Undergraduate Programs
Sustainability Research: Research Experience for Undergraduates
DEADLINE TO APPLY: FEBRUARY 15, 2010
The purpose of the University of Pittsburgh’s REU program is to create an innovative research experience in sustainable design for a select group of undergraduate engineering students who have high potential to pursue graduate education.
The hallmark of U.S. engineering has always been the innovative design of new products and processes that are optimized to reflect performance and price requirements. Although engineering designers have focused on these two criteria for over a century, there is a growing recognition that the world’s resources are finite, but its population continues to increase. This has led to new criteria being added to the equation. Most prominent among these are the societal concerns of sustainability and, with it, stewardship over the environment. Our focus strives toward sustainability through the design of next-generation products and processes. To do this, we must appropriately educate the next generation of engineers and engineering leaders.
Our overall aims are to:
1. Teach undergraduate engineers to routinely incorporate sustainability as a design constraint;
2. Teach engineering undergraduates to work in research teams that progress from initial reliance on faculty and graduate student advisors to reliance on team members over the course of the program; and
3. Demonstrate to engineering undergraduates how their research impacts people and the planet.
To be eligible, a student must be :
- Pursuing a BS in any engineering or science department, and have a GPA of 3.0 or higher;
- Interested in pursuing a graduate degree;
- Interested in sustainable design; and
- Interested in an interdisciplinary and cross-cultural experience.
Program Highlights
Students will participate in a 12-week summer internship. Participants will be expected to work approximately 40 hours per week on their research projects. In addition, students will be required to participate in informal group meetings, brown bag sessions, and the research symposium which will be held during the last week of the program.
You will work in a team of 3-4 students.
Recommendations from University of Pittsburgh faculty are encouraged. Faculty can email recommendations to mbilec@pitt.edu
All participants will receive a monthly stipend. Participants will receive their stipends in three installments.
For additional information please contact: Melissa Bilec at mbilec@pitt.edu
2009 Student Recipients for the NSF REU Program:
City of Pittsburgh- LED Life Cycle Assesment
Douglas Hartley
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Melissa Bilec and Dr. Joe Marriott
Cassandra Jurgens
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Melissa Bilec and Dr. Joe Marriott
Eric Zatcoff
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Melissa Bilec and Dr. Joe Marriott
Life Cycle Inspired Chemical Design
James Cregg
Chemical Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Eric Beckman and Dr. Amy Landis
Michaelangelo Tabone
Chemical Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Eric Beckman and Dr. Amy Landis
Microbial Fuel Cells
Charles Covel
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Minhee Yun and David Sanchez
Jessica Gardner
Electrical and Computer Engineering
David Rounce
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Minhee Yun and David Sanchez
2008 Student Recipients for the NSF REU Program:
Development of Biofuels for Atmospheric Tempature Supply in Diesel Vehicles
Maura Koehle
Chemical & Petroleum Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Eugene Wagner (chemistry department)
Todd Moyle
Chemical & Petroleum Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Eugene Wagner (chemistry department)
East Liberty Development Project
James Ostendorf
School of Arts and Sciences
Advisors: Dr. Laura Schaefer, Dr. Melissa Bilec
Scott Streiner
Computer Engineering
Advisors: Dr. Laura Schaefer, Dr. Melissa Bilec
Wafa Koubaa
Chemical & Petroleum Engineering
Advisosr: Dr. Laura Schaefer
