Dear Santa Clara University Faculty,

Full-time faculty members across all disciplines at Santa Clara University are invited to submit proposals for the Summer 2026 Responsible AI Undergraduate Research Program. This program supports undergraduate students working with faculty on research projects that address human-centered AI challenges, including fairness, transparency, safety, privacy, and accountability. The program welcomes interdisciplinary projects from a wide range of fields, including engineering, natural science, humanities, social sciences, business, law, education, healthcare, and related fields.

Student appointments should be roughly full-time and on the order of 8–10 weeks in duration during the summer quarter.

Proposals must be submitted by 5 PM on April 10, 2026. Proposal documents shall be submitted in a single .pdf file via e-mail to Dr. Yi Fang at yfang@scu.edu. An information session will be held on March 17 at 3:30 PM in Varsi Hall 222 as part of the AI+X community event, coordinated in partnership with Faculty Development.

Program Objectives

The Responsible AI Undergraduate Research Program aims to:

1. Provide undergraduate students with research experiences in Responsible AI across technical, social, ethical, legal, and organizational dimensions.
2. Cultivate student expertise in fairness, interpretability, safety, privacy, accountability, and human-centered approaches to AI.
3. Foster interdisciplinary research that integrates AI development with perspectives from humanities, business, law, education, and the social sciences.
4. Support faculty research and scholarship aligned with Santa Clara University’s mission of ethical, human-centered, and socially responsible innovation.
5. Prepare students for graduate study, professional practice, and leadership roles in the design, deployment, regulation, and oversight of trustworthy AI systems.

Funding Overview

The program is supported by the Responsible AI Fund in the School of Engineering, along with donor contributions. Available funding is expected to support multiple undergraduate researchers as Responsible AI Scholars during the summer of 2026.

Eligibility and Participation

• Proposals may be submitted by full-time Santa Clara University faculty from any department or research staff from Centers (including Markkula Center, Miller Center, and Ciocca Center), provided the project aligns with the goals of Responsible AI.
• A person may serve as Lead Advisor on only one proposal.
• Multiple faculty members from the same or different disciplines may jointly submit a proposal, with one designated as Lead Advisor.
• Each proposal must identify a specific undergraduate student.

Proposal Preparation Guidelines

Proposals must be submitted as a single PDF file and include:

• A 2-page project narrative
• A 1-page budget

Proposal Narrative Requirements

The narrative (maximum 2 pages) must include:

• Title
• Principal Investigator(s): name(s), department(s), and contact information
• Student Information: name, major, GPA, expected graduation year, and relevant experience or interests
• Project description and tangible deliverables
• Responsible AI Scope: a clear description of how the project addresses Responsible AI concerns, including one or more dimensions (Fairness, Interpretability, Safety, Privacy, Accountability) and/or related ethical, legal, societal, economic, or human-centered considerations
• Impact on Faculty Research or Scholarly Agenda
• Interdisciplinary Collaborations and/or Cost Sharing (if applicable)
• Summer Availability of Student and Faculty Advisor(s)
• Dissemination of Results (e.g., posters, policy briefs, reports, prototypes, publications, or public-facing artifacts)
• References (as appropriate)

Budget Guidelines

The proposal budget must not exceed one page and should include only student wages and benefits, as well as a compute budget (e.g., API credits) of up to $200. A standardized hourly wage rate will be provided by the program. Equipment, supplies, travel, faculty salary, graduate student support, and tuition or fees are not allowable expenses.

Proposers should note that, given the nature of this program, funds are intended to be used during the summer. Any unspent funds remaining as of October 1, 2026, will be returned.

Proposal Evaluation

Proposals will be evaluated by a review committee from various disciplines based on:

• Student academic preparation and potential
• Quality, feasibility, and rigor of the proposed research
• Clarity and depth of the Responsible AI contribution, interpreted broadly across technical and non-technical domains
• Strength of the faculty mentorship and supervision plan
• Potential for interdisciplinary learning and impact
• Alignment with the goals of the Responsible AI Initiative

For questions regarding the program, please contact the Director of Responsible AI program, Dr. Yi Fang, at yfang@scu.edu.

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