Undergraduate Research

The Biomechanical Environments Laboratory Undergraduate Research Program (BMEL-UGRP)

For undergraduates who want a serious research experience.

This program is intended to provide a structured environment that will help you:

  1. Gauge your interest in research as a career
  2. Develop skills and gain experience in relevant engineering disciplines
  3. Prepare for a graduate degree or career in biomedical research
  4. Prepare for a career in medical innovation, including EnMed

Undergraduates in the program (BMEL scholars) are typically mentored by a graduate student and work on any number of active research projects. During this research activity, students learn how to manage projects, how to become independent learners, how to employ engineering skills to solve problems, and how to work independently.

Eric Matthews (left) and Andrea Hernandez (right) present their undergraduate research at the LAUNCH Summer Symposium

Application Process

  1. Complete the online application
  2. Qualified applicants will be invited to a semi-formal interview
  3. Selected applicants enter the program during the Fall semester and continue until the end of the Spring semester

Program Components

  1. Scholars enroll in either 2 or 3 credit hours of research (491) for a letter grade OR are involved in an external program (USRG, ARS, ROE, URS, REU, etc…).
  2. Scholars spend at least 3 hours in the lab each week for each credit hour they register for; i.e. if registered for 2 credit hours, they spend 6+ hours in the lab each week, for 3 credit hours they spend 9+ hours per week. This does not include the time spent in meetings and seminars described below.
  3. Scholars participate in weekly meetings with their graduate mentor and the wider lab.
  4. Scholars complete weekly literature review assignments.
  5. Scholars attend a weekly BMEL-UGRP seminar where they learn about research, career options, graduate and professional school, and other research topics.
  6. Scholars will complete a technical presentation on their contributions to their project internally to lab personel at the end of the Fall semester.
  7. Scholars will present their work at Student Research Week in the following Spring semester.

Some scholars may be invited to return to the lab after two semesters in the program.

Apply Here

Fall 2024 – Spring 2025 Application Deadline: Friday , April 21

Wondering what current students have done in the lab?

Click to view recent posters presented by BMEL-UGRP scholars.