Providing young college students an opportunity to function as researchers on projects that are current, relevant, and interesting can have a profound positive influence on their desire to pursue a career in a STEM related field. With support from the NSF Division of Engineering Education and Centers, the Interdisciplinary Research Experience in Electrical and Computer Engineering (IREECE) Program at Oakland University will provide an engaging research experience for thirty undergraduate students over the next three years, with special focus on females and minorities. The students will engage in active projects that include biomedical research studying the effects of sleep apnea on canines, studying how to better image the human heart using X-rays, mimicking the visual system of the common house fly, developing MEMS sensors for autonomous robots, and learning about electromagnetics vehicular antenna designs. With close mentoring from faculty, the students will gain valuable skills in contributing to successful research, teamwork, communication, and dissemination of their work through technical conferences. Participants will also learn about the possibilities and the impact of engineering on our lives through close interaction with faculty, research staff, and industry collaborators in the Metro Detroit Area.
