Research Experiences for Undergraduate Engineering Students

National surveys in 2011 and 2012 showed a continuous decline in the number of U.S. students who move on to attend graduate school. In addition, there is a shortage of highly educated skilled workers in the manufacturing sector. The paper will describe program activities, student research projects, outcomes, and lessons learned from a summer research program for undergraduate engineering students. Students were recruited from colleges throughout the U.S. from disciplines such as mechanical, manufacturing, electrical, and biomedical engineering and computer science. Special effort was made to recruit students who had limited opportunities to participate in research on their home campuses or belonged to groups that are traditionally underrepresented in engineering and science. Program objectives were to help participants to understand the research process, to acquire laboratory skills, and to be well-positioned for graduate school and career success. Participants spent 10 weeks working on a research project with a mentor and a graduate student. Opinion survey data suggests that students enjoyed the program and learned from the research experience. Eleven out of 16 students who have graduated are currently attending graduate school, and eight papers have been published.