Prospective Students
Interested in joining the Ujima S&P Research Lab? Please read everything on this page carefully before reaching out.
We're always excited to meet students who are passionate about our mission. Before reaching out, please read all of the information on this page carefully and follow any instructions provided — this applies to PhD applicants, master's students, undergraduates, and high school students alike.
This step matters more than you might think. Our work requires careful attention to detail, the ability to follow complex processes, and strong self-direction. How you approach contacting us is the first indication of how you'll approach your work with us.
Information about the PhD program and how to apply is publicly available through UC San Diego's Department of Computer Science & Engineering. We encourage prospective PhD students to seek it out — finding that information on your own is a reasonable and telling first step.
If you're interested in joining the lab as a research student at any level, please fill out our research interest form. Read it carefully and answer every question thoughtfully — incomplete or careless submissions will not be considered.
Research Interest Form →We are happy to support students in their academic and professional journeys, and that includes writing letters of recommendation. However, to write a meaningful letter, we need something to write about. Students must complete at least two successful quarters in the lab and make genuine contributions to their assigned project before a letter can be requested.
If part of your reason for joining is to eventually obtain a letter of recommendation, that's completely understandable — we won't hold that against you. What we do ask is that you plan accordingly. A letter written after two strong quarters of real contribution will serve you far better than one written without that foundation.