Interdisciplinary team research with undergraduates

The Civil Engineering Department at Northwestern University has developed a new National Science Foundation interdisciplinary Research Experience for Undergraduates program to provide students with the interdisciplinary and cooperative research experience needed to be successful in either industrial research and or academic positions. Students engage in a course of study that introduces them to a wide spectrum of research topics relevant to the central theme of civil engineering materials. They also attend seminar activities designed to coach them in skills ancillary to research including literature research, report writing, oral presentation and laboratory safety.