Undergraduate Research Opportunities
MITEI works with the MIT Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) to support the participation of undergraduates in energy research and to encourage undergraduate interest in the energy field. MITEI recruits for two types of UROPs, Summer Energy UROPs and Campus Sustainability UROPs.
The deadline to submit proposals for Summer 2012 energy UROP funding has been extended to April 2, 2012.
(Photos by Justin Knight)
How to find a UROP in Energy:
- Step 1. Figure out what fires you up. Solar energy? Transportation? Policy? Campus sustainability? Something else?
- Step 2a. See if there is a project opening for related research on the UROP website
- Step 2b. Find a professor at MIT who does work on this topic. Try looking through research profiles on your department website or on MITEI’s research page (click on the ‘faculty’ links)
- Step 3. Reach out to the professor to discuss a possible collaboration. The UROP site has helpful tips and advice to assist you in your search.
- Step 4. Write a proposal that details your research plan.
- Step 5. Submit your proposal to agraham@mit.edu no later than Friday March 9.
Student Projects
Yearly summaries of the UROPS, Interns, and their projects.
- Summer 2010 (pdf)
- Summer 2011 (pdf)
Summer Energy UROPs
The MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI) will support several full-time energy UROPs during Summer 2012. Undergraduate research topics may address any aspect of energy systems and related environmental challenges, such as energy sources and supply (solar, wind, geothermal, nuclear, fossil fuel, etc); conversion, storage and distribution; technology and use (transportations, buildings, etc); policy; efficiency and demand-side management; and campus energy management.
The MITEI UROP program includes organized networking opportunities for undergraduate students, graduate advisors, and faculty supervisors to connect with other energy researchers on campus. You will also have opportunities to present your work to other energy UROPs in an informal setting. Additionally, you may gain practical insight into the complex field of energy by connecting with a sponsoring company or donor.
Applications for summer 2012 Energy UROPs should include a brief proposal developed with a faculty mentor who will supervise your summer work.
If you have a faculty advisor in mind, please work together with him or her to develop a one to three page proposal which describes the context and scope of project, a tentative work plan, your role in the UROP, and what you hope to get out of the experience, both academically and personally.
If you do not have a faculty advisor in mind but would like to find a project, you can browse project openings on the UROP website, or you can look into what faculty are working on via the MITEI research website and contact them directly. The UROP website gives some great tips on how to get in touch with a professor about working with them.
Please submit your proposal to MITEI Education Office (agraham@mit.edu) no later than 12 noon on April 2, 2012. You may also wish to submit an online UROP application to be considered for Direct Funding through the UROP office, should your project not be among those funded by MITEI. Ideally, MITEI UROP funding decisions will be made before April 19th, which is the UROP office summer direct funding deadline.
MITEI UROP funding is provided by private donors and by members of the MIT Energy Initiative, including Founding Member BP, Founding Member Shell, and individual Affiliate Members with a particular interest in supporting undergraduate research. Project descriptions of the 29 undergraduate researchers who worked on projects during Summer 2011 can be viewed online.
Campus Sustainability UROPs
CS UROPs are offered in conjunction with the Environmental Programs Office and the Campus Energy Task Force and give undergraduates a chance to be involved in research while also contributing to programs that reduce the energy and resource footprint of the MIT campus. Funding is provided for students to work with both a faculty supervisor and an operations advisor on a project that examines energy use, energy production, water use, resource use, recycling, transportation or any of a variety of campus sustainability topics.
Current Campus Energy UROP opportunities: Check back soon for postings!
To Learn More
Send an email to agraham@mit.edu with a brief statement of interest and an up-to-date resume in order to be added to the recruitment list. Announcements of UROP openings are sent to this list as they become available.
Note: All UROP students are selected at the discretion of faculty or through a competitive recruitment process. Funding requests for established UROPs are considered on a rolling basis prior to the UROP deadline for supervisor/sponsored research funding.
MITEI UROP Contacts
Amanda Graham, Ph.D.
Director, MITEI Education Office
MIT Room E19-370K
617-253-8995
agraham@mit.edu
Payroll questions should be addressed to:
Patricia Connell
E19-334A, x3-6659
pconnell@mit.edu
UROP Approval
All MITEI UROP candidates must submit their proposals for approval through the UROP on-line proposal systems. For your convenience we are providing you with a link to this system here. Faculty who need to review and approve proposals can also access them here. MIT Kerberos certificates are required to execute this on-line process. Please contact the MITEI Education Office if you have any questions.
It is also strongly recommended that students carefully review the student employment requirements outlined at Getting Hired and Paid by MIT.
