Description

The REU Site: Center for Early Research Experiences in Functional Materials at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) offers paid mentored research opportunities and professional development to ten undergraduate students each year during a 10-week summer program. The program focuses on students from two- and four-year institutions in Central New England who have little to no prior research experience. Participants will engage in interdisciplinary projects, working closely with faculty and graduate student mentors who specialize in areas such as materials for flexible and wearable electronics, sustainable photovoltaics, and responsive biomaterials for robotics and therapeutic applications and others. These projects are designed to foster collaboration between students with different academic backgrounds, with two students from different academic majors collaborating on each project, co-mentored by faculty and graduate students from different departments. In addition to research, the program includes a comprehensive series of professional development seminars aimed at preparing students for the modern workforce and introducing them to the complex challenges within the field of functional materials.

https://wp.wpi.edu/nsf-reu/

Application deadline: January 29, 2026

Program dates: May 26--August 1, 2026