Ten undergraduate students from around the country are having an immersive research experience this summer at Michigan State University (MSU) College of Engineering to prepare them for the rapidly evolving semiconductor industry.
They are participants in MSU’s 10-week Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) that began on May 19. Sponsored by the National Science Foundation, the REU experience culminates with presentations at MSU’s MidSURE Conference on July 25.
Directing the summer program from the College of Engineering are Alexandra Zevalkink, the C. Robert and Kathryn M. Weir Endowed Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and Rebecca Anthony, associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and research and development director at Fraunhofer USA Center Midwest (CMW).
“We matched the 10 students with research groups in materials science, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, environmental engineering, physics, chemistry, and the Fraunhofer Lab,” Zevalkink said.
Students are mentored by faculty members in degree programs including electrical engineering, environmental engineering, mechanical engineering, materials science and engineering, and chemistry. Projects are related to the semiconductor industry, which is a continually growing and internationally strategic engineering field.
Students also participate in group development and science communication training. Beyond their lab work, students tour MSU’s Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) and Fraunhofer USA CMW facility labs in East Lansing. They also see Lurie Nano Fabrication Facility at the University of Michigan and KLA in Ann Arbor.
The College of Engineering has supported additional REU experiences, including:
- Advanced Computational Research Experience for Students (ACRES), which offers students the opportunity to conduct cutting-edge research in computational and data science. (
- Sociomobility, which explores both the technical and societal aspects of autonomous vehicles.
Written by Pat Mroczek
MSU College of Engineering Media and Public Relations page