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Research and Teaching Opportunities

Engineering Ambassadors

The Penn State Engineering Ambassadors is an outreach program providing opportunities for outstanding Penn State engineers to gain meaningful communication experiences both on and off campus. Ambassadors travel to high schools all over Pennsylvania to give short presentations on engineering topics to encourage the interest of these students in science and engineering careers. Ambassadors have many leadership opportunities and often give presentations and tours to prospective students and families, alumni and industry representatives.

To be eligible to participate, students must first enroll in a special section of Effective Speech, CAS 100A for Engineers (look for sections that are controlled for only engineering students). Students who perform well in this course will have the opportunity to apply to become an ambassador.

Undergraduate Teaching and Research Experiences

Undergraduate Teaching and Research Experiences in Engineering (UTREE) is a new organization dedicated to providing undergraduate students with teaching and research experiences in preparation for graduate school. UTREE students are undergraduates who have excelled in their technical and communication classes. UTREE students regularly go into undergraduate classrooms and teach classes on special topics such as making presentations and working in teams. UTREE students also run college-wide meetings on how to obtain and prepare for undergraduate research experiences.

Teaching Internships

Students are eligible to participate in an undergraduate teaching internship program during your senior year. If selected, students will be matched with a faculty mentor and assigned to work with him or her in the classroom. The workload is about 10 hours per week, and students will receive a stipend. The goals of this program are to improve communication skills, develop interest and firsthand experience in teaching, and develop a better understanding of basic concepts through teaching. Visit the Leonhard Center's website for more information.

Research Experiences for Undergraduates

There are a number of opportunities for undergraduate students to gain research experience outside of the University as well. The National Science Foundation keeps a database of Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) on its website.

ME Scholars Programs

The goal of these programs is to give undergraduate students the opportunity to conduct a long term research project. The Shuman Scholars program is for mechanical engineers and was initiated with a gift from Clyde W. Shuman Jr., a 1968 mechanical engineering graduate. Top sophomores are invited to apply to this program, which provides funding for students to complete research during their junior and senior years. 

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About

With more than 60 faculty members, 330 graduate students, and 1,000 undergraduate students, the Penn State Department of Mechanical Engineering embraces a culture that welcomes individuals with a diversity of backgrounds and expertise. Our faculty and students are innovating today what will impact tomorrow’s solutions to meeting our energy needs, homeland security, biomedical devices, and transportation systems. We offer B.S. degrees in mechanical engineering as well as resident (M.S., Ph.D.) and online (M.S.) graduate degrees in mechanical engineering. See how we’re inspiring change and impacting tomorrow at me.psu.edu.

Department of Mechanical Engineering

137 Reber Building

The Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA 16802-4400

Phone: 814-865-2519