REU Site: Engineering research in a liberal arts and entrepreneurship context

Welcome to the Union College REU Site information page! We will be providing ten undergraduates from two-year and four-year colleges with impactful engineering research experiences in biomedical, electrical, civil/environmental, mechanical, and materials engineering. Students will be mentored directly by Union College professors and participate in additional programming aimed at placing lab research within a liberal arts context while immersing participants in entrepreneurship training.

• Work directly with a Union faculty on an engineering research project.
• Be a part of a ten-student cohort that engages in various professional development activities.
• Learn how to place your lab research in wider contexts (e.g., societal impacts, applications, and potential commercialization).
• Competitive stipend ($5,600 for 8 weeks), on-campus housing, and additional funds for food.

• Aerogel Materials (Prof. Ann Anderson)

• Development of Shelf-stable Vaccines (Prof. Stephanie Curley)

• Soil and Water Remediation (Prof. Sara Denison)

• Electric Power Systems (Prof. Luke Dosiek)

• Turbulent Flow over Rough Surfaces (Prof. Ali Hamed)

• Radar Communication Systems and Signal Processing (Prof. Chandra Pappu)

• Sewage Detection in the Environment (Prof. Carolyn Rodak)

• Nanomaterials for Flexible Sensors (Prof. Yijing Stehle)

• 3D Printing Technologies (Prof. Tengteng Tang)

• 8-week immersive research experience at Union College in Schenectady, NY funded by NSF (grant abstract).
• The program is open to STEM undergraduate students at 2-year and 4-year colleges.
• The program starts on Monday 6/15/2026 and ends on Friday 8/7/2026.
• Students will receive a total $5,600 stipend for the 8-week program duration.
• Students will be housed on campus at no cost and provided with a weekly stipend for food.
• Students will work on one of the projects above supervised directly by a Union College faculty member.
• In addition to the research experience, students will participate in professional development activities such as crafting resumes, navigating job hunts, and pursuing scholarships/fellowships.
• Students will also work in teams to investigate the feasibility of commercializing a research idea through a customer-discovery-based entrepreneurship program.
• For additional details on the programming, including a typical weekly schedule, see this document.
• Funds are available to cover travel costs at the start and end of the program.
• To be eligible, students must be U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or U.S. permanent residents enrolled/continuing in STEM undergraduate programs.

• Apply through NSF ETAP gateway (Link).
• Application deadline: 2/15/2026. Applications after the deadline will also be considered until all spots are filled.
• Application materials:
  • Resume that includes cumulative GPA
  • Current transcript (unofficial transcripts are accepted)
  • Personal statement (maximum two pages) addressing 1) the applicant’s career plans/goals, 2) their motivation to participate in research, 3) their top four choices in research projects (from the above list), 4) their relevant experience and preparation for research, and 5) their interest in the planned professional development and entrepreneurship activities.
  • One letter of recommendation that addresses the applicant's preparedness for undergraduate research and their future career plans/goals.
• Students will be notified by late March 2026.

Prof. Hamed and Prof. Anderson will be holding information sessions on Zoom. For details of upcoming sessions, please email Prof. Ali Hamed at hameda@union.edu

If you have questions, please reach out to Prof. Hamed (hameda@union.edu) and/or Prof. Anderson (andersoa@union.edu).

Please feel free to distribute this flyer at your institution or to potential undergraduate applicants.