Program Basics
Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) is a summer program in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Texas A&M University. REU is supported by the National Science Foundation, and the program is coordinated with the Texas A&M University College of Engineering’s Student Services and Academic Programs (ESSAP) Undergraduate Summer Research Grant (USRG) and the Texas A&M Office of Undergraduate Research.
During the summer research experience, students work closely with faculty members, graduate students and undergraduate mentors on current research projects and visit renowned research facilities. Throughout the summer, participants attend presentation skills workshops and present short progress presentations to their peers during program meetings. At the end of the program, students submit a written, final report describing the results of their research and make a formal poster presentation showcasing their research experience.
Focus
- To emphasize aero-propulsion fluids research through computational and experimental activities.
- For students interested in research in fluid physics to build the related needed skills.
Outcomes
- Experience with cutting-edge research in hypersonic and plasma flow modeling and testing
- Develop computational and experimental skills with state-of-the-art equipment
Field Trips
- GE Energy, Houston, TX
- Ad Astra Rocket Co near NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC), Houston
- Texas A&M Flight Simulator
- Texas A&M Immersive Visualization Center (IVC)
- Texas A&M Astronomical Observatory
- Texas A&M Cyclotron
Program Dates and Application Process
The Texas A&M Department of Aerospace Engineering REU program will be held on campus in College Station, Texas from May 26-July 31, 2020. Students will arrive on campus on May 25 and depart August 1.
The application deadline is February 28, 2020, by 5:00 p.m. CST. The application includes statements describing the applicant's research interests and technical skills, transcripts and letters of recommendation (to be submitted online).
Eligibility
To participate in the program, students should
- have an interest in and a desire to participate in ongoing research in aerospace engineering.
- have completed their sophomore year in almost any curriculum of engineering and the physical and mathematical sciences.
- have a cumulative minimum GPA of 3.25 (exceptions may be made based on review of the applicant's last 60 hours of coursework, research interests, experience and recommendation letters).
- plan to graduate no earlier than December 2020.
- be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
Furthermore, they must specifically meet the following criteria:
Student Requirements
- Students selected for grant support may not be enrolled in additional courses, other than the required independent study/research course, during either summer school session.
- Research hours to be worked are determined by individual faculty members (40 hours/week).
- Each student will be required to give two brief presentations on their respective project during the course of the ten-week grant period.
- Each student will be required to prepare an abstract, final paper and a poster presentation describing the results of his/her research program.
Funding
Each participant will receive
- a stipend of $5,000 for the 10-week research experience.
- housing provided adjacent to campus. Students choosing to live elsewhere will have up to a $1,000 housing allowance.
- travel expenses covered up to $500 for travel to and from Texas A&M.
- tuition and fees covered up to $500 for summer admission to Texas A&M.
Sample of On-going Related Research
The research consists of modeling and testing of rarefied plasma turbulence. Some models use the mesoscale Lattice-Boltzmann Method (LBM) in multi-species plasma and magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) codes written in Fortran or C++. Testing involves visualizing plasmas using techniques such as Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence (PLIF).
Visit our Previous Research and Participants page for a list of recent summer research experiences.
Program Contact
