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Undergraduate Research

ECE Undergraduate Research

In the ECE Department, we pride ourselves on connecting our undergraduate students with research opportunities as soon as they step foot inside of the building on the first day of college. At many other engineering colleges across the nation, such research opportunities exist only for faculty and doctoral students.

Through the ECE department’s “First Year Experience,” freshmen engage in hands-on, project-based activities while studying topics in electronics and computer engineering even in the very first semester. These courses foster a deeper learning and increased engagement among students. This not only gives our undergraduates an edge in deciding which career path is right for them – it provides them with the hands-on laboratory experience they need in order to take advantage of the many undergraduate research opportunities that are available to them.

How to Get Involved in Undergraduate Research

Undergraduate research opportunities for students include:

  • Nano Engineering Minor Option (NEMO)
    The NEMO program provides the structured curriculum, research opportunities, funding, and resources for undergraduate students to acquire additional skills that will broadly prepare them for professional and scientific careers in the 21st century.
  • Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)
    The University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering conducts a summer research program for undergraduate students. Research Experience for Undergraduates is designed to infuse qualified undergraduates with enthusiasm toward both graduate level education and a career in research. Participants will make important contributions to the college's ongoing research efforts.
  • Provost's Undergraduate Research Scholarship (PURS)
    The Provost's Undergraduate Research Scholarship Program provides talented UH juniors and seniors with the opportunity to participate in a research project under the direction of a UH faculty mentor. Scholarship recipients receive a $1,000 scholarship to conduct research for one semester.
  • Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF-UH)
    The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship provides funding for rising UH sophomores, juniors, and seniors to participate in a focused 10-week research experience under the direction of UH faculty.
  • Specific Research Opportunities
    Individual UH faculty are often looking for talented undergraduate students to participate in their ongoing research. The nature of these opportunities is typically defined by the individual faculty. More details regarding these opportunities may be obtained by directly contacting the faculty member.
  • Undergraduate Research Day
    Sponsored by the Office of Undergraduate Research and The Honors College, Undergraduate Research Day is an exciting event in which the research endeavors of the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) participants, and many other undergraduates who have conducted substantive research projects within the year, are showcased through poster, paper, and creative presentations.