Jane Street Capital has announced they are providing up to 40,000 dollars per year to Baruch College’s Research Experience for Undergraduates program, to help disadvantaged students work and study in research labs during their summers.

REU admits 12 undergraduate students every summer to do advanced research work in combinatorics, discrete probability, theoretical computer science and more. All while working with qualified experts in the same room with enthusiastic peers.

The National Science Foundation historically funded REU’s activities and made the success of the program possible. However, because the NSF was the program’s only sponsor, it was limited to admitting U.S. Citizens and permanent residents.

Now, with the yearly sponsorship from one of the world’s largest trading firms, Baruch’s math department will expand the program to international students.

Jane Street Capital has decided to donate to Baruch’s research students because of its interest in expanding math education. They have a history of hiring many young promising mathematicians, usually from top universities like MIT and Harvard, to work for their firm.

The company’s interest in supporting top CUNY students will recognize the program’s founders, Adam Sheffer and Pablo Soberón’s mission to expand math education to ambitious students.

Baruch’s REU recruits students to work as part of a faculty-led research team where they will collect and analyze data on research projects and participate in graduate school preparation courses. Additionally, students are expected to complete an independent research project supervised by a faculty mentor.

Selected students are expected to contribute 10 hours weekly in the fall and spring semesters and will be paid 2,240 dollars per 14-week semester.

While the program gives priority to psychology majors, others in the Weissman school are still encouraged to apply. The program receives hundreds of applicants, so having a minimum GPA of a B is required. Attention will also be given to other parts of a student’s application, like a narrative written piece detailing a student’s interest in the program and qualifications.

The four research areas students can work in are social cognition which examines the effects of mood states, developmental psychology on problem solving, clinical sleep and environmental psychology, personnel selection and employee assessment.

These four labs are each led by experienced professionals with doctorates in the field.

REU provides their participants with the space to develop their skills and be leading researchers in the world. The program also gives them exposure to get into the psychology and science industry by preparing them for graduate school and allowing them to network with industry professionals at conferences.