Providing Experiences in Research for Undergraduate Students in Engineering (PERUSE)

Trent Jacobson, a junior in Materials Science and Engineering (MSE), experienced his first research opportunity during the summer of 2008 in the lab of Nicola Bowler, associate professor of MSE. His work was to assist electrical engineering graduate student Chongxue Zhang as she worked with nondestructive evaluation. Jacobson polished hardened steel samples and then took micrographs (microscopic pictures) every 0.25 mm to compare grain structures. His work was critical to the research project because the samples he polished and photographed helped to validate the research.

Much to his satisfaction, Jacobson discovered that the higher level engineering class labs he had taken prepared him well for his work in an actual research setting. He needed to see that the skills he was developing in class had application and meaning, making all that tuition and engineering coursework worth it. He was able to transition into a research setting without much difficulty and was pleasantly surprised by how much he actually understood in a graduate level research lab.

Jacobson had always considered the possibility of attending graduate school, even though he was never entirely sure. But as he worked with graduate level research and met weekly with Zhang and Bowler in research meetings, he watched Zhang develop her written thesis and prepare for presentations at conferences. In the process, Jacobson discovered that in addition to learning, he was helping to develop something new to teach to other people. He experienced the thrill of developing a new technique or idea and seeing its contribution to science. Now his plans are to pursue graduate work in MSE.

Jacobson remembers being encouraged during freshman orientation to seek out research experience as an undergraduate. His advice to fellow engineering undergrads is to set their minds on the goal of experiencing undergraduate research, and then work out a plan to make it happen. He suggests that they apply for many opportunities and not get discouraged if they do not get selected, because there is never going to be just one person in the applicant pool. He recommends networking, talking to professors about research interests, and keeping resumes updated to be ready when an opportunity presents itself.

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