Summer Conference on Applied Data Science
Advanced Technology for Intelligence Analysis
June 7 to July 30, 2027
Raleigh, NC
Program
LAS is recruiting faculty and industry researchers for SCADS 2027. Graduate students can also apply for this 8-week paid summer internship. Participants will work directly with government analysts on a data science research challenge.
The LAS Summer Conference on Applied Data Science (SCADS) is an annual immersive collaboration experience that combines data scientists, intelligence analysts, researchers and software engineers. Offering in-person workshops and sessions over an 8-week period, SCADS is designed to bring together interdisciplinary experts from academia, industry and government to address a data science research challenge. As participants work together to build on existing research, this program provides practical data science training, networking opportunities, and access to different perspectives.
Participants spend time learning about the problem domain and datasets, then collaborate in groups to focus on the problems most interesting to them. Groups present their research results at the end of the conference.
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to permeate many aspects of the intelligence community, particularly intelligence analysis workflows, more scrutiny is needed to ensure that AI is performing as intended. Also, due to the complexity of intelligence analysis tasks and the vastness of the data, the specifics of AI implementation are of primary concern.
Together, SCADS researchers will advance the development of trustworthy, efficient, and human-centered AI systems by strengthening how we build, evaluate, deploy, and understand them.
Resources
The SCADS 2027 document linked below outlines the research focus areas, research questions, and research goals.
Participants
Researchers whose interests intersect with problems posed by such challenges are invited to apply to attend SCADS. While not an exhaustive list, this could include research in:
- AI Evaluation (model testing, validation, and performance metrics)
- AI Implementation (model development, training, and deployment)
- Sensemaking for Complex Information (deriving meaning from complex data)
- Data Set Curation (creation, cleaning, or augmentation)
- AI Agent Development (development of AI agents to support intelligence community analytic tasks)
Faculty and Industry Applicants
Faculty researchers and industry professionals interested in participating in SCADS are invited to apply. We evaluate applications on a rolling basis, so we encourage early submission. The first-round deadline is November 29. Note: You must be signed in with a Google account to complete the application.
Are these positions open to international applicants?
No, applicants must be U.S. citizens to be eligible for the program.
Is a security clearance required for this position?
A security clearance is not required. The conference will be unclassified. Applicants with active clearances should note that status in their application.
What is required to apply?
Answers to the questions on the application form and a resume or CV. Applications missing any of these elements will be considered incomplete. Note: You must be signed in with a Google account to complete the application.
Student Applicants
Graduate students are invited to join us as paid Summer Research Scholars. Positions are full-time (40 hours/week). If needed, we provide support for local accommodations and travel. The student application will open in January 2027.
Are these positions open to international students?
No, applicants must be U.S. citizens to be eligible for the program.
Will this be considered a cross-enrollment at NC State University?
You will not be enrolled at NC State. Student Summer Scholars are considered temporary employees of NC State.
What support is provided?
Student Summer Scholars are expected to work 40 hours/week and will receive a competitive stipend of $11,500. Students who do not already live in the local area (within 35 miles of campus) are eligible for a stipend to support local accommodations and travel.
How many positions are available?
We anticipate hiring 6-12 students in total.
Is a security clearance required for this position?
A security clearance is not required. The conference will be unclassified. Applicants with active clearances should note that status in their application.
Am I eligible to apply?
Student applicants must be U.S. citizens and currently enrolled in a master’s or Ph.D. program. There are no requirements around coursework or specific degree programs. We welcome student applicants from all disciplines interested in participating in SCADS.
What is required to apply?
Answers to short-answer questions, a resume or CV, and contact information for one (1) reference. Your reference will complete a short questionnaire. Applications missing any of these elements will be considered incomplete. Note: You must be signed in with a Google account to complete the application.
What is the timeline once I have submitted my application?
The application deadline is January 29, 2027. Top applicants will be invited to a virtual interview.
How will mentorship be provided to students?
SCADS is a fast-paced, immersive, and collaborative environment. Students will work side by side with faculty, industry experts, and government staff.
Previous Work at SCADS
The grand challenge of SCADS 2022-2025 was to generate tailored daily reports for knowledge workers that capture information relevant to their individual interests. The U.S. intelligence community currently produces the President’s Daily Brief every morning summarizing national security information that the president needs to know. SCADS research aims to automate this process to scale from a single report for one person to continually updated reports tailored to the interests of tens of thousands of individuals. The content of tailored daily reports, also known as TLDRs, may be drawn from any number or variety of sources. TLDRs will be auto-generated using artificial intelligence and machine learning, user modeling, and information retrieval technologies and methods. From 2022 to 2025, SCADS conference participants focused on these issues related to the grand challenge:
- Conceptualizing the content, format, user interactions, and automated analysis of a TLDR
- Investigating ways to produce tailored summaries of information from a large-scale, continually-evolving multimodal dataset(s)
Contact
If you are interested in SCADS, please reach out or join our mailing list.
