Research Programs for Undergraduates
For U-M Students
Summer Undergraduate Research in Engineering (SURE)
For U-M undergraduate students, SURE offers summer research internships to outstanding undergraduate students who have entered or completed their junior year by the time of their internship. Participants have the opportunity to conduct 10-12 weeks of full-time summer research with some of the country’s leading faculty in a wide range of engineering disciplines. The program provides opportunities for students to assess their interests and potential in pursuing research at the Masters or PhD level in graduate school. All participants must apply online through the SURE website. Accepted applicants from the University of Michigan receive guidance from a faculty advisor in a College of Engineering research facility, a stipend of $5,000, attend regular meetings and seminars, and submit an abstract or other designated assignment to showcase their summer research experience. Learn more about SURE.
Please note:
- Chemical Engineering does not require any additional documents other than a resume.
- Chemical Engineering faculty each develop their own processes for selecting candidates to join their labs. As such, faculty may contact candidates as part of their decision-making process.
Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP)
The Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) creates research partnerships between first and second year students, and faculty, research scientist, and staff from across the University of Michigan community. All schools and colleges are active participants in UROP,thereby providing a wealth of research topics from which a student can choose. Begun in 1988 with 14 student/faculty partnerships, today, approximately 1200 students and over 700 faculty researchers are engaged in research partnerships. Learn more about UROP.
For Undergrads At Other Universities
Summer Research Opportunity Program (SROP)
For non-U-M undergraduate students, SROP offers summer research internships to outstanding undergraduate students who have entered or completed their junior year by the time of their internship. Participants have the opportunity to conduct seven to eight weeks of full-time summer research with some of the country’s leading faculty in a wide range of engineering disciplines. The program provides opportunities for students to assess their interests and potential in pursuing research at the PhD level in graduate school. All participants must apply online through the SURE website. Accepted applicants receive guidance by a faculty advisor in a College of Engineering research facility, a stipend of $4,000, room and some board, travel allowance, GRE Test Prep, weekly seminars and workshops, produce a short YouTube video of their summer research project and/or experience, and potential attendance at a Big Ten CIC Research Symposium. Learn more about SROP.
For department information, contact Ms. Susan Hamlin, ChE Graduate Program Assistant, at hamlins@umich.edu.
SURE/SROP Projects
The application deadline is January 15th. We will contact you when the list has been updated with instructions for our internal ChE-specific selection process.
Projects by Researcher
Sharon Glotzer
More information about Professor Glotzer’s projects can be found at the Glotzer Research Group
Project Glotzer 1: Computational studies of self-assembly at the nanoscale
Assist in computational studies of molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulations to explore fundamental properties of self-assembly at the nanoscale. Projects are varied and students will be matched with researchers based on skills, interests and current timeline of the projects. Simulations are run on high performance computing clusters at UM and national resources such as NSF XSEDE. Students will learn to run simulations, analyze results and use a formal framework for managing data. Some knowledge of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics is helpful but not strictly required.
Research Mode: In person
Project Glotzer 2: Developing tools in Python for simulations, analyses and data management of soft matter simulationsAssist in the development of open-source software packages for nanoparticle and soft matter simulations in use by many research groups inside and outside of the University of Michigan. In this project, you will learn standard molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo particle simulation techniques and grow your professional software development skills. Software packages are written using Python, C++, so basic prior knowledge of at least one of these is required. Prior Python users will have the opportunity to learn C++ if they wish, and vice versa.Research
Mode: In person
Xiwen Gong
Project 1: Perovskite Solar Cell Fabrication
The project features fabrication of state-of-art perovskite solar modulus on glass substrates and plastic substrates. The aim is ultimately to make portable and wearable photovoltaic materials that have compatibility with future technologies. Device fabrication uses various techniques: chemical bath deposition, spin coating, and thermal evaporation. Meanwhile multiple characterization methods will be employed: PL, XPS, AFM, and SEM. Workload of 40 hours per week in the lab is required, i.e. 8 hours per day for each weekday.
Prerequisites: Wet lab experience
Research Mode: In person
Project 2: Stretchable photodiodes for future healthcare
This project aims to develop next-generation wearable photodiodes for biomedical imaging and biometric monitoring. We address the challenge of mechanical mismatch between our body and current rigid devices by designing and engineering materials from the molecular level to achieve intrinsic stretchability. The project includes but is not limited to QD synthesis, electro-optical characterization, device fabrication, data analysis. Previous experience in wet lab is strongly preferred. Workload of 40 hours per week in the lab is required, i.e. 8 hours per day for each weekday.
Prerequisites: Wet lab experience
Research Mode: In person
Project 3 : Intrinsically stretchable light emitting diode display and Wearable Blood Oxygen Monitor
The next generation of light-emitting diode (LED) display investigations are focused on making them intrinsically stretchable. Many applications can emerge from this property but how about wearability, we already have smartwatches, smartphones, and headphones in our daily use. We will be exploring which components (graphene, quantum dots, perovskite, nanowires) are appropriate to get the better efficiency, stretchability, and softness properties to elaborate this stretchable LED. This project will eventually develop stretchable near infrared (NIR) LEDs for blood oxygen monitoring applications. The student will participate and learn how to elaborate a stretchable LED, different characterization techniques, and test the mechanical properties. Students will work to design, optimize, and characterize stretchable LED devices and develop cutting edge technology. Also, students will participate in our weekly group meeting for group updates and new literature reviews.
Prerequisites: Wet lab experience
Research Mode: In person
Jovan Kamcev
Project 1: Understanding ion transport in charged polymer membranes
Charged polymer membranes are used in various applications for water purification (e.g., reverse osmosis, electrodialysis, etc.) and energy generation and storage (e.g., fuel cells, batteries, etc.). In these applications, the role of the membrane is to control the rates of transport of various species (e.g., ions, water, etc.). One avenue to improve these applications is to develop better performing membranes, and this would be facilitated by improved understanding of how the polymer structure impacts the transport properties of the membrane. In this project, the student will synthesize new polymer membranes and characterize their transport properties in an effort to make connections between the polymer structure and transport. Improved understanding of this issue will enable the rational design of new, high-performance membranes for water and energy applications.
Research Mode: In person
Joerg Lahann
Project Lahann 1: Multicompartmental Polymer Nanoparticles via Electrohydrodynamic Co-jetting
Nanoparticles are an attractive technological platform for a multitude of biomedical applications including drug delivery, tissue engineering, biosensing, and diagnostics. In the Lahann lab we fabricate multicompartmental particles via a process known as electrohydrodynamic co-jetting; we can incorporate multiple functionalities into these particles in a combinatorial fashion, allowing for the ability to produce a wide array of particles with diverse capabilities. We are looking for motivated and diligent students who would learn a variety of skills and work on various aspects of our projects, including manufacturing particles and post-fabrication processing, including chemical modifications. We are also looking for students who are interested in the testing of such particles in human cell lines.
Research mode: Hybrid
Project Lahann 2: Protein Nanoparticles for the Delivery of Gene Therapies and Small Molecule Therapeutics.
Current research in drug delivery attempts to address the delivery of multiple therapeutics with distinct pharmacokinetics, sustained release over a set period of time, and fabrication of novel nanoparticles as carriers for targeted delivery. Through electrohydrodynamic co-jetting, our group has thus far been able to display the fabrication of multi-compartmental, biodegradable protein nanoparticles capable of delivering both gene therapies. The undergraduate student will be involved in the manufacturing, as well as further processing, of the nanoparticles and the subsequent testing of their efficacy in vitro.
Research mode: Hybrid
Project Lahann 3: Liquid Crystal Directed Nanofiber Growth via CVP for Biological and Materials Applications
Using the techniques of CVD (chemical vapor deposition) and CVP (chemical vapor polymerization) we have developed a method for generating nanofiber films which adopt properties sympathetically from a liquid crystal (LC) substrate. These fibers display wide range of properties based on manufacturing conditions, LC species, and monomer selection. These systems are being actively developed for a variety of applications to include: cell and tissue engineering, electronic, optical, antifouling, adhesion, and antibiofouling. The student will learn how to set up and operate the CVD system to prepare samples and grow nanofibers. The student will also learn how to characterize surface chemistries, image nanostructures, and assess application functionality. With these main skills, the student will participate in a series of experiments to create fibers made of different materials. Characterization includes techniques such as Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Optical Microscopy, Ellipsometry, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The potential to learn cell handling and analysis techniques will also exist.
Research mode: Hybrid
Project Lahann 4: Surface-engineered Fibronectin Scaffolds for Cell, Tissue, and Organoid Research
The project investigates shear induced formation of highly aligned fibronectin scaffolds. This alignment allows cells to experience an environment very similar to the extracellular matric (ECM) of a natural environment. Within this project there are studies of the intrinsic properties of the engineered ECMs (eECMs), cell migration and growth, cell differentiation, tissue formation, and organoid development. Commercially available These substrates will be used to explore the effects of orientation, matrix porosity, mechanical properties, and chemical availability of cofactors. These results will enable us to understand the reasons behind the success of these eECMs in with differing manufacturing parameters and chemical modifications. Additionally, matrices will be characterized by FTIR, optical spectroscopies, optical imaging, mechanical testing, and through laser scanning confocal microscopy. Applications are mostly biomedical- tissue engineering, cancer stem cell culture, hESC and iPSC culture. The student will be responsible for the production and characterization of matrices and the subsequent interactions with cells. They will get hands-on experience in the techniques listed above and will familiarize themselves with the chemical and biochemical aspects of the research question. They will gain knowledge of basic biopolymer chemistry and cell biology and will be able to hone their understanding further by interacting with graduate students, collaborators and by taking part in group meetings.
Research mode: Hybrid
Project Lahann 5: Surface Engineering for Biomedical and Materials Applications
Biomolecular interactions with synthetic surfaces are important in diverse biomedical fields including medical device implants, microfluidic sensors, marine fouling, and tissue engineering. In the past, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) polymerization has been used to fabricate thin polymer films with robust mechanical and physical properties. The impact of CVD surface properties on biomolecular interactions will be assessed via a myriad of techniques such as ellipsometry, contact angle measurements, and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The student will be involved in all aspects of experiments from fabrication to characterization to data analysis. They will also participate in weekly research group meetings if their schedule permits it and will have the opportunity to work with senior graduate students.
Research mode: Hybrid
Project Lahann 6: Area-Selective Surface Manipulation via Chemical Vapor Deposition Polymerization
In this project, a sterically hindered polymer precursor is activated and deposited in its monomeric form by way of Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) and polymerized on the substrate surface. The study is being undertaken to understand the selective property of the reactive species on two conventional electronics substrates based on processing conditions. The ultimate goal of this work is to provide additional mechanistic knowledge which can be applied to the controlled deposition into specific geometries. Applications to be considered are area selective deposition for the following areas: microchip manufacturing, lab-on-a-chip, nano- and micro-patterned surfaces, surface polymer trapping, and layer-by-layer surface manufacture using polymeric systems. The students will get to know the basics and gain experiences in chemical vapor deposition and surface characterizations, involving FTIR, XPS, Ellipsometry, AFM, and SEM.
Research mode: Hybrid
Ronald Larson
Project Larson 1 – Polyelectrolyte Simulations
Polyelectrolytes (PEs) widely exist in life, such as DNA/RNA, and they have many applications in fields such as drug delivery, sewage treatment. However, we do not understand most of the aspects of how PE molecules behave, not only because there are too many variables controlling the PE phenomena, but also PE system is strongly correlated due to electrostatic interaction, dipole-dipole interaction, hydrogen bonding, and so on. Here we are interested in understanding the fundamentals of PE complexes using via all-atom or coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. The project will involve learning the molecular dynamics software package GROMACS, and directly simulating complex formation by oppositely charged polyelectrolytes. The results will be compared to experiments and theory.
Research mode: In person or remote
Project Larson 2 – Polyelectrolyte phase behavior and rheology
Polyelectrolytes (PEs) widely exist in life, such as DNA/RNA, and they have many applications in fields such as drug delivery, underwater adhesives, food additives and others. When polyelectrolytes of opposite charge are mixed, they form complexes or “coacervates” with unusual flow properties, including high viscosity and gel-like structure important for their applications, and important in the structure of biological cells. The project is to mix well-defined polyelectrolyte and measure their properties experimentally, especially their flow properties using a mechanical rheometer. The work will be guided by a Ph.D. student and will train the student not only in polyelectrolyte physics and technology, but also in the measurement of properties of viscous solutions and gels.
Research mode: In person
Andrej Lenert
Project Lenert 1: Multicomponent aerogels for solar thermal applications
Silica aerogels are an exciting alternative to conventional solar thermal collectors for use in concentrated solar power. They are one of the most thermally-insulating materials and they can also be optically transparent. Our goal is to develop a facile synthesis procedure that improves their properties by coating them with a second material: one that is capable of suppressing infrared radiative losses while also maintaining high optical transparency. This project will provide experience in wet lab chemistry and material characterization, and also provide knowledge in conductive and radiative heat transfer.
Research mode: In person
Michael Solomon
Project Solomon 1: Physical characterization of bacterial biofilms
To survive in the many environments they inhabit, bacteria may grow in communities in which individual organisms are embedded in a polysaccharide matrix. Biofilms are examples of such communities. Biofilms adhere to a variety of surfaces, including substrates relevant to human health, such as catheters. Confocal microscopy is a tool widely used in microbiological research because it can resolve multiple fluorescence emissions in three dimensions. Our aim here is for students to apply microscopy methods to characterize the microstructure of bacterial biofilms and aggregates. Students participating in the project will receive training in microscopy, computer image processing, and bacterial communities. This unique combination of research in soft matter/complex fluids and microbiology will provide students with a strong foundation from which to pursue subsequent research experiences and graduate training.
Research mode: In person
Greg Thurber
Project Thurber 1: Simulations of Clinical Antibody Distribution in Human Tumors using COMSOL
Cancer therapeutics must efficiently distribute to cancer cells within a tumor in order to be effective, and for many advanced therapies like antibody drug conjugates, this can be the limiting step in efficacy. Drugs with significant delivery issues can exhibit counter-intuitive trends, where the most effective drugs in early screening tests may ultimately be less effective in humans. Alarmingly, this can lead to effective drugs being discarded during drug development and ineffective drugs being carried through to clinical trials. In the Thurber lab, we combine molecular imaging of drugs with computational modeling to identify the drug properties that make them susceptible to delivery limitations. We then use these simulations to design, build, and test the efficacy of next-generation therapeutics to overcome these challenges. While the simulations accurately predict the distribution and efficacy of drugs in preclinical models of cancer, human tumors can exhibit different properties than animal models (e.g. a mouse tumor) based on their structure. This project will use COMSOL to simulate the distribution of antibody-drug conjugates in human tumors based on clinical images and established mouse-modeling equations. The results will be compared with clinical measurements of antibody distribution for validation. Ultimately, these simulations can be used to design new agents and identify dosing regimens that will be most effective in the clinic. The project can be conducted in a remote fashion, although hybrid or in-person formats would be available if conditions allow. Previous experience with COMSOL is recommended but not required.
Research Mode: Remote, Hybrid, In-person
Fei Wen
Project Wen 1: Engineering protein scaffold for biofuel production
Fuels produced from biomass represent a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels and have various environmental, economical, and societal benefits. The goal this project is to genetically engineer yeast cells for efficient conversion of biomass to biofuel, such as ethanol. We approach this goal from various perspectives, including improving biomass degradation via protein engineering and increasing biofuel production via metabolic engineering. As such, an ideal candidate should have a strong interest in learning biological/bioengineering principles. Students will learn recombinant DNA manipulation, protein production and detection, enzyme kinetic analysis, bioreactor and fermentation.
Research mode: In person or Hybrid
Project Wen 2: Engineering of therapeutic proteins for T-cell function modulation
T cells, an important type of immune cell, play critical roles in fighting pathogens. Their malfunction has been implicated in a wide range of diseases, including autoimmunity, allergy, cancer, and infectious diseases. The goal of this project is to engineer proteins via directed evolution and rational design approaches so that they can deliver desired instructions (molecular signals) to T cells for therapeutic purposes. This project involves culture of hybridoma and mammalian cell lines, library creation and screening, flow cytometric single cell analysis, and recombinant protein analysis in vitro.
Research mode: In person or Hybrid
