University of Nevada, Las Vegas
NSF REU Site: Smart Cities

Update 02/19/2026
The NSF ETAP site will be down Feb. 21-22. The application deadline will be extended 2 days to Feb 24.

Update 02/01/2026
The NSF ETAP application portal has been experiencing technical difficulties. There is an update scheduled for Friday 2/06. We will monitor the progress to determine if an extension is needed. Please try to be patient.

Update 01/12/2026
Spring 2026 academic year opportunities are available if you are in the Las Vegas area. Email smartcities@unlv.edu for details.

Update 12/15/2025
The application portal is now open!
For any specific questions or concerns, please contact us at smartcities@unlv.edu

Overview

Smart Cities are no longer a futuristic dream of science fiction writers but they are emerging as a reality in research labs, industry, and, increasingly, in everyday life. This REU Site project aims to educate and inspire undergraduate researchers to address the challenges of building intelligent, safe, and secure Smart Cities with a focus on mobility. The project will have broad impacts on both the participants and society by advancing research in this area and by expanding and strengthening the STEM pipeline by recruiting students from a diverse range of backgrounds. This project’s main goals are two-fold: to accelerate advances in Smart Cities and to point students toward research problems that are not only interesting but also critical to society as guided by their faculty mentors at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. These overarching goals are also synergistic with the Nevada-South Smart Community Vision with its stated goals of increasing public sector efficiency, facilitating economic growth, and improving citizen quality of life through mobility/transportation, livable communities, energy efficiency, and public safety. Through the project’s research and co-curricular activities, we aim not only to train undergraduate researchers in specific skills but also to broaden their world view and inspire them to engage in research that will solve the most challenging and critical problems facing us as a discipline and as a global community.

Smart Cities Program

• Stipend: $7000
• Air Travel Support: $650
• Housing on UNLV Campus
• Meal plan at the UNLV Dining Commons
• Eligibility: U.S. citizens, permanent residents or U.S. nationals