Purdue Undergraduate Research Programs

Alice M. and David A. Caputo Award for C-SPAN Archives Research

Program Website | centerforcspan@purdue.edu 

Program Term: Fall, Spring
Program Category: Social Science | STEM
Program Location: West Lafayette
Student Location: West Lafayette
Mentor Location: West Lafayette
Compensation/Credit: Scholarship: $2,000
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Agriculture | Education | Engineering | HHS | Liberal Arts | Pharmacy | Science | Vet Medicine | JMHC | Polytechnic
Program Deadline: April 1

The Center for C-SPAN Scholarship & Engagement (CCSE) is calling for research paper proposals that use C-SPAN Video Library content including video, audio, text, or indexes to conduct original research in the social sciences. Submit completed research proposals Robert Browning, Faculty Director at rxb@purdue.edu.

Anvil REU

Program Website | anvil@purdue.edu 

Program Term: Fall | Spring
Program Category: Creative
Program Location: West Lafayette
Student Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis | Non-Purdue
Mentor Location: West Lafayette
Compensation/Credit: Wage: $600 (Bi-weekly)
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Agriculture | Education | Engineering | HHS | Liberal Arts | Pharmacy | Science | Vet Medicine | JMHC | Polytechnic
Program Deadline: February (for summer)

The Anvil Research Experiences for Undergraduates program is part of the Rosen Center for Advanced Computing CI-STEP student program to provide work opportunities and real workplace experience that enhance the students education through the development of professional skills, responsibilities, habits, attitudes, self-confidence, and self-development.

Benefits: On-campus housing provided | Travel to a professional conference | Training

Biochemistry REU

Program Website

Program Term: Summer
Program Category: STEM
Program Location: West Lafayette
Student Location: Non-Purdue
Mentor Location: West Lafayette
Compensation/Credit: Not Specified
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Agriculture | Science
Program Deadline: February (for summer)

This National Science Foundation-sponsored program provides advanced training in the manipulation and analysis of proteins for undergraduate students. It facilitates deep understanding of experimental laboratory research, insights into protein biochemistry, and contemplation of the broader context of research. A wide range of student research projects mentored by faculty in the Department of Biochemistry is available.

Benefits: On-campus housing provided

CISTAR (Center for Innovative and Strategic Transformation of Alkane Resources)

Program Website | cistar@purdue.edu

Program Term: Summer
Program Category: STEM
Program Location: West Lafayette
Student Location: West Lafayette
Mentor Location: West Lafayette
Compensation/Credit: Stipend $6,000
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Engineering | Science
Program Deadline: No deadline, applications accepted on a rolling basis beginnign on Dec. 1

Research Experience and Mentoring Program (REM) is a unique opportunity for undergraduate students to participate in a research experience with CISTARand as a mentor at one of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) Summer Engineering Experience for Kids (SEEK) camps all in the same summer.

Benefits: On-campus housing provided | Travel allowance to research location | Travel to a professional conference

DUIRI (Discovery Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Research Internships)

Program Website | duristudent@purdue.edu 

Program Term: Fall | Spring | Summer
Program Category: Humanities | Social Science | STEM
Program Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis
Student Location: West Lafayette 
Mentor Location: West Lafayette
Compensation/Credit: Fellowship: $1000 (in summer, students also receive $4500 for the duration of the program)
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Agriculture | Education | Engineering | HHS | Liberal Arts | Pharmacy | Science | Vet Med | DSB | JMHC | Polytechnic
Program Deadline: June for fall, October for Spring, February for summer

The Discovery Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Research Internship (DUIRI) program is designed to involve Purdue undergraduates in the interdisciplinary research environment of the Discovery Park District. The program provides opportunities for students to work with researchers on cutting edge research projects that involve combining two or more disciplinary strengths. Working closely with researchers, students experience the excitement, challenge, and power of truly interdisciplinary research in the fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.

Mechanical Engineering Scholarships & Information

Program Website | meprojects@purdue.edu 

Program Term: Fall, Spring
Program Category: STEM
Program Location: West Lafayette
Student Location: West Lafayette
Mentor Location: West Lafayette
Compensation/Credit: Optional: 3 Credits
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Engineering
Program Deadline: Mid-semester in both fall and spring

"The Bottomley Research Scholarships were created to encourage undergraduate mechanical engineering students to participate in research projects, and ultimately pursue graduate education opportunities. The Bottomley Research Scholarship provides a $1,000 tuition-based scholarship for the undergraduate student and $500 for the faculty member to use to fund part of the research. There are typically 15 or more Bottomley Research Scholarships each year.

IoT4Ag REU (Purdue University)

Program Website | iot4ag@seas.upenn.edu 

Program Term: Summer
Program Category: STEM
Program Location: West Lafayette | Non-Purdue
Student Location: West Lafayette | Non-Purdue
Mentor Location: West Lafayette
Compensation/Credit: Not specified
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Agriculture | Engineering
Program Deadline: February (for summer)

This program is designed to give undergraduate students the opportunity to work with scientists on cutting-edge research to address the societal grand challenge of food, energy, and water security by advancing technologies that increase crop production, while minimizing the use of energy and water resources and the impact of agricultural practices on the environment. Projects will focus on the creation of internet of things (IoT) technologies from sensors, robotics, and energy and communication devices to data-driven models constrained by plant physiology, soil, weather, management practices, and socio-economics.

Krenicki Center for Business Analytics & Machine Learning

Program Website | krenickicenter@purdue.edu 

Program Term: Fall | Spring | Summer
Program Category: STEM | Business Case Study
Program Location: West Lafayette | Virtual
Student Location: West Lafayette
Mentor Location: West Lafayette
Compensation/Credit: Wage: $15.00 (hourly)
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Agriculture | Engineering
Program Deadline: No deadline, applications accepted on a rollig basis

The Krenicki Center for Business Analytics and Machine Learning creates an ecosystem where our industry partners, faculty, and students mutually benefit. Our industry friendly engagement models facilitate collaboration and excellence at scale. Collaborating with faculty, students and corporate partners, the Krenicki Center for Business Analytics and Machine Learning enhances research and dissemination of state-of-the-art analytical techniques and information technologies to utilize the vast amounts of data available today in order to deliver actionable insights into business decision making.

Benefits: Training

SPIRaL (Student Partners for Information Research and Literacy)

Program Website | rfundato@purdue.edu 

Program Term: Fall | Spring
Program Category: Social Science
Program Location: West Lafayette | Virtual
Student Location: West Lafayette
Mentor Location: West Lafayette
Compensation/Credit: All students: 3 credits
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Agriculture | Education | Engineering | HHS | Liberal Arts | Pharmacy | Science | Vet Med | DSB | JMHC | Polytechnic
Program Deadline: Application opens in February and closes at the end of March

Information is often used to confuse and disempower individuals and communities, threatening democracy around the world. It is of vital importance to society that individuals are able to navigate today’s algorithmically mediated information environment, which exacerbates the spread and the harms of mis and disinformation. SPIRaL researches the role information literacy may play in addressing these information challenges that impact society.

Benefits: Travel to a professional conference | Training

SROP (Summer Research Opportunities Program)

Program Website | otorresl@purdue.edu 

Program Term: Summer
Program Category: STEM
Program Location: West Lafayette
Student Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis | Non-Purdue
Mentor Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis
Compensation/Credit: Stipend: $4,500
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Agriculture | Education | Engineering | HHS | Liberal Arts | Pharmacy | Science | Vet Med | DSB | Polytechnic
Program Deadline: Application opens in November, closes in March

The Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP) is a pathway to graduate education at Purdue University. This program is designed to provide equal access and opportunities by preparing students for their graduate studies by offering eight-weeks intensive research experiences, and resources that contributes to student's professional and academic growth. The program is open to participants from all disciplines.

Benefits: On-campus housing provided | Travel allowance to research location

Summer College of Agriculture Research Fellowship (SCARF)

Program Website | cate@purdue.edu 

Program Term: Summer
Program Category: STEM
Program Location: West Lafayette
Student Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis
Mentor Location: West Lafayette
Compensation/Credit: Not Specified
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Agriculture | Education | Engineering | HHS | Liberal Arts | Pharmacy | Science | Vet Med | DSB | JMHC | Polytechnic
Program Deadline: February

Find your passion in undergraduate research! The Summer College of Agriculture Research Fellowship (SCARF) is designed to expose you to the wide-ranging field of plant sciences and STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and math). SCARF is open to Purdue College of Agriculture undergraduate students each summer. Students experience in-depth, hands-on research, participate in a series of science communication workshops including bi-weekly assignments, and attend faculty seminars and industry tours.

Benefits:Travel allowance to research location | Travel to a professional conference | Training

Tech Justice Lab

Program Website | lweinber@purdue.edu 

Program Term: Fall | Spring
Program Category: Creative | Humanities | Social Science | STEM
Program Location: West Lafayette | Virtual
Student Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis | Non-Purdue
Mentor Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis | Non-Purdue
Compensation/Credit: Stipend: $5,400
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Agriculture
Program Deadline: N/A

The Tech Justice Lab (TJL), a Research Generator in the John Martinson Honors College at Purdue, is a cross-college collaboration that prioritizes the development of interdisciplinary, justice-oriented undergraduate technology researchers and practitioners. The TJL builds on the JMHC's mission of fostering well-rounded and highly engaged students who want to impact society for the better.

Undergraduate Research Fellowship

Program Website | ztehrani@purdue.edu 

Program Term: Fall | Spring
Program Category: STEM
Program Location: West Lafayette
Student Location: West Lafayette
Mentor Location: West Lafayette
Compensation/Credit: All students: 1 to 3 credits
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Agriculture | Education | Engineering | HHS | Pharmacy | Science | Vet Med | DSB | JMHC | Polytechnic
Program Deadline: Applications begin mid-February, accepted until April

The JMHC's Undergraduate Research Fellowship is a credit-bearing opportunity for students to engage in high-quality mentored research experiences in STEM to complete the college’s scholarly project requirement. Students will be matched with Purdue faculty and graduate students enrolled in the Future Mentors program who will introduce them to research methodologies and provide mentorship in key areas of professional development for advancing education or careers. Prior research experience is not required. Students who choose to complete their scholarly project through the program will be eligible to apply for the program’s $500 travel award.

Benefits: Travel to a professional conference

College of Education Undergraduate Research Training Program

Program Website | trogat@purdue.edu

Program Term: Fall | Spring
Program Category: Social Science
Program Location: West Lafayette
Student Location: West Lafayette
Mentor Location: West Lafayette
Compensation/Credit: Stipend: $1,500, All students: typically 6 credits
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Education | HHS | JMHC
Program Deadline: April or May

Each trainee works with a professor in education for a period of two semesters in much the same manner as a graduate assistant. In assigning trainees to professors, consideration is given to the student’s background and interests as well as to the professor’s needs. The cooperating professors are encouraged to involve their trainees in as many of the tasks related to doing research as possible. These tasks include defining a research problem, creating research materials, collecting data, analyzing data and writing research reports. Each trainee participates in a weekly course on educational research methods for which they receive three credits per semester. The course takes a broad, interdisciplinary approach in considering the various ways of investigating human behavior. Selection for the program is based on academic credentials, interest in the program, and in some cases faculty recommendations. The program is a recommended path for those in the Honors College.

Vernon Smith Experimental Economics Laboratory

Program Website | beep@purdue.edu

Program Term: Fall | Spring
Program Category: Social Science
Program Location: West Lafayette
Student Location: West Lafayette
Mentor Location: West Lafayette
Compensation/Credit: Not Specified
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Daniels School of Business
Program Deadline: No deadline

Students can volunteer to help researchers conduct economics experiments.

Veterinary Scholars Summer Research Program

Program Website | vetresearch@purdue.edu

Program Term: Summer
Program Category: STEM
Program Location: West Lafayette
Student Location: West Lafayette
Mentor Location: West Lafayette
Compensation/Credit: Fellowship: $4,000
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Agriculture | Engineering | HHS | Vet Med | Science
Program Deadline: February

The goal of the Veterinary Scholars Summer Research Program is to increase the number of veterinarians involved in biomedical and clinical research. The program provides an opportunity for veterinary students and undergraduate students interested in veterinary medicine to explore non-practice careers by engaging in a mentored research project and through informal and formal interactions with scientists. Veterinary students also will travel to the Boehringer Ingelheim NIH National Veterinary Scholars Symposium.

Program Benefits: On-campus meals | Travel allowance to research location

Agricultural Economics Honors Program

Program Website | tkuethe@purdue.edu

Program Term: Fall | Spring | Summer
Program Category: Social Science | Business Case Study
Program Location: West Lafayette | Virtual
Student Location: West Lafayette
Mentor Location: West Lafayette
Compensation/Credit: All students: 1 to 5 credits (typically 3-5)
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Agriculture
Program Deadline: Apply to the program in the fall and enroll in "AGEC 375: The Process of Economic Research" the following spring

Undergraduate students with outstanding academic performance (GPA: 3.0) will be invited to join the departmental honors program. Honors students complete a thesis under the supervision of a faculty mentor. The term thesis is interpreted broadly; ultimately, the program is looking for students to generate some sort of research/outreach output (e.g., conference paper/poster presentation; peer-reviewed article; Extension publication or toolkit; article for the Purdue Ag Econ Report; etc.). Typically, students in the Ag Econ Honors Program complete the following coursework: AGEC 375 (1 cr): The Process of Economic Research and AGEC 499 (up to 5 cr): Honors Thesis Research with a faculty supervisor/mentor.

Program Benefits: Travel to professional conference | Training | Can be paid as UG Research Assistant if not earning course credit

Amgen Scholars

Program Website

Program Term: Summer
Program Category: STEM
Program Location: Non-Purdue
Student Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis | Non-Purdue
Mentor Location: West Lafayette
Compensation/Credit: Not specified
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Agriculture | Education | Engineering | HHS | Liberal Arts | Science | Vet Med | DSB | JMHC | Polytechnic
Program Deadline: February (for summer)

Amgen Scholars is hosted at thirteen premier educational institutions within the United States. Each host institution has its own application process so please use the contact information provided by each program. U.S. citizenship or permanent residency in the United States is required; lease see additional elibigiliy requirements on Amgen Scholars website.

Applied Games Research

cgtgames@purdue.edu

Program Term: Fall | Spring | Summer
Program Category: Creative | Humanities | Social science | STEM | Business Case Study
Program Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis
Student Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis
Mentor Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis | Non-Purdue
Compensation/Credit: All students: 3 credits
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Education | Engineering | HHS | Liberal Arts | Science | JMHC | Polytechnic
Program Deadline: Students must enroll in the Applied Games Research CGT course and agree to enroll in CGT 49800 in the following semester

The CGT undergraduate Applied Games Research course (CGT 47500) provides students the training and support to conduct original research related to any aspect of game development.

Art Harmony: Deepening Connections through creative expression

Nasreen Sulaiman Lalani, lalanin@purdue.edu

Program Term: Spring | Summer
Program Category: Humanities | Social science
Program Location: West Lafayette
Student Location: West Lafayette
Mentor Location: West Lafayette
Compensation/Credit: All students: 1 credits minimum
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: HHS | Liberal Arts | Pharmacy
Program Deadline: First Week of January

Our project aims to introduce art wellness activities/expressions for the caregivers of older adults with dementia or cognitive decline. Using art-based self-reflexive activities, participants will be able to facilitate deep connections and supportive relationships to promote their holistic well-being. Participants will gain an opportunity to self-reflect, ventilate, and express their emotional and spiritual feelings in the form of art. Through art expressions, participants will be engaged in live demonstrations using various art mediums, accompanied by discussions, shared experiences, and meditation. The experience concludes with practical tips for continuing the artistic journey at home, offering a lasting reflection on the enriching power of art for both caregivers and their loved ones. The project will provide a sense of shared community, promote deeper satisfaction and relaxation among the participants through these mindfulness and wellness activities.

Program Benefits: Travel to research location | Training

Developing Family Resilience and Wellness Intervention

Nasreen Sulaiman Lalani, lalanin@purdue.edu

Program Term: Spring | Summer
Program Category: Humanities | Social science
Program Location: West Lafayette
Student Location: West Lafayette
Mentor Location: West Lafayette
Compensation/Credit: All students: 1 credits minimum
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Education | HHS | Liberal Arts | Pharmacy | Polytechnic
Program Deadline: First Week of January

Haitian immigrants experience long-standing trauma before and after migration to the US. Using academic-community research partnership among the Purdue researchers and Purdue Extension, we intend to adopt a strength-based family resiliency approach, whereby we can address these risks and vulnerabilities and target interventions to extend the family’s potential and empower family strengths and resources to mediate collective coping, recovery, and healing. Our study goal is to examine perceived family stressors, identify key family processes and protective factors contributing to their coping and resilience, and develop a culturally tailored family wellness training intervention to promote psychosocial well-being and quality of life of the local Haitian immigrant families and communities in the Daviess County, IN. The project involves conducting interviews and prepare educational wellness training programs for the educators and community.

Program Benefits: Training

ENGR 596: Advanced Undergraduate Research

Program Website | eur@purdue.edu

Program Term: Fall | Spring
Program Category: STEM
Program Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis | Virtual
Student Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis
Mentor Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis
Compensation/Credit: All students: 3 credits
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Engineering
Program Deadline: Applications accepted on rolling basis

ENGR 596 is course designed for students looking to leverage their undergraduate or first-year graduate research experience to jumpstart their careers. This course offers various opportunities to explore careers in industry, navigate graduate school applications and funding processes, and develop a competitive NSF Fellowship Grant application. Students will work with their Principal Investigator on hands-on research while tailoring their journey through industry-focused experiences, such as marketing themselves to employers and mastering interview techniques, or graduate school focused experiences, like creating standout applications and NSF grant writing.

Entomology Undergraduate Research Opportunities

Program Website | insectbiology@purdue.edu

Program Term: Fall | Spring | Summer
Program Category: STEM
Program Location: West Lafayette
Student Location: West Lafayette
Mentor Location: West Lafayette
Compensation/Credit: Optional: 1-4 credits (typically 3)
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Agriculture | Science
Program Deadline: Applications accepted on rolling basis

The Department of Entomology's research portfolio consists of basic science that builds on strengths in insect/plant interactions, and applied pest management research focused on stakeholder needs and priorities. We work on a range of insect and nematode problems using diverse tool-sets and varied disciplinary approaches. Our research areas include: Arthropod Molecular Biology and Genomics, Pest Management, Host Plant/Insect/Nematode Interactions, Environmental and Evolutionary Entomology, International Development and Cooperation and Insect Science Education.

Program Benefits: Travel to a professional conference | Training

Fledgling Media

Program Website | cgtgames@purdue.edu

Program Term: Fall | Spring | Summer
Program Category: Creative | STEM
Program Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis | Non-Purdue
Student Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis | Non-Purdue
Mentor Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis | Non-Purdue
Compensation/Credit: All students: 3-12 credits (typically 6)
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Education | Engineering | HHS | Liberal Arts | Science | DSB | JMHC | Polytechnic
Program Deadline: First day of classes (for fall/spring), February (for summer)

Fledgling Media is a games and/or media studio focused on developing and researching techniques for making modern games and media creations.

HIFI Lab

Program Website | Kristen Bellisario, kbellisa@purdue.edu

Program Term: Fall | Spring | Summer
Program Category: Creative | STEM
Program Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis | Non-Purdue
Student Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis
Mentor Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis | Non-Purdue
Compensation/Credit: Fellowship: $1000 (duration of program); Wage: $15 (hourly), All Students: 1-12 credits (typically 2)
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Agriculture | Engineering | Liberal Arts | Science | JMHC | Polytechnic
Program Deadline: Unspecified

The aim of the HIFI Bioconservatory at the John Martinson Honors College at Purdue University is to cultivate a vibrant undergraduate interdisciplinary community of JMHC undergraduate students interested in the science, technology, and culture of conservation and sound. Graduate mentors and research faculty are core of this TEAM Science approach fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, empowering students to explore, experiment, and analyze real-world problems, and to contribute innovative solutions and communicate about sonic biodiversity.

Program Benefits: Travel to a professional conference | On-campus meals | Travel allowance to research location

HPC Cluster for Undergraduate Research

Program Website | eur@purdue.edu

Program Term: Fall | Spring | Summer
Program Category: STEM
Program Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis | Virtual
Student Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis
Mentor Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis
Compensation/Credit: Unspecified
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Engineering
Program Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis

Engineering Undergraduate Research Office (EURO) is partnering with the Rosen Center for Advanced Computing (RCAC) to provide high-performance computation access to undergraduate students involved with research. The undergraduate students can have access to the CPU cluster (Negishi) without any extra cost to the PI. The students will also have access to AMD GPUs available on Negishi. The applications are open year-round.

Program Benefits: HPC Cluster Access

NASA Internship Programs

Program Website

Program Term: Fall | Spring | Summer
Program Category: STEM
Program Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis | Virtual
Student Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis | Non-Purdue
Mentor Location: Non-Purdue
Compensation/Credit: Unspecified
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Agriculture | Education | Engineering | HHS | Liberal Arts | Pharmacy | Science | Vet Med | DSB | JMHC | Polytechnic
Program Deadline: Deadlines vary by opportunity

NASA has opportunities for supported internships, fellowships, and scholarships. Characteristics of each opportunity vary, refer to the website to search for information. Notes: (1) this site is not a Purdue-managed site. (2) Please use the contact information for each opportunity found within a search. (3) Information and deadlines vary for each opportunity.

NIH Summer Internship Program in Biomedical Research

Program Website | sip@nih.gov

Program Term: Summer
Program Category: STEM
Program Location: Non-Purdue
Student Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis | Non-Purdue
Mentor Location: Non-Purdue
Compensation/Credit: Unspecified
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Agriculture | Education | Engineering | HHS | Liberal Arts | Pharmacy | Science | Vet Med | DSB | JMHC | Polytechnic
Program Deadline: February (for summer)

Summer NIH programs to provide an opportunity to spend a summer working at the NIH side-by-side with some of the leading scientists in the world, in an environment devoted exclusively to biomedical research.

NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program

Program Website | ugsp@nih.gov

Program Term: Fall | Spring | Summer
Program Category: STEM
Program Location: Non-Purdue
Student Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis | Non-Purdue
Mentor Location: Non-Purdue
Compensation/Credit: Scholarship: $20,000 (Duration of program)
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Agriculture | Education | Engineering | HHS | Liberal Arts | Pharmacy | Science | Vet Med | DSB | JMHC | Polytechnic
Program Deadline: January (for following academic year)

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGSP) offers competitive scholarships to students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are committed to careers in biomedical, behavioral, and social science health-related research. For every year of scholarship support, scholars commit to two paid service obligations in the NIH Intramural Research Program: (1) A ten week full-time summer internship at the NIH immediately following the year of scholarship support and (2) One year of full-time work at the NIH post-graduation. Refer to the website for specific details.

NVIDIA Jetson Nano for Undergraduate Research

Program Website | eur@purdue.edu

Program Term: Fall | Spring | Summer
Program Category: STEM
Program Location: West Lafayette
Student Location: West Lafayette
Mentor Location: West Lafayette
Compensation/Credit: Unspecified
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Engineering
Program Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis

Students working on a research project in the College of Engineering can borrow NVIDIA Jetson Nano Development Kits. The applications are open year-round.

Program Benefits: Computational Device

Pathways to Science

Program Website | eur@purdue.edu

Program Term: Fall | Spring | Summer
Program Category: STEM
Program Location: Non-Purdue
Student Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis | Non-Purdue
Mentor Location: Non-Purdue
Compensation/Credit: Not specified
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Agriculture | Education | Engineering | HHS | Liberal Arts | Pharmacy | Science | Vet Med | DSB | JMHC | Polytechnic
Program Deadline: Varies by site

Many paid summer STEM undergraduate research opportunities are found in the Pathways to Science database. Notes: (1) this site is not a Purdue-managed site. (2) Please use the contact information for programs found within a search. (3) Information varies for each program.

Purdue University Center for Research in Economics (PURCE)

Program Website | purce@purdue.edu

Program Term: Fall | Spring | Summer
Program Category: Social Science
Program Location: West Lafayette
Student Location: West Lafayette
Mentor Location: West Lafayette
Compensation/Credit: Not specified
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: DSB
Program Deadline: Typically end of June

The Undergraduate Research Assistantship (UGRA) program, organized and funded by the Daniels School of Business’ Purdue University Research Center in Economics (PURCE), launched in August 2023 and arose out of a desire to give undergraduates more direct exposure to economic research. Students are paired with a professor and are paid for up to 10 hours a week to assist with real research projects. Through hands-on work and weekly cohort meetings, UGRAs learn research design, quantitative data analysis, database management, and presentation skills. There is an application process that typically opens the summer before the fall semester starts.

Benefits: Training

National Science Foundation REU

Program Website

Program Term: Summer
Program Category: STEM
Program Location: Non-Purdue
Student Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis | Non-Purdue
Mentor Location: West Lafayette
Compensation/Credit: Not specified
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Agriculture | Education | Engineering | HHS | Liberal Arts | Pharmacy | Science | Vet Med | DSB | JMHC | Polytechnic
Program Deadline: Varies by site

NSF funds a large number of research opportunities for undergraduate students through its REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) Sites program. An REU Site consists of a group of undergraduate student researchers who work in the research programs at one of many host institutions. Each student is associated with a specific research project, where they works closely with the faculty and other researchers. Notes: (1) this site is not a Purdue-managed site. (2) Please use the contact information for programs found within a search. (3) Information varies for each program.

SCALE (Workforce Development in Microelectronics)

Program Website | scalestudentsupport@purdue.edu

Program Term: Fall | Spring | Summer
Program Category: STEM
Program Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis | Non-Purdue
Student Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis | Non-Purdue
Mentor Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis | Non-Purdue
Compensation/Credit: Optional: 1 to 3 credits (typically 3 credits)
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Engineering | Science | JMHC | Polytechnic
Program Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis

Funded by the Department of Defense, SCALE is led by Purdue University and managed by NSWC Crane on behalf of OUSD R&E. Over 30+ institutions of higher education, 100+ faculty principal investigators, 60+ government/industry partners, and 600 students are part of SCALE. SCALE facilitates a different approach to training highly-skilled U.S. microelectronics engineers, hardware designers, and manufacturing experts, ensuring U.S. leadership in this important area. SCALE provides (1) mentoring from a variety of graduate, faculty, and government/industry mentors, (2) access to valuable resources, (3) courses related to microelectronics, and (4) internship and job matching for college students interested in microelectronics specialty areas: compound semi (formerly radio frequency and opto-electronics), heterogeneous integration/advanced packaging, radiation-hardening, system on a chip, and trusted artificial intelligence. The program is open to undergraduate and graduate students who are US citizens and have an interest in microelectronics and/or national defense. See website for qualifications.

Benefits: Travel allowance to research location | Travel to a professional conference | Training

Summer Training on Awareness and Readiness for Semiconductors (STARS)

Program Website | stars@purdue.edu

Program Term: Fall | Spring | Summer
Program Category: STEM
Program Location: West Lafayette
Student Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis | Non-Purdue
Mentor Location: West Lafayette
Compensation/Credit: Stipend: $10,000 (Duration of program)
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Agriculture | Engineering | HHS | Pharmacy | Science | Vet Med | JMHC
Program Deadline: Typically in the spring

The Purdue Summer Training, Awareness, and Readiness for Semiconductors (STARS) is an eight-week program designed to equip students with deep-tech skills in IC design, fabrication, packaging, and semiconductor device and materials characterization. The program offers two specialized tracks: chip design and semiconductor manufacturing, providing an experience equivalent to a summer internship. Some participants of the summer program will be invited to continue their work into the school year.

Benefits: Travel to a professional conference | Training

Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF) Program

Program Website | stars@purdue.edu

Program Term: Summer
Program Category: STEM
Program Location: West Lafayette
Student Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis | Non-Purdue
Mentor Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis
Compensation/Credit: Stipend: $6,000 (Duration of program)
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Agriculture | Engineering | HHS | Pharmacy | Science | Vet Med | Polytechnic
Program Deadline: December 1 - February 1

The SURF program provides undergraduates opportunity to gain hands-on research experience by exploring a topic of interest alongside a Purdue professor and graduate student. During the 11-week summer program, students develop their knowledge of the research process by contributing to a real world project, network with other researchers, and present their discoveries at the end of the summer. The program offers full time, paid research positions on the Purdue campus and is open to students from all disciplines.

Benefits: On-campus housing provided | On-campus meals | Travel allowance to research location

The Data Mine

Program Website | datamine@purdue.edu

Program Term: Summer
Program Category: STEM
Program Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis
Student Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis | Non-Purdue
Mentor Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis | Non-Purdue
Compensation/Credit: Not specified
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Agriculture | Education | Engineering | HHS | Pharmacy | Science | Vet Med | DSB | JMHC | Polytechnic
Program Deadline: Continuing students - opens in October, Incoming students - apply via the Learning Community application

The Data Mine is a living, learning and research-based community created to introduce students to data science concepts and equip them to create solutions to real-world problems. Members of The Data Mine will be part of a team, living, studying and ultimately, performing data-driven research together. The Data Mine is part of Purdue University’s Office of the Provost, which is designed to train students across all majors with the data literacy needed to succeed in a data-driven world.

U.S. DOE (Department of Energy) Scholars Program

Program Website

Program Term: Fall | Spring | Summer
Program Category: Creative | Humanities | Social Science | STEM | Business Case Study
Program Location: Non-Purdue
Student Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis | Non-Purdue
Mentor Location: Non-Purdue
Compensation/Credit: Not specified
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Agriculture | Education | Engineering | HHS | Pharmacy | Science | Vet Med | DSB | JMHC | Polytechnic
Program Deadline: Varies throughout the year

The DOE Scholars Program is a department-wide program designed to create a pipeline of highly qualified talent in disciplinary fields that support mission-critical areas of the U.S. DOE. The DOE Scholars Program provides opportunities designed to introduce DOE missions, functions, and operations to talented undergraduate and graduate students, as well as recent graduates. Notes: (1) This is a non-Purdue program. (2) Please use the contact information for opportunities found within a search. (3) Information and deadlines vary for each opportunity.

Benefits: Varies by site

Undergraduate Research Opportunities

Program Website | hhsadresearch@purdue.edu

Program Term: Fall | Spring | Summer
Program Category: Social Science | STEM
Program Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis | Virtual
Student Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis
Mentor Location: West Lafayette
Compensation/Credit: Not specified
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Agriculture | Education | Engineering | HHS | Liberal Arts | Pharmacy | Science | Vet Med | DSB | JMHC | Polytechnic
Program Deadline: Varies throughout the year

College of Health and Human Sciences (HHS) Undergraduate Research. Whether you’re earning course credit or looking to gain research experience outside of your plan of study, faculty in the College of Health and Human Sciences offer a variety of opportunities for you to get involved in research that aligns with your interests. Check out openings for undergraduate research in your department or school below, or explore interdisciplinary opportunities in research labs throughout HHS.

Benefits: Varies by site

Urban Matters Lab

Program Website | krish181@purdue.edu

Program Term: Fall | Spring | Summer
Program Category: Humanities | Social Science
Program Location: West Lafayette
Student Location: West Lafayette | Indianapolis
Mentor Location: West Lafayette
Compensation/Credit: Wage: $15.00 (hourly), All students: 1 to 3 credits (typically 2)
Targeted Academic Unit of Students: Agriculture | Education | Engineering | HHS | Liberal Arts | Pharmacy | Science | Vet Med | DSB | JMHC | Polytechnic
Program Deadline: Fall and Spring - research is via HONR Independent Study courses only, Summer - apply during spring semester

The Urban Matters Lab employs an interdisciplinary approach to the exploration and study of a range of urban matters, and also facilitates a pedagogical and exploratory journey for students to understand why the 'urban' matters. It fosters community engagement through interactive experiential opportunities across the Greater Lafayette area and beyond. It offers students the opportunity to develop their leadership skills through volunteer and internship opportunities in the community. The lab also creates opportunities for students to undertake interdisciplinary research through HONR courses and mentoring by Dr. Krishna. Depending on funding, students also have the opportunity to apply for summer research assistantships with Dr. Krishna.

Benefits: Travel to a professional conference