Photos by David Crenshaw

Jartnip Pitayagulsarn, a freshman, makes notes on a biomedical project.

What better way to learn engineering than to just do it? With this concept in mind, the School of Engineering last summer sponsored its first Summer Research Program for Engineering Undergraduate Students, enabling them to get firsthand experience with research.
Faculty members announced research titles and students wrote competitive proposals. The 21 "fellows" chosen worked on real engineering projects funded by outside sponsors. Projects ranged from diamond diode research to intelligent machine architecture to analysis of tissue ablation using the Free Electron Laser. Students received $3,000 for the summer, plus $650 to help with housing costs. A poster session was held September 24 at the University Club to highlight student results.

Senior Jerry Tung discusses his summer research on "Dextrous Dipping for Intelligent Soft Arm Control."

"We believe that active participation in real engineering research is the best way to help students learn what engineering really is and to 'hook' them on life-long learning," says Tom Cruse, associate dean for research and graduate affairs and the H. Fort Flowers Professor of Mechanical Engineering. "Such an experience allows students to take classroom learning and apply it to important engineering problems. The effect on their motivation towards their studies is often remarkable."
The School wants the program to grow and involve more faculty, he adds. "We anticipate the program will spill over into the academic year and help us change the undergraduate educational program from a set of classroom experiences to a more effective integration of learning and practice."

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