The MIT EECS department launched SuperUROP in 2012 in response to students’ requests for a deeper undergraduate research experience. Since that time SuperUROP has expanded to other departments within the School of Engineering, including Aeronautics and Astronautics, Biological Engineering, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Chemical Engineering, and Nuclear Engineering.

Through SuperUROP, students participate in a year-long research experience and a complimentary course titled “Preparation for Undergraduate Research,” which covers a range of subjects, from selecting projects, entrepreneurship, and ethics in engineering.

Participating students are given access to facilities that would otherwise be open only to graduate students. SuperUROP students also receive a certificate in advanced undergraduate research with a designated focus area at the end of the year.

The unique relationship that SuperUROP students develop with faculty advisors and associated research groups, plus the connection with an industry mentor can help jumpstart participants toward graduate school, positions in industry, or initiating a startup company.

Visit the SuperUROP site for details.

In the summer, the Mathematics Department offers several UROP+ positions, which give MIT undergraduates an opportunity to work on a research project under the guidance of a graduate student mentor. UROP+ students will work full time for three months (June-August), meeting with their mentors individually for 1.5 hours twice a week (up to 50% of these discussions can be on Skype, if you or they or both are away); the schedule can be adjusted to the student’s and the mentor’s schedules.

Visit the Math website for details.

The Civil and Environmental Engineering department offers a mini-UROP program during IAP that is designed to offer first-year undergraduates a taste of the research conducted in CEE.

In the program, students work closely with either a grad student or postdoc on a research project in an in-depth lab experience over three weeks. At the end of the three weeks, mini-UROP participants present their research in “lightning” presentations to an audience of their peers and CEE community members. Many mini-UROPs have the opportunity to develop into full term UROPs in the spring. Projects range from designing a city on Mars to creating durable, eco-friendly concrete using recycled materials.

For more information, contact the CEE Academic Programs Office (APO) at cee-apo@mit.edu.

The new MIT Health and Life Sciences Collaborative (HEALS) is spurring innovative collaboration at the convergence of multiple disciplines to compact human health.

Highlights:

• HEALS UROP is a summer program supporting students for HEALS-aligned research.
• Offers community-building programming.
• Approved HEALS projects pay students $16/hr, up to $7,680 for summer.
• Applications with proposals due May 9.
• Approximately 40 students will be funded.
• UROPs run June 2 through September 1 (or any subset of this time).
• Can be in any School or the College, with any faculty member
• Fall and Spring UROPs will also be offered. 

How to apply:

• Option 1: Look for a project that’s posted on ELx.
• Option 2: Find a PI or lab you’re interested in working with and see if they have a    project available( or define a project together).
• Email the PI and express your interest.
• Include your resume and what interests you about their work/project.
• Ask if they would be willing to take you on as a UROP.
• Tell them you’re planning to apply for HEALS funding and that the deadline is May 9.

Apply by May 9 for a summer UROP. Application instructions are at urop.mit.edu. 

• Make sure you select HEALS as your sponsoring department on your UROP application.
• Please be sure that your proposal clearly states you are interested in HEALS Funding support

Questions?  Need Help?

• UROP Office: urop@mit.edu
• MIT HEALS: mit-heals@mit.edu