Research Planning and Registration

Please Note: Students should be registered for ILEA 4400 by the Add Deadline of their Away Term. Any student not registered is at risk of disenrollment after the fifth week of that term.

Description

Become immersed in faculty-led research while gaining professional hands-on experience on a topic that aligns with your academic interests. Experiences are available to work full-time/full-semester with RPI faculty or at other institutions. Opportunities are also available at Albany Medical School, Mount Sinai, and more for pre-health students looking for medical research experience.

Options

  • Research at a lab or medical facility (domestic or international)
  • Research at another institution (domestic or international)
  • Research opportunities with Rensselaer faculty

Requirements

Arch research opportunities may run for the full Fall semester (August-December) or the full Spring semester (January-May). Typically, students are not taking classes during the summer following the junior year, so they are open to extend spring experiences through the summer months (as applicable).

Note: Students must satisfactorily complete a mandatory LMS course during their semester-away experience.

Search for an Opportunity

Research at RPI: Connect with RPI faculty directly to learn about opportunities. (Note: ILE Research is not the same as URP. There can be no credit for this experience. Contact Office of Undergraduate Education for additional information.) 

Non-RPI research: The Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD) supports non-RPI research search and registration experiences. To begin your search, visit Handshake or make an appointment with a CCPD counselor.

Process to Register a Research ILE

Obtain Letter of Support from Sponsoring Faculty.  Letter should include:

  • Length of assignment (max of 40 hours per week) and rate of pay (minimum wage is the base; can be higher based on available funding)
  • Agreement that assignment/project modality (remote or in person)
  • Expressed support for the student to submit all LMS assignments, which includes  final report of research project.

Research at RPI: 

  1. Log into sis.rpi.edu to record your Away Semester plan (Select ILE-Research)
  2. Complete the Arch Semester Away Registration form
  3. Obtain Letter of Support from Sponsoring Faculty.  Letter should include:
    1. Length of assignment and rate of pay (minimum wage is the base; can be higher based on available funding)
    2. Agreement that assignment/project modality (remote or in person)
    3. Expressed support for the student to submit all LMS assignments, which includes  final report of research project.
  4. Send Letter of Support (offer letter on department letter head) verifying the research scope and the modality of the research (remote or in person) to the Office of Undergraduate Education. 

Non-RPI research: 

  1. Log into sis.rpi.edu to record your Away Semester plan.
  2. Go to Handshake to upload your offer letter and resume and to answer a few questions about your experience (Handshake > Career Center > Experiences > Request an Experience)
  3. CCPD will verify and approve the plan and send approval to student email.
  4. You must attend the away-semester briefing, Preparing for Your Away Semester 2.0.
     

Office Contact for Questions and Guidance

Office of Undergraduate Research -RPI Related Research

Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD) - Non-RPI Research

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