Summer Research Program

Summer Research Program at the Institute of Smart Systems and Artificial Intelligence

About

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.

Dates

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.

Testimonials

“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

Summer Research Program alumni

2024:

Sanzhar Turganbek, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology

Amina Izbassar, University of Amsterdam

Kamronbek Mamaroziqov, New Uzbekistan University

Akzhan Oskelen, Korkyt Ata University

Yersayin Abadatdinuly, Korkyt Ata University

Tamerlan Makhmutov, Kazakhstan Branch of Moscow State University

Arman Alzhanov, Astana IT University

Artyom Ostrikov, Astana IT University

Abzal Nurgazy, Nazarbayev University

Aruzhan Nurmanova, Nazarbayev University

Arsen Balkishev, Nazarbayev University

Ardak Alipova, Nazarbayev University

Almubdi Mutaikhan, Nazarbayev University

Bauyrzhan Askarov, Nazarbayev University

Damir Kim, Nazarbayev University

Didar Kozhikov, Nazarbayev University

Kairat Makym, Nazarbayev University

Miras Zakaryanov, Nazarbayev University

Mirat Aubakirov, Nazarbayev University

Naziya Zhanabayeva, Nazarbayev University

Ruslan Tasmukhanov, Nazarbayev University

Yerulan Kongrat, Nazarbayev University

Zhalgas Bolatbayev, Nazarbayev University

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

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