Research Experience for Undergraduates

Promoting Undergraduate Research Experiences

Undergraduate summer research is an opportunity for CEMS students to experience working in a research environment and to develop a personal relationship with a faculty member. The CEMS Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) provides a stipend of $6,000 to the student to support full-time research effort over a summer period. This amount is paid $3,000 from a faculty grant or contract and $3,000 from the College Dean’s Office. Any undergraduate CEMS student is eligible to apply, although preference will be given to students in their sophomore or junior years. 

The proposed project must fit within the general research area of the faculty advisor. In this way, undergraduates have the opportunity and resources to pursue independent research as well as work closely with active faculty members who are leading scholars in their fields. Project ideas can be independently generated by the student or selected from research topics that have been described by faculty members. It is expected that faculty mentors will be on campus for the majority of the summer and available to mentor the student. 

The program is structured to reflect the application process and the execution of a program that would typically be funded by an external granting agency:

• Students are required to submit an application describing a specific research project to be completed under the direction of a faculty mentor;
• Applications are evaluated by a small panel of CEMS faculty, and the final decision is made by the Associate Dean for Research.

In many instances, results may be suitable for presentation at regional or national conferences and/or publication.

Eligibility

The CEMS Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates awards are open to all full-time CEMS undergraduates at the University of Vermont. Any CEMS faculty member may act as a student's mentor. The research conducted under the scholarship may be in any area of research coincident with the research interests of the CEMS faculty. These awards are intended to facilitate undergraduate research experiences that are over and above work normally conducted in the context of courses taken for academic credit. Mentored student research projects that are not associated with a for-credit course or with for-credit summer research are thus eligible for CEMS REU awards. The research may be on the same topic as a student’s honors thesis.

How to Apply

CEMS Summer 2026 REU Application Dates:

• Applications Open: Monday, January 19, 2026
• Applications Due: Monday, March 2, 2026

To Apply: Please read the Program Guidelines (linked below) for detailed instructions and then apply on Handshake for job #10625266 .

CEMS Summer REU Program Guidelines 2026 (PDF)

Application Cover Page 2026 (PDF)

The Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) in Civil and Environmental Engineering provides students with an opportunity to work directly with a CEE faculty and graduate students on a research project of mutual interest throughout the semester.

The program pays $600 for about 48 hours of work over the course of a semester, and REU student participants are expected to commit to about five hours per week to work on their research.

Process:

CEE students apply in the second week of the semester via Student Employment JobX using one of the following codes.

• NON – Work Study funds: 5061
• With Work Study Funds: 8931

Students are required to submit their resume, a brief 250-word description of the research they are interested in, and indicate if they have already spoken to a CEE faculty about their research interests. If they have not spoken to a CEE faculty, use the 250 words to describe two to three potential areas of research that interests them.

There are usually 10 to 15 REU spots available.

Examples of past REU projects in CEE:

• Studying Biofilm Mitigation Using Magnetic Nanoparticles
• Floodplain Habitat Modeling
• Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Compost
• Study of Tower Crane Collapse Failures
• Studying Brewery Wastewater Treatment Using Algae
• Metabolic Modeling of Medium-Chain Fatty Acid Production from Proteins

The Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) in Electrical and Biomedical Engineering provides students with an opportunity to work directly with a faculty member in the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) or Biomedical Engineering (BME) Programs on research projects.

The program pays $600 for about 48 hours of work over the course of a semester, and REU student participants are expected to commit to 4-5 hours per week to work on their research.

Process:

EE or BME students apply in the second week of the semester via Student Employment JobX. 

Students are required to submit their resume, a brief 250-word description of the research they are interested in, and indicate if they have already spoken to a faculty member in ECE or BME about their research interests. If they have not spoken to a faculty member, they should use the 250 words to describe two to three potential areas of research that interest them. Areas of research and information about specific labs can be found here.

Examples of Areas of Research for REU projects in ECE:

• Investigating new models for wireless communication channels
• Dynamic simulation of satellite swarms
• Real-time control of distribution grids with uncertain distributed energy resources
• Adaptive communication transceiver integrated circuit design using CMOS/SiGe technology
• Integrated circuit security with a self-destructing capability

Examples of Areas of Research for REU projects in BME:

• Decoding brain & eye signals during reading to predict comprehension
• Reliability of quantitative MRI measurements of cartilage in subjects with healthy limbs
• Nanotechnology for drug delivery and MRI contrast agents
• Enzyme-free biomaterial development of a wound dressing to prevent and treat biofilm infections
• Genome-scale metabolic modeling and experimental validation
• Development of dynamic computational models of the infant gut microbiome
• Protein engineering for cancer detection

Guideline for Undergraduate REU Applications

The Department of Mathematics and Statistics encourages mathematics and statistics juniors and seniors (as well as exceptional sophomores) in both the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences (CEMS) and College of Arts and Science (CAS) to apply for Academic Year REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) funding. This is a research opportunity for the student to work directly with a Math/Stat faculty member on a research project of mutual interest. The student can work for up to 4 hours per week, or up to $600 per semester. 

Application Deadlines

• August 15, for fall REU application
• January 1, for spring REU application

Payment rate: Students are paid at the University-designated hourly rate, which is $13.55/hour for spring 2022 and may be adjusted at later times. 

Application Process

1. The student needs to find a faculty advisor who can supervise their REU research. A good starting point is for the student to talk to their current or former professors about REU opportunities. The student can also visit the personal websites of the department’s faculty members and contact those whose research overlaps with their interests.
2. The student and their faculty advisor would identify a research project of mutual interest.
3. The advisor or the student then submits a one-page project proposal, together with the student’s resume, to the department Chairperson (or to the Statistics Program Director for Statistics faculty) for approval.
4. After the REU proposal is approved and the advisor/student notified, the student will go to the UVM Student Employment website (JobX) and apply to job position 9309. This step is needed for the student to formally get hired. Afterward, the student will be instructed by a department staff member to fill out relevant paperwork for payroll purposes. The student should not start work until all paperwork is processed. 

For CEMS students interested in summer REU, see the CEMS Summer REU application procedures. For CAS students interested in summer REU, contact the prospective faculty advisor regarding opportunities. 

REU students are expected to attend UVM’s Student Research Conference in each Spring and give a presentation on their work, if they would have done REU for a semester or more by the time of the conference. 

Examples of past REU projects in Math and Statistics

• Computational Modeling and Analysis of Thermodynamics
• Building Computer Verifiable Proofs of Theorems in Linear Algebra Using the Lean Theorem Prover
• Clifford Algebras and Higher Dimensional Ford Packings
• Elimination of spurious high-frequency artifacts in numerical modeling of distributed-feedback devices
• Improving convergence of an iteration algorithm for Hartree-Fock equations modeling Helium on graphene.
• Eigenvalue computation of large matrices and differential operators
• Measuring Stigma Associated with Mental Illness from Social Media Data
• Natural Language Processing features of Palliative Care Conversations

Process for Undergraduate CatCoder and REU Funding Applications

Deadlines: REU funds should be requested and approved by the first week of classes. CatCoder funding can be requested at any time during the academic year, or during the Summer if a Faculty member is available for project management.

Funding limits: REU funding is typically limited to $600/student/semester, including matching funds from the DO. Students cannot be funded on more than one project per semester. CatCoder funding limits are similar. Increased funding may be considered in special cases.

Payment mechanisms: Students are paid at the hourly rate of $13.25.

Application for funds: Both the student and advisor need to take action for approval and payment:

Advisor: The advisor needs to submit a project proposal to catcoders.org. The proposal should include a succinct project description, and indicate any specific students identified for the project. The CS Chair will communicate with the advisor to inform them of the approval decision for the project. Approved projects will receive a project ID.

Student: The student needs to apply for a REU or CatCoders position via JobX, using the following codes, and referencing the project ID for the project of their interest: 

• Catcoders:  9134
• REU:  4490

For approval of the student application, the Chair will work with advisors on approved projects as needed. Once the student application is approved, the student needs to work with Penni French to set up payment and hourly reporting.

Examples of past REU projects in Computer Science

• Algorithms for Differential Privacy in Data Analytics
• Case Studies in Duo for Differential Privacy
• Integrating Evolutionary Algorithms and Differentiable Physics
• Fully Homomorphic Encryption and Applications
• Enhancing Motivation to Quit Smoking

The Department of Mechanical Engineering is looking to offer a great opportunity for student interns to engage in research projects under the supervision of faculty in Mechanical Engineering (ME) and in teams typically with graduate students or other undergraduates. 

Overall work will include helping to design, create, and develop experiments or computational tools that lead to a new understanding in Mechanical Engineering. 

Please note: You must confirm with a faculty member that you will be working with them as their Research Assistant before applying. In your application, please be sure to indicate which faculty you have spoken with and which project you will be working on.

Job duties

• With mentoring by a Mechanical Engineering faculty supervisor or graduate student; candidates will gather research data based on their area of interest (per candidate's 250-word research document) and provide a final report at the end of each semester to their primary faculty supervisor.
• Undergraduate Research Assistants will conduct experimental or computational research based on the statement of research submitted outside a lab setting.
• Students will present work at UVM's Student Research Conference. 

Application

Applications for Research Experience for Undergraduates in ME will be reviewed on a rolling basis. 

• Students must set up in advance regular meetings with a faculty supervisor to review the status of the project. If a student requires work in a lab, they first have to take all the safety online training courses.

Qualifications:

• Prior job experience in any field with demonstrated self-direction
• A major in the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences

Desirable Skills:

• Experience working with lab equipment, fieldwork, or computational tools.
• Experience working in a team setting.
• Self-motivated and organized. 

Examples of past REU projects in Computer Science

• Modeling the spread of COVID-19 due to complex air flow
• Analyzing the Effects of Ligament Trauma and Reconstruction on Knee Joint Biomechanics
• Reliability of Quantitative MRI Measurements of Cartilage in Subjects with Healthy Limbs
• Properties of Polymer Nanocomposites

To apply to the Research Experience for Undergraduates in the Physics Department, please: 

• The application window is October 1-15 annually
• Complete the Application Form (PDF)
• Please attach a one-page project description (in your own words). Note that research involving human subjects requires Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval; please indicate if approval has been received or is in process.
• Please provide a one-page financial justification, listing all expenses.
• Materials should be submitted electronically to the Department of Physics Email: physics+REU@uvm.edu