Research Opportunities
Research with MSE Faculty
Students who plan to attend graduate school should consider completing an undergraduate research project under the supervision of a faculty advisor.
Projects normally require at least one semester to complete, and the student is normally required to prepare oral and written reports that document and present their work.
Paid and unpaid opportunities in the department
What’s the process?
Review faculty’s research areas
Send a brief email to selected faculty with details about your interests
Attach an updated resume
Don’t be afraid to follow up!
Tips and Recommendations:
Be prepared! Read about the faculty's research before contacting him/her. View our People page.
Make sure your resume is updated and has no spelling errors
Keep your resume short and sweet, try not to go over a page. Only include relevant experiences. Hobbies are interesting, but not useful for a job application.
Need help with your resume? Go to the Career Development Center's Drop-In hours: https://careers.dasa.ncsu.edu/about/hours-appointments/
If you accept a position, do not keep interviewing for other positions. Only accept one!
Academic Credit:
To receive academic credit for the research project work, students must enroll in MSE 495 (1-6 credits). MSE 495 can count as an engineering elective toward your degree. Before enrolling in the course, you must submit the Research Authorization Form to Ms. Stone. It should be completed by you and your research advisor.
For MSE 495, typically 10/hrs per week or 150 hours total over the course of the semester are required, along with a written technical report and an oral presentation to the research group, in order to earn 3 credit hours. Before enrolling in the course, you should consult with Dr. Yingling to understand the requirements.
Note: You cannot get paid and receive credit in the same semester.
Engineer Your Experience (EYE)
Funding is available to support your participation in a wide range of experiences to enhance your education in the College of Engineering including but not limited to: Study Abroad, Alternative Spring Break trips, Professional Development Conferences/Webinars, Student Design Competitions, Technical Certifications, Developing Cultural Competence, Career & Leadership Programs and a whole lot more!
NC State Funding Sources
The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) offers a wide variety of support and resources for students doing research including funding, workshops, and events.
OUR Funding Opportunities:
Other Opportunities:
Grand Challenges Scholars Program (GCSP): includes paid research opportunities.
Women and Minority Engineering Programs (WMEP): The WMEP Summer Research Program (WMSRP) is a 10-week program designed to provide high-impact research experiences for undergraduate students.
External Funding
OUR has put together a shortlist of external funding sources.
InfoEd SPIN: SPIN allows you to search for funding opportunities, as well as set up custom email alerts for opportunities that meet your search criteria.
Fullbright Information
Eligibility: United States citizens who are currently enrolled in undergraduate or graduate degree programs are eligible to apply. All applicants enrolled in U.S institutions must apply through their home campuses. Find the Fulbright Program Adviser on your campus.
If you are an undergraduate student you would be eligible to apply in your senior year. If you are a graduate student you are eligible to apply to most countries as long as you will not have a Ph.D. degree on the application deadline.
Fulbright Information Sessions to learn more about this year-long international research or English teaching grant are offered through the State Department and supported by over 140 different countries worldwide. More information about the fellowship can be found at https://us.fulbrightonline.org/
Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) Program
Application review will begin on March 1 each year and decision notifications are made on a rolling basis.
What to expect:
10-week summer program beginning in the end of May and ending at the beginning of August
Approximately $5,000 - $6,000 stipend
On-campus housing and travel support
Sites and details are available at https://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/list_result.jsp?unitid=10006