Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities for MinorityEngineering Students

Pennsylvania State University will establish a Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities (CURO) to provide research experiences for minority engineering students during their undergraduate years. The Center will be a component of the existing Minority Engineering Program (MEP) in the College of Engineering. CURO will begin operations with 20 minority engineering or science students selected as research scholars. These students will be appointed to work with faculty and staff in research units (laboratories or centers) within the College of Engineering, or participating interdisciplinary research units within the University. The appointments will be for a period of two academic semesters, or for the summer session. Twenty-five research units with the University have agreed to participate in this project initially. The students will be required to take a course in 'Research Methodology' to get training in the conduct of research. The research faculty and staff will be provided with an orientation course on cultural diversity to improve their skills for interacting closely with students of diverse backgrounds. At the end of the appointment period each student will be required to make a 'Report of Research Activity.' Over a five year period the Center proposes to support a total of 120 minority engineering and science students as undergraduate research scholars. After this period, the Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities for Minority Engineering Students will become an integral part of the participating research units with the University and the Minority Engineering Program.