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SDSC Research Data Services internships provide real-world applications for data science and research skills. Credit: Steven Yeu

A promising frontier is emerging where computing meets biomedical research. At the University of California San Diego School of Computing, Information and Data Sciences, the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) Research Data Services (RDS) Division often collaborates with campus partners such as the Shiley-Marcos Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC) to advance this intersection. Funded by the National Institute on Aging, the ADRC is dedicated to understanding the causes, clinical features and treatments of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias — efforts that increasingly rely on advanced computational tools, data management and analytics.

Through ADRC-affiliated programs, including research education, volunteer opportunities, and mentored internships, students engage with long-term studies and data-driven investigations into memory and neurodegenerative disorders. These experiences complement SDSC RDS internships by providing real-world applications for data science and research skills in pressing biomedical contexts. Programs like ADRC’s Research Education Component prepare future Alzheimer’s researchers with both scientific foundation and translational expertise.

SDSC RDS Interns Supercharge ADRC Database

A standout partnership between SDSC RDS and the ADRC demonstrates how student innovation drives real impact. RDS student developers recently created TRAC (Tracking, Recruitment and Consents), which is a custom database web application that transforms ADRC operations. The platform streamlines participant tracking, consent management and study oversight — bringing new efficiency and collaboration to a program once reliant on manual systems.

For RDS interns, TRAC has been equally transformative.

“The UC San Diego ADRC is sharing the code for TRAC with other centers in the national ADRC program so they can build similar applications to optimize workflows,” said Jenny Nguyen, SDSC RDS intern program manager. “One of our interns learned an entirely new programming language for TRAC, which led directly to a summer internship and a full-time job offer after graduation.”

SDSC RDS internships immerse students in roles such as developers, business analysts and project managers. Interns gain experience in programming, agile practices, application development and team collaboration — skills that translate seamlessly into careers in technology and research.

Nguyen credits the program’s success to a blend of mentorship and hands-on learning: “Our goal is to equip students with both technical skills and the confidence to excel after graduation.”

She said that many alumni now work at organizations such as Google, AWS and Microsoft, building on the foundation they developed at SDSC RDS.

The program will be accepting applications for Summer 2026 in May. Learn more on the SDSC RDS Internship website.