As the Commonwealth’s flagship public research university, UMass Amherst is dedicated to educating the public, generating new knowledge, and applying discoveries to the betterment of society.
80% of our College of Engineering undergraduate students participate in experiential learning activities that often involve research work, including internships, student clubs, laboratory research and fieldwork, entrepreneurial experiences, and service-learning opportunities.
The College of Engineering alone is home to over 15 research centers and programs. And as part of the UMass Amherst community, you’ll have access to the more than 60 campus-based research centers and institutes covering a wide array of disciplines and specialties.
Participation in research can be a very rewarding component of an undergraduate engineering program. Motivated students can earn credit and satisfy some elective degree requirements by conducting independent study or thesis research with a supervising faculty member. Alternatively, students can be paid to conduct research, for example as part of a summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program at UMass or at another university.
Current REUs through the College of Engineering
- MURALS: Materials-focused Undergraduate Research Applied to the Life Sciences summer research experience for undergraduate students
- The Energy Transition Institute (ETI) is sponsoring an eight week long intensive research experiences for undergraduates—offering projects at the intersection of energy technology and social equity, in a wide range of disciplines from computer science and engineering through economics and history. Learn more about the ETI REU
Other Research Resources and Opportunities
- Integrating Geosciences and Engineering in the Arctic (IGEA) Program
- Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Undergraduate Research and Independent Study Topics
- Institute for Applied Life Sciences Centers
- UMass Office of Undergraduate Research & Studies
- The Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP)
National Resources
Rising Researcher Award
The Rising Researcher award recognizes exceptional accomplishments of UMass Amherst undergraduate students who excel in research, scholarship, and creative activity—and our students frequently make the list.
