | 2.3% | |
| Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions | 0.4% | |
| Native American Serving Non-Tribal Institution Serving Institutions | 0.4% | |
| Tribal Colleges or Universities | 0.4% | |
| Source: Research Experiences for Undergraduates Survey (REU) 2023. Center for Evaluating the Research Pipeline. Computing Research Association. N = 262. | ||
Participants’ home institutions were classified using Carnegie categories. In 2023, Doctoral-granting institutions represented 57.3% of the sample (N = 150), while institutions institutions whose highest degree level is a master’s degree made up 18.3% of the sample (N = 48). Finally, there were 52 Bachelor’s-granting institutions included in the 2023 REU Survey sample (19.8%). The chart below shows the percent of institutions included in the 2023 REU Survey by Carnegie classification.
Types of institutions included in the 2023 REU Survey by Carnegie Classification.
| Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity | 35.9% | |
| Baccalaureate Colleges: Arts & Sciences Focus | 15.6% | |
| Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity | 14.9% | |
| Master's Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | 12.6% | |
| Doctoral/Professional Universities | 6.5% | |
| Master's Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs | 4.2% | |
| Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields | 1.9% | |
| Master's Colleges & Universities: Small Programs | 1.5% | |
| Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Career & Technical-High Nontraditional | 1.1% | |
| Associate's Colleges: High Transfer-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional | 0.8% | |
| Associate's Colleges: High Career & Technical-High Traditional | 0.8% | |
| Baccalaureate/Associate's Colleges: Associate's Dominant | 0.8% | |
| Baccalaureate/Associate's Colleges: Mixed Baccalaureate/Associate's | 0.8% | |
| Associate's Colleges: High Transfer-High Traditional | 0.4% | |
| Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Career & Technical-High Traditional | 0.4% | |
| Associate's Colleges: High Career & Technical-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional | 0.4% | |
| Associate's Colleges: High Career & Technical-High Nontraditional | 0.4% | |
| Special Focus Four-Year: Engineering and Other Technology-Related Schools | 0.4% | |
| Special Focus Four-Year: Other Special Focus Institutions | 0.4% | |
| Tribal Colleges and Universities | 0.4% | |
| Source: Research Experiences for Undergraduates Survey (REU) 2023. Center for Evaluating the Research Pipeline. Computing Research Association. N = 262. | ||
Student Characteristics
The REU Survey also gathers data on the demographic and educational background of REU Survey respondents, including their gender identity, race/ethnicity, disability status, first-generation status, and citizenship. Each subsection begins by providing an overview of the entire sample for each variable. Responses to select variables are then further broken down by gender and displayed in a table.
Demographics
Gender
In 2023, 0 survey participants provided information about their self-identified gender. Of those,49.1% identified as male (N = 230). On the other hand, 42.5% of the sample (N = 199) self-identified as female. Few survey participants (N = 39), however, reported identifying with another gender identity 8.3%. The chart below shows the gender distribution of survey respondents included in the 2023 REU Survey.
Participant’s gender.
| Male | 49.1% | |
| Female | 42.5% | |
| None of these | 4.9% | |
| Transgender | 3.4% | |
| Source: Research Experiences for Undergraduates Survey (REU) 2023. Center for Evaluating the Research Pipeline. Computing Research Association. N = 468. | ||
Race/Ethnicity
In 2023, 460 students provided information about their race and ethnicity. Most (54.1%) survey respondents identified as Caucasian/European/White. On the other hand, few (0.7%) students selected Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander as one of the racial or ethnic groups they identify as.
Participant’s race/ethnicity broken down by gender.
|
Male (N = 226) |
Female (N = 195) |
Transgender (N = 16) |
None of these (N = 23) |
Sample (N = 460) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arab/Middle Eastern | 4.5% | 2.6% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 3.3% |
| Asian/Asian American | 31.2% | 35.1% | 18.8% | 22.7% | 32.0% |
| African American/African/Black | 17.5% | 16.0% | 12.5% | 0.0% | 15.8% |
| Hispanic/Latinx | 19.9% | 17.9% | 6.2% | 13.0% | 18.3% |
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 3.1% | 1.6% | 6.2% | 0.0% | 2.4% |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 1.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.7% |
| Caucasian/European/White | 52.0% | 52.1% | 75.0% | 77.3% | 54.1% |
Disability
In 2023, 453 students provided information about the types of disabilities they have. Out of those, 24.9% (N = 113) reported having one or more disabilities.
Participants’ disability status broken down by gender.
|
Male (N = 223) |
Female (N = 193) |
Transgender (N = 15) |
None of these (N = 22) |
Sample (N = 453) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reported one or more disabilities | 21.1% | 21.8% | 73.3% | 59.1% | 24.9% |
| Did not report a disability | 78.9% | 78.2% | 26.7% | 40.9% | 75.1% |
First generation
In 2023, 459 students provided information about the highest education level attained by one or both of their parents or guardians. Out of those, 0% (N = 0) indicated that they are first-generation college students.
Participants’ first-generation status broken down by gender.
|
Male (N = 227) |
Female (N = 193) |
Transgender (N = 16) |
None of these (N = 23) |
Sample (N = 459) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First-generation college student | 23.3% | 20.2% | 31.2% | 13.0% | 21.8% |
| Continuing generation student | 76.7% | 79.8% | 68.8% | 87.0% | 78.2% |
Citizenship
In 2023, 467 students provided information about their citizenship status. Out of those, 97.4% (N = 455) indicated that they are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
Participants’ citizenship status broken down by gender.
|
Male (N = 230) |
Female (N = 198) |
Transgender (N = 16) |
None of these (N = 23) |
Sample (N = 467) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
U.S. citizen or permanent resident (includes dual-citizenship) |
98.7% | 95.5% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 97.4% |
| Non-U.S. citizen with temporary visa | 1.3% | 4.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2.6% |
| Other non-U.S. citizen | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Academic Background
Students enter college with different backgrounds and educational experiences. This section provides information on REU Survey respondents’ computer science (CS) and math backgrounds prior to starting an undergraduate degree. First, a general summary is presented for the entire sample. Following these sample summary statistics is a table that breaks down the same information by gender.
Computer Science Background
In 2023, 464 survey participants provided information about their pre-college computer science experiences. Out of those, 57.8% (N = 268) indicated that they learned a computer programming language. On the other hand, few survey participants (18) reported that they took ap computer science ab.
Pre-college computer science experiences survey participants have been involved in.
| Learned a computer programming language | 57.8% | |
| Took other AP courses | 55.0% | |
| Engaged in software or hardware related projects | 35.1% | |
| Took AP Computer Science A | 27.8% | |
| Took dual enrollment courses | 27.2% | |
| Took part in student groups related to computing | 26.5% | |
| Took AP Computer Science Principles | 17.9% | |
| Completed an online course related to computing (e.g., MOOC) | 15.3% | |
| Attended a workshop or other training in computing (e.g., through your community center) | 13.6% | |
| None of the above | 12.9% | |
| Took AP Computer Science AB | 3.9% | |
| Source: Research Experiences for Undergraduates Survey (REU) 2023. Center for Evaluating the Research Pipeline. Computing Research Association. N = 464. | ||
Pre-college computer science experiences survey participants have been involved in broken down by gender.
|
Male (N = 227) |
Female (N = 199) |
Transgender (N = 16) |
None of these (N = 22) |
Sample (N = 464) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took AP Computer Science A | 29.5% | 23.6% | 31.2% | 45.5% | 27.8% |
| Took AP Computer Science Principles | 21.1% | 15.6% | 18.8% | 4.5% | 17.9% |
| Took AP Computer Science AB | 4.0% | 3.5% | 12.5% | 0.0% | 3.9% |
| Took other AP courses | 50.7% | 56.3% | 62.5% | 81.8% | 55.0% |
| Took dual enrollment courses | 26.4% | 26.1% | 37.5% | 36.4% | 27.2% |
| Learned a computer programming language | 61.7% | 51.3% | 75.0% | 63.6% | 57.8% |
|
Engaged in software or hardware related projects |
43.2% | 26.1% | 31.2% | 36.4% | 35.1% |
|
Took part in student groups related to computing |
27.8% | 24.1% | 12.5% | 45.5% | 26.5% |
|
Completed an online course related to computing (e.g., MOOC) |
18.1% | 12.1% | 25.0% | 9.1% | 15.3% |
|
Attended a workshop or other training in computing (e.g., through your community center) |
11.5% | 16.1% | 6.2% | 18.2% | 13.6% |
| None of the above | 13.7% | 12.6% | 18.8% | 4.5% | 12.9% |
Pre-College Mathematics Coursework
In 2023, 466 survey participants provided information about the pre-college math courses they had completed. Out of those, 92.7% (N = 432) indicated that they had completed Algebra I. On the other hand, few survey participants (9) indicated that they had not completed any of the math courses presented to them on the survey.
Pre-college math coursework survey participants have completed.
| Algebra I | 92.7% | |
| Algebra II | 89.3% | |
| Pre-calculus | 85.6% | |
| Calculus | 76.0% | |
| Trigonometry | 75.3% | |
| Statistics | 41.6% | |
| None of the above | 1.9% | |
| Source: Research Experiences for Undergraduates Survey (REU) 2023. Center for Evaluating the Research Pipeline. Computing Research Association. N = 466. | ||
Pre-college math courses survey participants have completed broken down by gender.
|
Male (N = 229) |
Female (N = 199) |
Transgender (N = 16) |
None of these (N = 22) |
Sample (N = 466) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algebra I | 92.6% | 93.0% | 81.2% | 100.0% | 92.7% |
| Algebra II | 88.6% | 89.4% | 81.2% | 100.0% | 89.3% |
| Trigonometry | 76.0% | 74.9% | 56.2% | 86.4% | 75.3% |
| Pre-calculus | 84.3% | 85.4% | 87.5% | 100.0% | 85.6% |
| Calculus | 74.7% | 77.4% | 75.0% | 77.3% | 76.0% |
| Statistics | 40.2% | 41.2% | 43.8% | 59.1% | 41.6% |
| None of the above | 1.3% | 2.5% | 6.2% | 0.0% | 1.9% |
College Activities
The REU Survey collects data on the types of activities respondents have participated in while enrolled in college. This section will present information on the types of activities survey participants have been involved in during college.
Teaching and Mentoring
Many college students participate in teaching and mentoring opportunities, from providing study support to teaching courses. In 2023, 464 survey respondents provided information about the types of teaching and mentoring activities they participated in during college. Many survey participants 47.1% (N = 217) indicated that they had mentored students. Few participants (50), however, reported having taught courses. The chart presented below shows the percent of survey participants indicating the types of teaching and mentoring activities they have participated in.
Teaching and mentoring activities survey participants have been involved in.
| Mentored students | 47.1% | |
| Received study support in computing | 45.5% | |
| Provided study support in computing | 43.4% | |
| Worked as a teaching assistant | 28.9% | |
| Taught courses | 10.8% | |
| Source: Research Experiences for Undergraduates Survey (REU) 2023. Center for Evaluating the Research Pipeline. Computing Research Association. N = 464. | ||
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
During college, some students choose to engage in entrepreneurial experiences outside of the classroom. The insights gained from these activities can help students make more informed choices regarding their professional paths. In 2023, 466 survey respondents provided information about the types of innovation and entrepreneurship activities activities they participated in during college. Many survey participants 75% (N = 348) indicated that they had engaged in independent computing projects. On the other hand, 14.5% of participants (67), reported engaging in entrepreneurial or consulting projects. The chart presented below shows the percent of survey participants indicating the types of entrepreneurial activities they have been invovled in thus far during their college careers.
Innovation and entrepreneurship activities survey participants have been involved in.
| Independent computing projects | 75.0% | |
| Computing-related contests | 44.0% | |
| Jobs related to computing (not as a TA or RA) | 27.6% | |
| Entrepreneurial or consulting projects | 14.5% | |
| Source: Research Experiences for Undergraduates Survey (REU) 2023. Center for Evaluating the Research Pipeline. Computing Research Association. N = 466. | ||
Student Groups
Student groups are an essential part of the college experience. Many students during their college careers become involved in student organizations and outreach efforts. In 2023, 466 survey respondents provided information about the types of activities they participated in during college. Many survey respondents 65.4% (N = 304) indicated that they had participanted in other student groups. Fewer participants (128), however, reported having been involved in outreach to k-12 students related to computing. The chart presented below shows the percent of survey participants indicating the types of student groups and community outreach efforts they have been involved in while enrolled in college.
Student groups and community outreach efforts survey participants have been involved in.
| Other student groups | 65.4% | |
| Computing-related student groups | 62.9% | |
| Involvement in efforts to broaden participation in computing | 43.3% | |
| Computing-related online social networking (listservs, etc.) | 28.0% | |
| Outreach to K-12 students related to computing | 27.5% | |
| Source: Research Experiences for Undergraduates Survey (REU) 2023. Center for Evaluating the Research Pipeline. Computing Research Association. N = 466. | ||
Trainings and Programs
The REU Survey also gathers information on the kinds of workshops and programs survey participants have been involved in during their college career. This final section presents information on the types of programs, trainings, and conferences survey participants have been involved in during college.
Trainings and Workshops
Attending professional development trainings and workshops,like conferences and summer institutes, are a great opportunity for college students to meet new people, gain exposure to new skills, meeting, and learn about career paths and opportunities. In 2023, 464 survey respondents provided information about the types of professional development trainings and workshops they participated in during college. Many survey participants (78.6%; N = 364) indicated that they had visited lectures related to computing. Few participants (114), however, reported having summer institutes or short courses related to computing (other than summer research programs). The chart presented below shows the percent of survey participants indicating the types of professional development workshops and trainings they have participated in thus far during their college careers.
Professional development activities survey participants have been involved in.
| Visited lectures related to computing | 78.6% | |
| Career mentoring programs or workshops | 48.2% | |
| Trainings or workshops in computing (other than conferences) | 36.8% | |
| Technical conferences related to computing | 31.9% | |
| Professional societies related to computing | 26.9% | |
| Summer institutes or short courses related to computing (other than summer research programs) | 24.6% | |
| Source: Research Experiences for Undergraduates Survey (REU) 2023. Center for Evaluating the Research Pipeline. Computing Research Association. N = 464. | ||
Diversity Programs and Conferences
A pursuit of broadening participation in computing is a core tenet upon which CERP was built. As a result, the REU Survey also gathered information on the types of computing diversity programs and conferences survey respondents had participated in thus far in their college careers. In 2023, 453 participants provided information about the kinds of diversity programs and conferences they had participated in. Out of those, 77.3% (N = 350) indicated that they had not been involved in any of the diversity-related programs or conferences presented to them on the survey. On the other hand, few survey participants (1) indicated that they had had participated in stars computing corps conference or workshops, or home team meetings. The chart below shows the percent of survey participants indicating the types of diversity-related computing conferences, workshops, and programs they had participated in thus far in their academic careers.
Diversity-related programs and conferences survey participants have been involved in.
| None of the above | 77.3% | |
| Local events related to diversity in computing | 13.0% | |
| Residential/Living Learning Community on campus | 9.1% | |
| Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing | 2.9% | |
| ACM Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing | 1.8% | |
| ACM Programming Languages Mentoring Workshops (PLMW) | 1.3% | |
| STARS Computing Corps conference or workshops, or home team meetings | 0.2% | |
| Source: Research Experiences for Undergraduates Survey (REU) 2023. Center for Evaluating the Research Pipeline. Computing Research Association. N = 453. | ||
About CERP and Acknowledgments
The Computing Research Association’s (CRA) Center for Evaluating the Research Pipeline (CERP) is a research and evaluation center whose mission is to promote diversity in computing. CERP serves as a resource for the computing community by supporting efforts to recruit and retain individuals considered underrepresented in computing or historically marginalized (i.e., women; people who are Black/African American, Hispanic/Latinx, Indigenous and First Nations, Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders; persons with disabilities; persons from low-income backgrounds; first generation college students; LGBTQIA+ individuals; and veterans). More generally, CERP strives to inform the computing community about patterns of entry, subjective experiences, persistence, and success among individuals involved in academic programs and careers related to computing.
CERP was created by the Committee on the Status of Women in Computing Research (CRA-W)/Coalition to Diversify Computing (CDC) Alliance through a United States National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to the Computing Research Association (CNS-1246649). CERP is currently supported through NSF cooperative agreement #2335072. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF.
For more information about CERP, visit https://cra.org/cerp/. You can reach CERP Staff at cerp@cra.org.
The REU Survey is currently supported through the U.S. National Science Foundation cooperative agreement #2335072. Previous support came from U.S. National Science Foundation contract (49100421C0010) and was approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB control number 3145-0265).
We want to thank all our survey respondents for participating in the REU Survey! Your data help NSF and the computing community better understand REU experiences and their impacts on students.
Suggested Citation
Center for Evaluating the Research Pipeline (2024). National Science Foundation Computer and Information Science and Engineering Research Experiences Survey 2023 Annual Report. Computing Research Association, Washington, D.C.
Downloads
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