Students at the University of Central Florida have numerous opportunities to work with faculty and graduate students pursuing research interests across various STEM disciplines. Though there are many ways to get involved in undergraduate research, the Office of Undergraduate Research provides a wealth of resources for exploring these enriching opportunities. We encourage you to explore the programs, workshops and nationally funded projects available at UCF. For more information about the Office of Undergraduate Research, visit their website or email them at our@ucf.edu.
Research Experience for Undergraduates in Computer Vision. The National Science Foundation (NSF) has designated the Center for Research in Computer Vision at the University of Central Florida (UCF) as a site for Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) in the area of Computer Vision for 2015-2017. The purpose of the REU is to encourage undergraduate students to pursue graduate school and research careers. UCF has continued to be an REU site in Computer Vision since the inception of REU by NSF in 1987.
NSF REU Site: Advanced Technologies in Hypersonic, Propulsive, Energetic and Reusable Platforms addresses challenges in next-generation modes of transportation and energy generation. Realizing planned platforms for advanced space travel and energy production can only be achieved through multidisciplinary research. This REU site will actively recruit and partner a diverse group of approximately eleven students each summer with leading faculty and graduate students at UCF. Together, these teams will advance the fundamental knowledge needed to overcome technical barriers limiting hypersonic flight. This REU is jointly hosted by the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and the Center for Advanced Turbomachinery and Energy Research.
NSF REU Site: Engineering and Nanoscience of Materials and Device Applications in Biotechnology and Medicine emphasizes hands-on research training in topics such as adoptive cancer immunotherapy and targeted nanoparticle cancer therapy, engineering of MEMs devices and body-on-a-chip systems for proteomics research, develop nanofibers for tissue engineering, engineer smart wound healing patches, and nanomanufacturing of tunable plasmonic sensors. The research will involve both experimental and theory based learning.
NSF REU Site: Unleashing the Light, Building the Future of Laser Technologies will expose 10 undergraduate students to ten weeks of research and other educational experiences in lasers, optics, and photonics. Ten internationally recognized faculty members at CREOL will serve as research mentors in this program. The students will have the opportunity to conduct their own research projects in state-of-the-art optics and photonics research laboratories, while being carefully mentored to transition from close supervision to relative independence.