The Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering is organizing the 3rd Annual Undergraduate Research Program for Summer 2026. The program will involve faculty-led short lectures designed to introduce the research process and provide a springboard into a research project with a faculty mentor. Program dates are Monday, June 1st through Friday, August 7th 2026. Student researchers will be compensated for their participation in the program with a stipend.
Mission
The mission of the Walker Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) is to foster intellectual curiosity and promote academic excellence by providing students with transformative opportunities to engage in meaningful research. Undergraduate research experiences help strengthen technical skills and develop soft skills, like problem-solving, integrity, communication, and collaboration. Under the guidance of dedicated faculty mentors, the program aims to empower students to address real-world challenges and contribute to the advancement of knowledge in their field of study.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Must be a U.S. citizens or permanent residents* Current UT International students are eligible to apply.
- Must be enrolled at UT Austin
- Must be entering their junior or senior year in FALL 26
- Fully commit to the 10-week program
- Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Student
- Minimum Cumulative GPA: 3.0
Summer 2026 Projects
- Heterogeneous Integration of Emerging Electronic and Thermal Management Materials | Li Shi
- Magnetic Navigation of Ingestible Capsules with Visual-Tactile Robotic Manipulation | Fangzhou Xia
- Characterization of Heavy Metal Pollution in the Austin Recreational Waters | Sheldon Landsberger
- Additive-Assembly Manufacturing Cell for Multi-Robot Hybrid Manufacturing | Zhenghui Sha
- Development of a coin-cell-scale accelerating rate calorimetry (ARC) method for battery thermal runaway and safety screening | Hadi Khani
Application deadline is January 30, 2026
