In summer 2023, about 30 undergraduate engineering students at Alfred University in New York had the opportunity to participate in research settings normally reserved for graduate students thanks to the university’s new Summer Research Institute program.

The Summer Research Institute, held from May 30 through July 28, was developed to give students the opportunity to discover, very early in their college careers, how materials can impact everyday life. Normally, it is difficult to involve undergraduate students in a laboratory setting. But at Alfred University, where class sizes are smaller, there are more opportunities for students just beginning their educational journey to interact with faculty in a research environment.