Google Summer of Code: Open source Community Sustainability Greenfield
Partner Programs / OREL + DevoWorm / OpenWorm / INCF
INCF Neurostars Project #7 | Othogonal Research and Education Lab and DevoWorm, led by Director Dr. Bradly Aliecea, have hosted Google Summer of Code cohorts since 2017, sponsored by the International Neuroinformatics Coordinating Facility (INCF) and the OpenWorm Foundation. Nearly 25 contributors have successfully completed the program, with OREL's associated Summer Cohort creating additional learning and professional development tracks for even more participants.
Projects have included computational modeling of C. elegans development using graph neural networks, agent-based models of open-source community sustainability, and VR tools for distributed research collaboration. Contributors work under the guidance of Dr. Bradly Alicea, with returning GSoC mentors Sarrah Bastawala, Mehul Arora, Jesse Parent leading professional development for the cohort.
Applications go through the Google Summer of Code process. Open to international applicants aged 18 and above enrolled in an accredited institution.
IMPORTANT: Final submissions must be submtted through GSoC to be eligble https://summerofcode.withgoogle.com/ , the form below is for pre-submission discussion for potential contributors or interested mentors.
More about the GSoC Partner Program and its history →
What you'll do
- Work on a defined open-source project in open source community, agent-based modeling, or research infrastructure
- Collaborate with mentors from OREL, DevoWorm, INCF, and the OpenWorm Foundation
- Participate in community bonding, regular progress reviews, and midterm/final evaluations
- Contribute code, documentation, and project repositories to the open-source community
- Join the OREL Summer Cohort professional development track alongside GSoC work
Who this is for
Students aged 18+ enrolled in an accredited university with software development experience and interest in computational biology, neuroscience modeling, or open-source research infrastructure. International applicants welcome — this program has a strong track record of international participation.
Details
- Duration 10–12 weeks (summer)
- Compensation Stipend through Google Summer of Code (if accepted)
- Location International (remote)
- Time commitment Full-time during GSoC period
- Level Undergraduate or graduate, age 18+
What past participants have done
Past contributors have produced published preprints and gone on to serve as GSoC mentors themselves in subsequent years.