Undergraduate students can be a part of this excitement, gain invaluable experience and have fun at the same time! The ECE faculty welcomes and encourages undergraduate student participation in many research projects funded by industry and/or government agencies.

Undergraduate research is typically performed as volunteer work and it can start as early as the second semester of the sophomore year. Some of the research positions offer stipends for summer or for the whole year.

Senior Alan Rogers aligning a laser
in the photonics laboratory.

Faculty Advisor: M. Escuti

Senior Steven Novak pulling silicon wafers out of an oxidation furnace in the nanoelectronics facility.

Faculty advisor: V. Misra

Why is this experience important?

Undergraduate research is intended to provide an opportunity for the student to get involved in scientific research. This experience is especially helpful if a student is interested in graduate study towards an MS or PhD degree immediately after completing the undergraduate degree. Here is how the undergraduate research becomes helpful:

Senior Ann Lai testing the wireless biopotential recording system for recording electrocardiogram (ECG), electromyogram (EMG), or neural signals.

Faculty Advisor: M. Ghovanloo

When is a good time to start Undergraduate Research?

Typically, students apply for undergraduate research positions after they complete the first semester of the sophomore year. It is unlikely that a student will secure a position without completing any of the ECE courses. Furthermore, taking the introductory courses such as ECE200 and ECE206 help the students understand what electrical and computer engineers do in different specialization areas. This is key in identifying the right project for the student.

How can a student get involved in undergraduate research?

The undergraduate research positions are competitive; therefore, a good academic standing will be helpful. Most faculty will be very interested in discussing their research projects with you.

Make an appointment with the Coordinator for Undergraduate Research to talk about your technical interests and future career goals. The coordinator will identify a few members of the ECE faculty involved in the type of work you are interested in, and contact them on your behalf to find out if a position can be created for you. Before meeting with the coordinator, you are advised to review the faculty research page to identify faculty members who are interested in the same sort of work you want to do.

To make an appointment with the coordinator for undergraduate research, please contact:

Mehmet C. Ozturk, Professor
Electrical and Computer Engineering,
919.515.5245, e-mail:
mco@ncsu.edu

Additionally, NC State University at Raleigh, NC hosts a 10-week summer research program for undergraduates in Electrical and Computer Engineering, called ECE-REU. Under this program, rising seniors from other institutions work with faculty mentors and graduate students representing a variety of exciting research areas. The program encourages research projects that expose the students to different research paths in electrical and computer engineering.