Research Opportunities
Our department is home to innovative research in a variety of areas, including applied solid mechanics, biomechanical & biomedical engineering, computational engineering, energy & environment, fluid mechanics, manufacturing automation & robotics, mechatronics & instrumentation, and naval architecture & marine engineering. Faculty and student research impacts the fields of energy, health, manufacturing public policy, sustainability, transportation, and more.
Research is generally associated with graduate students in the department, but for undergraduate students who wish to get involved, there are technical electives offered in the areas of certain professors’ specialties. Availability of these courses will depend on student interest and may change from year to year. For information on the various research groups our faculty members are part of, and the projects our faculty members are working on, visit the Research Section of our website.
Please see the following research opportunities for undergraduates:
MECH 493 is an undergraduate course specifically designed to introduce fourth-year students to academic research. To apply for this course, students submit a research proposal, typically related to the work of a supervising professor. They then use this course, and the guidance of their supervisor(s), to prepare a research thesis. For more information on MECH 493, please visit their wiki: MECH 493: Introduction to Academic Research
The NSERC USRA program is an excellent way for undergraduate students to gain exposure to university research. It can also help students decide if they want to pursue research in the future, whether through graduate studies or industrial research positions. It provides funding for faculty members to hire successful undergraduate applicants to work on their research projects. Find the list of available Mechanical Engineering projects below.
The program is open to Canadian citizens and permanent residents who have completed all required first year engineering courses, hold a cumulative average of at least 68% (note that the competitive average is usually above 80%) and who have not started graduate studies (although you can hold a USRA for the term directly after your graduation requirements are met). Students do not need to be in mechanical engineering to work with a mechanical engineering professor.
Application Details
Instructions on how students can apply for the award are available online.
When applying, please be advised of the following points:
- All applications must first be submitted electronically directly to NSERC, including the upload of transcripts. A copy of your Form 202 (Parts I and II), transcript, cover letter, and resume are also required to be submitted to the Mechanical Engineering Student Services Office electronically as a PDF addressed to students@mech.ubc.ca
- Student-faculty pairs should apply together to the department of the faculty member.
- International Students - Work Learn International Undergraduate Research Award Program may also be available. For more information and the deadlines, please refer to https://students.ubc.ca/career/campus-experiences/undergraduate-research/work-learn-international-undergraduate-research-awards
Further Application Information:
Application Deadline
Complete application packages for Summer 2024 - Spring 2025 awards must be submitted by the supervisor to Mechanical Engineering Student Services (students@mech.ubc.ca) by March 6th, 2024 at 11:59 PM. They must also be submitted online to NSERC by this deadline.
NSERC USRA Openings
Openings will be posted as they are received.
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Work Learn International Undergraduate Research Awards (WLIURA) allow undergraduate international students to gain relevant work experience in the research field by working a full-time paid term from May to August.
The Summer 2024 Work Learn International Undergraduate Research Award Program (WL IURA) Call for Research Project Proposals will open from November 20, 2023 – January 30, 2024 (This has been extended to Feb 6, 2024). The award provides faculty supervisors with a subsidy to hire international undergraduate students to work on their research projects while allowing students to explore workplace and research skills. These awards are valued at $6,000 each.
Important resources:
- Program Timeline: Students should refer to the Work Learn IURA webpage for the full program timeline.
- Proposal Information for Faculty Members: Faculty members wishing to learn more about submitting a proposal for funding should refer to the Faculty and Staff webpage.
- Student eligibility: please see the student website for full details.
- It is the responsibility of the student to ensure they have the necessary work authorization documents to work in Canada.
Note: Graduating international undergraduate students may be eligible for the program.
- It is the responsibility of the student to ensure they have the necessary work authorization documents to work in Canada.
If you have questions about the WL IURA Program, you can reach them by email at worklearn.iura@ubc.ca.
Work Learn IURA Openings
Openings will be posted as they are received.
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