Undergraduate Research Program
  • Percentage of 2022 graduating seniors who participated in research by graduation 25% 25%

About

The Undergraduate Research Program is a new initiative from the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science to develop first-in-class research opportunities that lead to undergraduates who are well-informed about engineering career opportunities in both academic and corporate settings.

UCLA Samueli boasts some of the world’s top researchers working at the forefront of technological innovation. In collaboration with multiple UCLA schools as well as universities around the globe, the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science is leading initiatives that have the potential to change our world.

URP has two programs – the academic year program and the summer program.

There are 8 peer advisors between UIP and URP. Get to know this year’s team of peer advisors here!

Get to know our amazing statistics from this Fall’s peer advising sessions by clicking on the link below!

Fall 2024 Peer Advising Data Flyer

Program Components

URP spans the academic year and consists of several workshops and activities.

  • Technical Presentation Lab
  • Poster Workshops
  • Undergraduate Research Week Poster Day
  • Professional Development Workshops and Industry Info-Sessions
  • End of Year Awards Reception

Program Benefits

  • Master various skills, including deciphering technical journal articles and communicating research findings.
  • Advising on securing paid research or industry positions.
  • Network with industry representatives in an intimate setting.
  • Be recognized for your research and receive an official certificate signed by the Dean.
  • Qualify for a $750 award for Best Poster and/or Best Presentation.

Peer Advising

Why Meet with Peer Advisors?
Meet the Team
Book a Peer Advising Appointment
Join Drop-In Advising Zoom
Click to access our Peer Advising Resource Guide!

Upcoming Events & Opportunities

Quarterly Research Fair

The Winter 2025 Research Fair will take place TBD. Please save the date and plan on bringing a physical copy of your CV/resume along with a shareable digital version. The dress code is casual. The labs in attendance are detailed in the Google forms. Please note that this opportunity is only for UCLA undergraduate engineering students. BruinCard or UCLA UID is required to check-in.

Winter 2025 Week 3 Research Opportunities

 

The Undergraduate Research Portal is where faculty labs post research opportunities, which is filled with all kinds of opportunities for all majors.  Access the research portal by logging onto MyUCLA. Watch this video to learn more.

ELFIN CubeSat Lab Recruitment
ELFIN CubeSat Lab is a research lab at UCLA that develops satellites and is looking for interns to start this winter quarter, primarily for the mechanical team. If you have experience in CAD, TVAC and plumbing, or thermal engineering, or any interest in space engineering at all, please apply here! More information and details about the roles we are recruiting for can be found at the same link.

UCSF Summer Research Training Program
The SRTP provides research opportunities in the biomedical and biological sciences for undergraduate students with the desire to pursue a PhD or MD/PhD. Students selected for summer research at UCSF spend up to ten weeks working with faculty members on research projects. Participants in the program take part in seminars, lectures, and social events, creating a cohesive and supportive community. At the end of the program, students give presentations of their research and get valuable feedback from students, postdocs, and faculty at UCSF. Applications are open now until February 1, 2025.

NIH SIP
The NIH SIP program is for college, graduate and professional students interested in exploring careers in research and healthcare. These are full-time research positions within one of the NIH Institutes and Centers (IC) in the NIH Intramural Research Program. Research groups are located on all NIH campuses, including the main campus in Bethesda, MD.

Summer interns work in a research groups directed by a Principal Investigator (PI). NIH SIP offers research opportunities in the biomedical, behavioral, and social sciences with opportunities to explore basic, translational, and clinical research. Students interested in biology, engineering, epidemiology, psychology, mathematics, chemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, nursing, physics, computer science, bioinformatics, and other health-related fields are invited to apply. Summer interns may not work in administrative offices or outside of the NIH IRP. Applications are open now until February 19, 2025.

UCSD SURF MSTP
MSTP-SURF is an 8-week summer program at UC San Diego designed for motivated undergraduate students from groups that have been shown by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to be underrepresented in health sciences on a national basis and who are interested in seeking future training in a combined M.D./Ph.D. program or an academically oriented career in medicine. Applications are open now until Friday, January 31, 2025.

Sloan Kettering – Engineering and Imaging Summer Program
Memorial Sloan Kettering and the Gerstner School of Biomedical Sciences are pleased to invite applications for the Engineering and Imaging Summer Program (EISP). EISP is designed to bring together undergraduate rising juniors and seniors interested in engineering, molecular imaging, and/or biomedicine for a summer research experience in labs at Memorial Sloan Kettering that are developing new technologies and techniques to solve fundamental problems in biology and to better understand, diagnose, and treat cancer. The 10-week program begins on June 2 and ends on August 8, 2025. Applications are open now until February 3, 2025.

2025 UM Frankel CVC Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship

The University of Michigan Samuel & Jean Frankel Cardiovascular Center (Frankel CVC) is offering a 10-week summer undergraduate research fellowship where students will be matched to a laboratory led by an Frankel CVC faculty member and participate in nationally recognized, basic science research in areas such as atherosclerosis, genetic cardiomyopathies, blood clotting disorders, cardiac arrhythmias, vascular biology, and heart failure.

Applicants can click here to apply OR visit our website to learn more.

HHMI and NSF Undergraduate Research Experience
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) and National Science Foundation (NSF) Undergraduate Research Experience is designed to give undergraduates a chance to conduct high impact research, develop academically and professionally working with PhD students and postdocs in the labs, and present their work through academic journals and conference presentations.

Professors Aydogan Ozcan (Electrical & Computer Engineering and Bioengineering
depts) and Dino Di Carlo (Bioengineering) develop cutting-edge platforms for
various global health applications, including deep learning microscopy, rapid
diagnosis of disease through microfluidics, air and water quality monitoring
through holography. Their many interdisciplinary projects are not only at the
forefront of academic research but have also produced technologies currently on
the market.

The program is looking for dozens of students (all years and majors) with
experience in biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, machine learning,
microfluidics, optics, image processing, app development, CAD, and more!

Students will conduct research throughout the 2024-2025 academic year (while
earning 194/199 credit), culminating in the spring quarter with an event where
they will present their projects to a general audience that may include local
high school students and UCLA professors.

You can upload your resume/CV directly through this questionnaire.

Summer Internship with the US Department of Energy
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Mickey Leland Energy Fellowship (MLEF) Program is a 10-week summer internship for undergraduate and master’s students in STEM majors. As an MLEF participant you will:
Complete a hands-on research project at one of DOE’s National Laboratories or DOE Headquarters.
Learn from our scientists and engineers how we are working to minimize the environmental and climate impacts of fossil fuels and industrial processes while working to achieve net-zero emissions.
Receive a weekly stipend. Travel and housing assistance is also available.
The MLEF Program may place students at one of several U.S. Department of Energy sites including but not limited to:

U.S. Department of Energy Headquarters
National Energy Technology Laboratory
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

The application deadline is January 21, 2025 at 11:59 PM. There will be several virtual info sessions from November 2024 through January 2025. Check out the MLEF website to register for an upcoming info session.

Join the URC Sciences Mailing List
Join the Undergraduate Research Center – Sciences mailing list to be notified of scholarships, programs, events, and other resources! We send out monthly newsletters and additional reminders for upcoming research-related opportunities.
Sign up here.

 

SWE: Pondering the PhD with PPG
Date: Wednesday, January 22
Time: 6-7 PM
Location: TBD

Join SWE@UCLA  as Katelyn Michael, PhD, shares her journey through academics and industry! Dr. Michael will reflect on her experiences as a PhD student in chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, detailing the drawbacks and advantages of pursuing a doctorate as well as her award-winning research. RSVP here. 

Interested in research?

Want to get involved in a research lab?

Come to our quarterly research fair!

This is an opportunity for students to network with participating labs from UCLA.

All majors are welcome!

Check out the flyer on this page for more details!

Publishing Research

The Undergraduate Research Program hosts many talented and bright scholars.

Click this link to see the journal publications of our students! 

Are you interested in publishing your research? Please visit the application website here!

Read Our Weekly URP Newsletter Here

Our weekly URP newsletter is packed with amazing information about research opportunities, resources, events, and more!

Research Resouces

Wondering How to Get into a Research Lab?

Looking to find a research lab and don’t know where to start? Our experienced Peer Advisors have crafted a guide to help you out. Click here to embark on your lab search!

Check out our YouTube! We have informational videos that will optimize your chances of getting into a research lab.

– Click here if you are interested in learning how to attend a research conference

– Click here if you are interested in learning how to apply to Grad school

Winter Student Organizations & Activities

WINTER 2024 SITE IS LIVE!! Click here to explore engineering orgs at UCLA.

This platform seeks to connect students, particularly first years and transfers, to engineering organizations. Check out the general Winter opportunities and specific Transfer opportunities to get involved! More information can be found here.

Career Center Advising
Drop-in Advising
(Virtual and In-person)

Visit the Career Center virtual drop-in room or come the Career Center in-person located at the Strathmore Building, 2nd floor. You will be able to get help with resume/cover letter reviews and job and internship questions.

Hours

Tuesday-Thursday
10:00am-2:00pm

Access Virtual Drop-In Sessions

Discover Types of Research

Finding a Lab

Explore these resources to find a lab that’s a good fit for you:

Getting Course Credit for Research

ENGR 24: Finding an Undergraduate Research Opportunity Seminar

ENGR 24 is a new course offered during Spring quarter designed to help engineering students secure their first research position! Take a look at the syllabus (S23) and infosession (W23) to learn more.

Additional Courses:

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP)

Currently looking for research, or already in a lab? The Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) is an umbrella program that scaffolds summer undergraduate research opportunities at UCLA Samueli Engineering, including Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU). SURP is a 10-week program and runs from June 24 to August 30 for Summer 2024.

If you are new to research and/or are interested in doing full time, in person, paid summer research, SURP could be a great fit for you! If you are interested in participating in the UCLA Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP), schedule a peer advising session with Solia or Ananya this quarter!

Visit this website for more information about the program.

Summer Research Opportunities

Contact Us

Drop by Boelter 6288 during our hours 9am-5pm to talk to one of our peer advisors about getting into research or feel free to contact us anytime at urp@seas.ucla.edu