The Summer Research Program at the Institute of Smart Systems and AI (ISSAI) is an immersive research experience designed to provide students from Kazakhstan and international universities with a practical understanding of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), programming, and related fields. This program offers a unique opportunity for students to expand their knowledge and skills in these cutting-edge technologies by working closely with ISSAI data scientists and researchers.
During the program, students are paired with a mentor from the ISSAI data science team who acts as a guide and advisor throughout their journey. This mentorship enables students to collaborate with experienced professionals and gain insights into real-world AI projects. By working on these projects, students can apply their theoretical knowledge to practical scenarios, develop their problem-solving abilities, and learn about the latest advancements in the field.
The Summer Research Program at ISSAI has attracted participants from esteemed universities in Kazakhstan and beyond. The program has welcomed students from institutions such as Kazakh British Technical University, Suleyman Demirel University, Eurasian National University, Yale University, Nazarbayev University, Stanford University, Astana IT University, Skolkovo Institute of Technology, Sharif University of Technology, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, and many others. Since its inception, the Program has received over 300 applications, out of which 40 students were selected. In 2023, the Program expanded its reach by admitting high-school students for a distinct Summer Research Program catered specifically to this age group.
The Program is conducted annually during the summer months. The application process typically commences around February-March each year. To be admitted, applicants must go through a selection process. The students with the best results and academic performance are then selected. The announcement of the application period and further updates regarding the program are typically communicated through the official ISSAI website and social media channels.
“I worked on a Kazakh Virtual Assistant for People with Visual Impairment project. My supervisor was Askat Kuzdeuov.My supervisor supported and guided me all the way through. We had weekly meetings to discuss and show the results of the assigned tasks. In general, whenever I had any questions regarding the tasks, I could send him a message or ask him in person. I am very grateful to my supervisor for that”.
Moldir Berkaliyeva, Nazarbayev University, SRP 2022 participant
“I was supervised by Madina. I worked on the task of person verification by regular image, thermal image, and voice. I deepened my knowledge of SOTA models in the area of NLP, as the main objective was to use transformers. Now I understand in more detail what’s going on and how it works from the inside.”
Assel Yermekova, Eurasian National University, SRP 2022 participant
“I think the SRP was very beneficial for me. I liked how well-organized everything was – regular meetings, clear tasks and deadlines, and the uniqueness of the project we worked on. My supervisor was Saida Mussakhojayeva. I worked on Multilingual Speech Recognition For Turkic Languages, and I eventually became a co-author of the research publication of this project.”
Kaisar Dauletbek, Nazarbayev University, SRP 2022
“Without any doubt, I’m more than happy about the results, especially, that I could finish all the work before the end of the SRP. Of course, I have gained skills that will serve me in my long-term professional career. During SRP I worked on a particle-based COVID-19 simulator under the guidance of Ms Aknur Karabay.”
Shyryn Ospanova, University of Pennsylvania, SRP 2021
“I have worked on WiFi-based localization and indoor navigation project under the supervision of Mr Mukhamet Nurpeiissov. I am really grateful to have had the opportunity to do the Program and have received so much value from what I learned. I have greatly enhanced my skills in programming with Python. Also, I learned how to efficiently implement Machine/Deep Learning models. Working with an ISSAI data scientist helped me to learn how to receive professional feedback”.
Aidar Myrzakhan, Nazarbayev University, SRP 2021
2022:
Moldir Berkaliyeva, Nazarbayev University
Zhandos Ayupov, Kazakh-British Technical University
Arman Bolatov, Nazarbayev University
Aidar Amangeldi, Nazarbayev University
Kaisar Dauletbek, Nazarbayev University
Yerzhaisang Taskali, Eurasian National University, Skolkovo Institute of Technology
Sofiya Alimukhambetova, Nazarbayev University
Ali Zhunis, Nazarbayev University
Nurkhan Laiyk, Nazarbayev University
Vadim Yezhov, Yale University
Assel Yermekova, Eurasian National University
Aidar Shakerimov, Nazarbayev University
2021:
Aidar Myrzakhan, Nazarbayev University
Islam Shintemirov, Nazarbayev University
Shyryn Ospanova, University of Pennsylvania
Yana Veitsman, American University in Bulgaria
Almas Alzhanov, Eurasian National University
Adilbek Karmanov, Suleyman Demirel University
Daniil Orel, Nazarbayev University
