Armour College of Engineering (ACE) announces the Summer 2014 request for proposals for Armour R&D projects as part of the ACE Distinctive Education Initiative. The Summer 2014 period is from May 19 to August 1.
Armour R&D offers two project tracks: Program for Undergraduate Research Education (PURE) and Mentored INovation and Development (MIND).
ACE PURE is a collaborative effort involving ACE faculty, the Wanger Institute for Sustainable Energy Research (WISER), the Pritzker Institute of Biomedical Science and Engineering, and the Institute for Food Safety and Health (IFSH). Students selected to participate in this program will have an opportunity to work with an IIT faculty mentor on a fundamental engineering research project, gain valuable research experience, and receive a stipend.
ACE MIND is an expansion of PURE and designed to bring discovery to practice. MIND focuses on the development and implementation of technology to address contemporary challenges improving and impacting mankind and the environment. This program, new this Summer, is about the development of technology based on research findings, rather than the execution of basic research. Faculty and students are encouraged to participate in this new program to explore new applications of ongoing research and/or work toward the utilization of innovative technology.
As part of enhancing undergraduate research at IIT, ACE will be offering a new course titled Introduction to Research Methods during the Summer of 2014. It is highly recommended that Students who receive funding as part of ACE PURE take this course for credit, as it complements students who are new to research. The course will be offered to all IIT students this summer and students can register for the course for credit as a free elective or technical elective in the student’s respective program of study.
Participation in these activities will be recognized in a student’s Engineering Portfolio. Research and development activities are focused on one or more of the current IIT Engineering Themes: Water, Energy, Health and Security.
Summer 2014 Options
Financial support for those participating in ACE PURE or MIND is $10 per hour, with a maximum of $4,000 for the summer. The application should specify whether the project is a part-time (two options available at 10 or 20 hours per week) or full-time effort (one option available at 40 hours per week). The project description should be consistent with that level of effort.
Requirements
Students participating in these programs must fulfill the following requirements:
· Prepare a final report that describes results from the research. Each report should
include a description of how the experience compared with the learning objectives
established by the faculty mentor.
· Participate in the ACE Summer R&D Symposium, where each student will present the results from their research.
Application Process
Summer 2014 applications are limited to student-faculty teams whose applications clearly indicate established communication and a well-developed research plan for the summer.
To obtain an application, email engineering@iit.edu and include “PURE Application Request” or “MIND Application Request” in the subject line.
Important Dates
ACE PURE and MIND applications will be accepted from Monday, April 11, through Friday, April 25. Applications received outside of this application window will not be considered for the Summer 2014 session.
Awards decisions will be announced by Friday, May 2, and student-faculty teams should be prepared to begin to use the funds immediately. Funds that are not spent before the end of the summer term will no longer be available.