Research
Purdue ME is known worldwide for its research programs and facilities, from the largest academic propulsion lab in the world (Zucrow Labs), to the largest academic HVAC lab in the world (Herrick Labs), to the largest academic hydraulics lab in the country (Maha Labs).
But these are not just for graduate students! Many undergraduate students conduct research with faculty members. Not only can you get hands-on with your chosen field, but it's also a huge networking advantage and resume builder when you begin to look for a job. Faculty are looking for students like you, so take advantage of it!
Co-Ops & Internships
Part of being a successful Purdue ME student is making a connection to industry – whether it's through an internship, co-op, job opportunity, design project, or even an international work experience. Julia King and our Office of Industrial Experience can help you make that connection!
- Internships allow you to experience several different employers over the course of your time at Purdue. The duration of an internship experience is typically one semester, often during the summer.
- Co-Ops take this a step further, enabling you to alternate semesters between working full-time with a company, and attending classes. Not only do you get a proper salary, but you also get months of real-world experience and a strong connection to a potential future employer!
- Job Search Tips: Purdue has many resources to help you find a job, from the workshops and advising offered by Purdue's Center for Career Opportunities, to an ME-exclusive blog that posts the latest job opportunities.
Study Abroad
Purdue offers you unprecedented opportunities to study overseas, with unmatched academic and cultural experiences. International experience is guaranteed to give you a leg up in the job market, as every industry is now globally connected. That's why 40% of Purdue ME students study internationally (the national average is only 5%).
We have relationships with schools across the world, from Asia/Pacific, to Europe, to South America. This means that your study abroad experience integrates perfectly into your Plan of Study, allowing you to graduate on time, and have the experience of a lifetime!
Study Abroad + Work Abroad (GEARE)
Global Engineering Alliance for Research and Education (GEARE) is Purdue’s premier international work experience program. It provides a one-of-a-kind opportunity to integrate language study, study abroad, cultural training, domestic and international work/research experiences, and global design team projects into the 4-year Engineering curriculum.
Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP)
The Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) Program provides an opportunity for undergraduate students to earn academic credit while engaging in authentic and extended research and design projects related to active research areas of Purdue faculty members and national, international, and industry-sponsored design challenges.
Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS)
EPICS is a unique program in which teams of undergraduates are designing, building, and deploying real systems to solve engineering-based problems for local community service and education organizations.
Summer Projects
With COVID-19 cancelling many internships and co-ops, Purdue ME is offering an alternative program for students to stay engaged over the summer. ME Summer Project Teams are virtual teams of 2-6 students, who work with a faculty or staff mentor on real-world engineering projects. Previous projects have included:
- Using acoustics to direct autonomous robots
- Redesigning a mechanism of Purdue ME’s wind tunnel
- Using the video game Minecraft to teach solid mechanics principles to high school students
- Adapting personal protective equipment using fluid mechanics to reduce airborne transmission of COVID-19
- Designing microrobots and robotic surgical tools
- Building digital models of bio-inspired structures like butterfly wings, snake skin, and rice leaves
Milestones
Milestones offers shorter 10-15 hour micro-courses in practical skills: like how to program an Arduino, or mastering Finite Element Analysis. These technical experiences are designed to complement in the in-classroom curriculum, and enable you to do even more in your extracurricular projects, as well as your future career.
The classes are coupled with a videocnferencing system, so you don't miss out on one-on-one instruction if you need it. Upon successful completion of any module, you'll receive a digital certificate which you can display on professional social media outlets such as LinkedIn.
More Opportunities
PurdueME.com is our undergraduate blog, which hosts up-to-date postings of the latest job openings, scholarships, callouts, class offerings, and much more. You can even subscribe to specific categories, so the latest postings are automatically emailed to you. It's better than a bulletin board!