Please review the full criteria below for the EME Summer Research Program, and if you are interested in applying, fill out the application by the announced deadline. Should you have any questions about this program, please contact Rachel Conaway.
Research Program Guidelines
Program dates: The summer 2023 program is planned for May 22 to July 28, 2023.
Student eligibility and application process
- Current Penn State students should be enrolled in or showing a major preference for one of the EME majors
- Energy Business and Finance
- Energy Engineering
- Environmental Systems Engineering
- Mining Engineering
- Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering
- Energy and Sustainability Policy
- Juniors at other universities and colleges must be in a related major with potential interest in applying to the EME graduate program.
- Students will apply for entry into the summer research program. The application form will include GPA information, planned date of graduation, and a short paragraph on research interests and objectives for the internship. Applicants are also asked to give the contact information for a faculty recommendation letter.
- Applications will be reviewed by an EME faculty committee.
Student support and responsibilities
- Participants will receive a stipend of $5,000 at the beginning of the program.
- Non-PSU students from other universities participating in separate NSF REU programs, or programs supported by their home universities or governments (e.g., Brazilian Mobility students or students from Indian universities with internship requirements), are eligible to participate in the EME Summer Research Program but are not eligible to receive funding from EME.
- Other non-PSU students who are not participating in NSF REU programs or sponsored by their home universities or governments are eligible to apply and receive the stipend.
- This program is designed to be a full-time commitment, and participants are not advised to take a large course load or accept additional internships during the EME program. Any students wanting to also take classes or engage in other program commitments during the core program weeks must have approvals from their project faculty mentor and program staff.
- All participants are required to complete PSU online training in Responsible Conduct of Research before beginning summer projects.
- Participants must attend all scheduled EME Summer Research Program Orientation sessions.
- Participants are required to attend weekly EME Summer Research Program seminars and team building activities and the concluding poster showcase. Participants will also be invited to take part in future research presentations in the department, depending on their availability.
- If interns work remotely on any component of the program, all computer equipment required to perform tasks would be the responsibility of the intern and/or their faculty mentor. The department will not commit funds to the purchase of any additional computer equipment.
Faculty mentor role and responsibilities
- A faculty mentor will lead the research project and guide the student’s work throughout the ten-week program.
- Faculty mentors are expected to be available to meet at least weekly, in-person or via Zoom, with participating students.
- Faculty mentors must be available to meet with the participant on or before May 22, so that the student has a work plan for beginning the project. Faculty must also make every attempt to attend the final poster showcase and help the student prepare for the event.
- Faculty mentors are strongly encouraged to have all participating students working with another student on their assigned project. This could be another summer intern, e.g., two students on one project, or a graduate student that the program participant is assisting.
Program timeline
- Applications material will be due by March 15.
- Applications will be reviewed and ranked and the top applications will be circulated among the faculty. Faculty will indicate their top 2-3 students by March 31.
- Final matches will be made and faculty and student participants will be notified by April 15.
- A mandatory (online) program orientation session will be scheduled during the week of May 8.
- Program runs May 22 to July 28.
- There will be weekly seminars and team building activities with all summer research program participants. The summer research program poster showcase will be held on July 28 from 1:00-4:00 p.m. All participants are required to present a poster on their summer work during the poster session.