Research
Past Research Opportunities
Past Faculty Opportunities
- Federal Highway Administration BAA: Exploratory Research Program [pdf]
Proposal deadline is 9/15/2011 - Dept. of the Navy ONR BAA: MURI [pdf]
White papers due 9/15/11 and full proposals (by invitation only) due 11/10/11 - The Dept. of Defense BAA: DURIP [pdf]
Proposal deadline is 9/20/11 - NSF Innovation Corps (NSF I-Corps).
Solicitation: www.nsf.gov/pubs/2011/nsf11560/nsf11560.htm?org=NSF
Purpose: To identify NSF-funded researchers who will receive up to $50k in additional support (the researcher must have had an NSF grant that was active within the past 5 years) - in the form of mentoring and funding - to accelerate innovation that can attract subsequent third-party funding.
Estimated Number of Awards: 1 to 25 Up to 25 in FY 2011; duration of each award is 6 months. 100 in FY 2012; duration of each award is 6 months.Submission Window Date(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):
August 17, 2011 - September 09, 2011
Oct. 01, 2011 – Dec. 15, 2011 (Oct. 1 – Dec. 15, Annually Thereafter)
Jan. 01, 2012 - March 15, 2012 (Jan. 1 - March 15, Annually Thereafter)A webinar was held on the first Tuesday of every month, beginning in August 2011 to answer questions about this program. Details were posted on the I-Corps website as they became available.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the cognizant PD in ENG for this initiative:
Rathindra (Babu) DasGupta, Ph.D
Program Director, I/UCRC
Tel: 703-292-8353
email: rdasgupt@nsf.gov
Directorate for Engineering
Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships
International Research Opportunities
- Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE) [pdf]
Pre-Proposal deadline was 8/29/11
Full Proposal deadline is 3/15/12 - G8 Multilateral Funding Initiative: Interdisciplinary Program on Material Efficiency
Pre-Proposal deadline was 9/30/11
Full Proposal Due Date to Call Secretariat and NSF January 27, 2012
Official Funding Decisions/Award May 2012
JSPS website
Foundation Opportunities
N/A
Past Student Opportunities
- Deadline 11/14/2011 National Science Foundation (NSF)
- Deadline 12/01/2011 Science, Math & Research for Transformation (SMART)
- Deadline 12/16/2011 National Defense Science & Engineering Graduate Fellowships (NDSEG)
- Deadline 01/03/2012 Department of Energy (DOE)
- Deadline 01/10/2012 Dept of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowship (DOE CSGF)
- Deadline 01/11/2012 NASA Space Technology Research Fellowships
Current Research Opportunities for Faculty
Department-Based Research
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Resources
- For examples of successful proposals, go to the proposals page on the Clarknet Site.
- Template for an NSF postdoc mentoring plan [doc, requires login]
- Template to an NSF data management plan [doc, requires login]
Research Opportunities
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NSF Innovation Corps (NSF I-Corps).
Solicitation: www.nsf.gov/pubs/2011/nsf11560/nsf11560.htm?org=NSF
Purpose: To identify NSF-funded researchers who will receive up to $50k in additional support (the researcher must have had an NSF grant that was active within the past 5 years) - in the form of mentoring and funding - to accelerate innovation that can attract subsequent third-party funding.
Estimated Number of Awards: 1 to 25 Up to 25 in FY 2011; duration of each award is 6 months. 100 in FY 2012; duration of each award is 6 months.Submission Window Date(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):
April 01, 2012 - June 15, 2012 (April 1 - June 15, Annually Thereafter)
July 01, 2012 – Sept. 15, 2012 (July 1 – Sept. 15, Annually Thereafter)A webinar will be held on the first Tuesday of every month to answer questions about this program. Details will be posted on the I-Corps website as they become available.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the cognizant PD in ENG for this initiative:
Rathindra (Babu) DasGupta, Ph.D
Program Director, I/UCRC
Tel: 703-292-8353
email: rdasgupt@nsf.gov
Directorate for Engineering
Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships -
NSF Opportunity [doc]
Supplements for Student to Participate in the FY 2012 Sandia National Labs NINE Summer Scholars Program
International Research Opportunities
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Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE) [pdf]
Pre-Proposal deadline was due 8/29/11
Full Proposal deadline is March 15, 2012
Foundation Opportunities
Undergraduate Research Position Application Information
Students Prove
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The online undergraduate research position application is for current Clark School engineering students and new transfer students to the Clark School. Applications will be used by Clark School faculty and research scientists to identify students to work on their research projects. Research positions may be structured as either unpaid positions or paid hourly positions. Indicate the hours per week that you are seeking to work by clicking on the appropriate range on the form. The application includes the option for indication of your interest in positions in multiple Departments.
There are check boxes for common research areas and skills associated with positions by Department and there are text boxes for you to add supplemental information on additional skills, significant accomplishments and job experience.
If you have already prepared a resume or curriculum vitae, you can copy and paste text into the job experience text block.
Need help writing a resume? Look at "Resumes and References" from Engineering Co-op & Career Services.
You can partially complete the application and save it by clicking “submit” at the bottom of the form and return to it later. When you return, you can selectively update portions of this form and re-submit. At anytime, you can use the reset option at the bottom of the page to clear your entries.
Coming soon:
Faculty and research scientist research position listing. Please go to this site to indicate your interest in specific research positions being advertised by Clark School faculty and research scientists.
Research Tools
Students Prove
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IT Research Tool Now Available
Want to do research on mobile app development or search engine optimization? Want to know the latest developments in social networking? Find answers and learn about technology-industry trends via a comprehensive IT-industry database from Gartner, a company of IT analysts and consultants.
Students, faculty, and staff now have free access to the database thanks to a partnership of the Office of Information Technology, the University Libraries, and the Robert H. Smith School of Business. Researchers can find case studies, market research, statistics, details about the latest technologies and technology companies, and more.
Go to the Research Port (http://researchport.umd.edu), and search for “Gartner” under “database name.” You will need to use your Directory ID and password to access the data.
Announcing Expertise@UM
A new searchable database to assist University of Maryland faculty and staff in identifying faculty expertise for research and scholarly collaboration.
Visit the expertise@UM database now at: http://expertise.umd.edu/
Search Clark School Research News
Instructions: You may search for research news through six channels on the left below: Hot Topics, Keyword, Applications, Technical Areas, Funding Sources, and Departments. If you use Keyword, be sure to click Search. Results are displayed on the right below; the default results are the latest research news stories.
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Research Opportunities
Students Prove
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The Clark School of Engineering is a research powerhouse, with more than $107 million in annual research expenditures by leading investigators in seven departments and four institutes, more than 130 laboratories, 23 research centers, innovative programs for undergraduates, and active research relationships with major engineering firms, government labs and academic centers. See Resources and Facilities.
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| As of 2005, the Alfred Gessow Rotorcraft Center's graduate student Rotorcraft Team has won eight straight first place finishes in the Student Design Competition sponsored by the American Helicopter Society. Teams are challenged to create a vertical lift aircraft that meets specified requirements. |
Opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students are numerous and diverse, with major research programs in (among many others): bioengineering; communications and networking; systems research; embedded computing; rotorcraft technology; launch and reentry vehicles; space robotics; intelligent transportation systems; advanced materials; nanotechnology; electronic packaging; and energy systems.
And, within the Kim Engineering Building, we offer the latest in research and instructional laboratories, with a strong emphasis on the cross-disciplinary approaches needed to solve major engineering problems.
If you are considering graduate studies at some point in your future or you are a current graduate student, please look through the opportunities for support through the programs described below. Contact your advisor and/or me for assistance these programs and with preparing a competitive application. And if you are a freshman, sophomore or junior, browse these web sites to learn about available programs and start preparing now by taking advantage of undergraduate research internships and summer research positions.
- Deadline: rolling National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Special Undergraduate Research Programs
For undergrads, there is a wide array of special programs, including opportunities within departments and in:
- A Scholars Program for Industry-Oriented Research in Engineering (ASPIRE)
- Maryland Engineering Research Internship Teams Biosystems Internships for Engineers (MERIT BIEN)
- Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)
- The Institute for Research in Electronics and Applied Physics (IREAP)
- Training and Research Experiences in Nonlinear Dynamics (TREND)
- Computer Security Scholars
- Gemstone Program
- Undergraduate Research Assistant Program (URAP)
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Research scholarship opportunities for undergrads:
www.ursp.umd.edu/scholarships/ -
Campus site for undergrad research scholarships:
www.scholarships.umd.edu
Graduate Research Support Opportunities
Information on Applying for Graduate Fellowships
- The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program - ENGR Short [ppt]
- 2012 NSF GRFP Presentation - OFFICIAL [pdf]
- Graduate Fellowship Programs Overview including reviewer guidance [ppt]
Opportunities:
L-3 Communications Corporation and the Clark School are pleased to announce the “L-3 Graduate Research Fellowships” program. This program is supported by a gift from L-3 Communications (see news story).
Deadline: Monday, July 29th. More »
Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)
Students supported on GRAs participate in research projects funded by grants. They perform their duties under the supervision of a faculty member. Graduate research assistants often work on material that is directly related to their theses or dissertations. A full GRA is a 12-month appointment, and the typical work load is 20 hours per week during the academic year and 40 hours per week during the summer. The assistantship includes a salary, subsidized health benefits, and tuition remission for 10 credit hours per semester, as well as eight credit hours for summer.
GRAs are awarded through the department by individual faculty members. Subject to satisfactory performance and the availability of funds, GRAs are renewable each semester.
Research scholarship opportunities for grad students:
www.ursp.umd.edu/scholarships/grad-students.html
Campus site for grad student research scholarships:
www.umaryland.edu/umhans/scholarships/grad
Research by Department
- Aerospace Engineering
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
- Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Fire Protection Engineering
- Materials Science and Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
Research by Major Institutes and Centers
- Maryland NanoCenter
- Center for Nano Manufacturing and Metrology
- Center for Intermodal Freight Transportation Mobility and Security
- Institute for Research in Electronics and Applied Physics (IREAP)
- Institute for Systems Research (ISR)
- Center for Advanced Life Cycle Engineering (CALCE)
- Center for Environmental Energy Engineering (CEEE)
- Alfred Gessow Rotorcraft Center
- Maryland Hybrid Networks Center (HyNet)
- Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (MTECH)
- Glenn L. Martin Wind Tunnel
- Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC)
Research Centers
Research Facilities
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Highly Focused, Highly Collaborative
The Clark School's numerous research centers address a wide variety of advanced engineering topics. The nine listed below are highly focused multidisciplinary organizations that advance research in their specialized fields and maintain strong relationships with industry and government.
Alfred Gessow Rotorcraft Center
The Alfred Gessow Rotorcraft Center is one of three Army Research Office rotorcraft centers of excellence. Faculty, staff and students conduct leading-edge research in rotorcraft aerodynamics, aero-acoustics, dynamics, structures, smart materials and flight mechanics. The center includes unique experimental facilities, such as two fully instrumented rotor rigs, a hover tower and a 10-foot (three-meter) vacuum chamber.
The Center for Advanced Life Cycle Engineering (CALCE)
For the world's leading avionics, automotive, computer, semiconductor and electronics manufacturers, CALCE develops methodologies, models and tools for the design, manufacture, analysis and management of electronic products. The center is a leader in physics-of-failure approaches to reliability and life-cycle prediction and in accelerated testing, failure analysis and electronic parts selection and management.
The Center for Advanced Transportation Technology (CATT)
CATT at the University of Maryland, College Park was created in order to respond to the significant changes brought about by increasing use of advanced technologies in the transportation field. A permanent staff of ITS professionals and affiliated faculty of the Department of Civil Engineering supports the CATT. CATT provides an organizational umbrella for five major initiatives including Capital Wireless Information Net (CapWIN), CATT Laboratory (CATT Lab), Consortium for ITS Training and Education (CITE), Metropolitan Area Transportation Operations Coordination (MATOC), and Maryland Transportation Technology Transfer (MD T2) Center.
Center for Environmental Energy Engineering (CEEE)
CEEE is an international leader in research and education in environmentally responsible and economically feasible thermal management systems for buildings, transportation and electronic cooling. With support from government and industry sponsors and the university, CEEE research addresses advanced heat exchangers, alternative cooling technologies and fluids, integrated systems optimization, and cooling, heating and power systems.
The Maryland Cybersecurity Center
Bringing together experts from the Clark School, computer science, and fields such as economics, social science and public policy , the Maryland Cybersecurity Center partners with government and industry in two major initiatives: providing educational programs that prepare the future cybersecurity workforce, and developing innovative technologies to defend against cybersecurity attacks. Research addresses software and network security, cyber supply chain security, cybersecurity policy, attacker behavioral analysis, health care IT, and many other topics.
Maryland Hybrid Networks Center (HyNet)
One of 17 NASA-sponsored Commercial Space Centers, the Maryland Hybrid Networks Center (HyNet) partners with industry to transform hybrid network concepts into profitable business ventures. Hybrid networks link satellite and wireless systems with cellular, cable, Internet and telephone networks. Research topics include network security, Internet-over-satellite, wireless and ad hoc networks, Internet traffic patterns, free-space optics and air traffic control.
Maryland NanoCenter
A partnership between the Clark School, the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Physical Sciences and the College of Chemical and Life Sciences, the Maryland NanoCenter promotes major nano research and education initiatives, provides one point of contact for those seeking nano expertise and partnerships at the university, and supplies infrastructure to facilitate university nano activities through equipment, staff support, and informational and administrative functions.
The Maryland Robotics Center
Through interdisciplinary research and educational programs based on a systems approach, the Maryland Robotics Center seeks to advance robotic systems, underlying component technologies, and robot applications. Research activities include development of robotic component technologies (e.g., sensors, actuators, structures, and communication), novel robotic platforms, and intelligence and autonomy for robotic systems. The center includes faculty members from multiple Clark School departments, biology, and computer science.
Materials Research Science & Engineering Center (MRSEC)
MRSEC is part of a network of national materials research centers funded by the National Science Foundation. Research is focused on two areas of advanced materials technology: low dimensional interfaces and multifunctional magnetic oxides. The center maintains scientific collaborations with industry, government laboratories and other educational institutions, as well as outreach programs to public schools.
University of Maryland Energy Research Center (UMERC)
UMERC is a multidisciplinary initiative dedicated to advancing the frontiers of energy science and technology, with a special focus on forward-looking approaches for alternative energy generation and storage. The center focuses on four principal areas of energy technology research, energy policy and economics, and educational programs.
More Clark School Centers
- Bridge Engineering Software and Technology Center
- Center for Auditory and Acoustic Research
- Center for Automation Research
- Center for Control and Dynamics of Smart Structures
- Center for Energetic Concepts Development
- Center for Geotechnology Centrifuge Modeling
- Center for Hypersonics and Research
- Center for Intermodal Freight Transportation Mobility and Security
- Center for Nano Manufacturing and Metrology
- Center for Networking of Infrastructure Sensing
- Center for Reliability Engineering
- Center for Superconductivity Research
- Center for Technology and Systems Management
- Maryland Transportation Technology Transfer Center
- Maryland Water Resources Center
- Nanoscale Imaging, Spectroscopy & Properties Lab (NISP Lab)
- National Center for Smart Growth Research and Education (NCSGRE)
- Smart Materials and Structures Research Center
Research Institutes
Robots That HearThis little robot on wheels
Electrical and Computer Engineering and Institute for Systems Research Assistant Professor Timothy Horiuchi is developing robots that can hear. Helping pioneer a new field called "neuromorphic engineering," Horiuchi is part of a team that builds machines that mimic biological sensory processes and process information in a way that is similar to the brain. The neuromorphic approach seeks to create technology superior in size, speed and low power consumption. Department-Based ResearchFischell Department of Bioengineering Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Civil & Environmental Engineering Electrical & Computer Engineering Materials Science & Engineering Contact InfoAlison Flatau, Ph.D.
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Well Established Cross-Disciplinary Engineering Research
The Clark School has been a leader in cross-disciplinary engineering research for several decades, having established through the university three highly successful and well known institutes:
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Associate Professor Timothy Horiuchi (ECE/ISR) holds a tiny prototype bat head next to a bat-inspired sonar device. See "Robots That Hear" sidebar for more information. |
The Institute for Systems Research (ISR)
ISR advances and exploits fundamental methodological tools—intelligent control, modeling and optimization, communications and signal processing, computing, operations research, human factors, reliability and risk assessment, and systems integration—to solve systems engineering problems. The institute has produced enabling technologies for manufacturing processes, consumer products and very large-scale engineering systems such as hybrid communication networks, and made important contributions to basic research and education. ISR offers a full range of collaboration options for interested corporations.
The Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (MTECH)
MTECH accelerates new ventures, spurs economic growth, and brings university expertise to Maryland companies through technology entrepreneurship and research programs. Research programs are:
- The Maryland Industrial Partnerships Program (MIPS, faculty research to enhance company competitiveness)
- Biotechnology Program (bioprocess scale-up, technical assistance, and training)
- Maryland Technology Extension Service MTES, (manufacturing solutions for Maryland companies)
- A Scholars Program for Industry-Oriented Research in Engineering (ASPIRE, undergrad research projects)
Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research (IBBR)
To significantly boost the state's research capacities in bioscience and biotechnology, and thereby increase scientific discovery, technology transfer, and economic development, IBBR brings together the research strengths of the University of Maryland College Park, the University of Maryland Baltimore (including the Schools of Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry, and Nursing), the National Institute for Standards and Technology, and the former University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute. IBBR participates in the Maryland BioChip Collaborative.
The Institute for Research in Electronics and Applied Physics (IREAP)
A joint institute of the Clark School and the College of Computer, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, IREAP applies basic science skills to practical problems and engineering skills to fundamental scientific investigations. The institute is recognized internationally in high-temperature plasma physics, plasma spectroscopy, relativistic microwave electronics, high-brightness charged particle beams, laser-plasma interactions, nonlinear dynamics (chaos), ion beam microfabrication techniques, microwave sintering of advanced materials, nanoscience and nanotechnology.
Several institutes outside the Clark School jointly appoint our faculty and encourage cross-disciplinary research and education. Two such institutes are:
Research: The Cross-Disciplinary Perspective
Department-Based Research
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Dr. Alison Flatau, Associate Dean for Research and recipient of the 2010 WIA Educator award |
Today—in communications, energy, new product design and production, the environment, health care, national security, transportation, space exploration—engineers face increasingly complex challenges and opportunities. A new perspective on engineering research is needed, one in which developing new collaborations between engineering disciplines is equal in importance to exploring the depths of each discipline. The Clark School has done much to foster this perspective, and with our new Kim Engineering Building we have created the perfect setting for achieving it.
Current Research Opportunities for Faculty
Current Research Opportunities for Students
Comprehensive Research Structure
We have anticipated the need for cross-disciplinary engineering research by establishing over many years a comprehensive research structure whose components organize our research efforts and make it easier for students and faculty, and for academic, business and government collaborators to understand the opportunities available and join with us. Components are:
- Individual departments, where faculty members, students and collaborators pursue new knowledge in their specialized areas (see sidebar).
- Engineering centers, some based in one department, some in multiple departments, in which groups of researchers and students focus on highly specific areas of work, often with strong ties to industry collaborators.
- Institutes, large organizations established by the university to promote a cross-disciplinary approach to broad areas of research, involving faculty and students from the Clark School and other university units as well as external research collaborators.
An Emphasis on Undergraduate Research
In an effort to produce more engineering researchers, the Clark School offers undergraduates both informal and formal research opportunities. Informal opportunities are those arranged with individual faculty members, typically through each department's director of undergraduate programs. Formal opportunities include an exceptional array of innovative undergraduate research programs such as
- A Scholars Program for Industry-oriented Research in Engineering (ASPIRE)
- Maryland Engineering Research Internship Teams (MERIT) and
- Research Internships in Science and Engineering (RISE)
REU/RET Summer Programs
- Cybersecurity (CS) Scholars - REU Program
- MERIT Summer Research - REU Program
- Molecular & Cellular Bioengineering Research Experiences for Undergraduates - REU Program
- Robotics REU Program
- Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) Program Site: Connecting with Community Colleges
Graduate Research Support Opportunities
Special Graduate Research Programs
For graduates, there is a wide array of special programs, including opportunities within departments such as the L-3 Fellow program, Fischell graduate fellowships, the Lockheed graduate student support program and the Citrin Fellowships for graduate students. For more information, visit the research opportunities page.
Writing a Successful DOD Fellowship Application (pdf)
The Kim Building: The Future of the Clark School
Nowhere is the Clark School's cross-disciplinary approach to research more fully realized than in the Jeong H. Kim Engineering Building. In this beautiful and advanced facility, adaptable state-of-the-art labs are shared across departments to encourage cross-disciplinary work, and both large conference facilities and small discussion areas foster the exchange of ideas with internal and external colleagues. Technologies include optoelectronics, nanotechnology, bioengineering, microelectronics and MEMS, sensors and actuators, transportation systems and space research. The building's 10,000-square foot clean room is a major resource for multiple research programs.