Launched in 2012, SuperUROP is an expanded version of MIT’s flagship Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP). The year-long research program, open to juniors and seniors in the School of Engineering and the School of Humanities, Arts, & Social Sciences, enables students to tackle tough problems and strive for publication-worthy findings.
SuperUROP gives students the time, training, resources, and guidance necessary for deep scientific and engineering inquiry along with access to graduate-level facilities such as nanofabrication labs. As of May 2019, 833 undergraduates have completed the program.
Students are paired with a faculty member or MIT researcher, take a two-semester course (6.UAR) on undergraduate research, and spend 10 hours a week (or more) in the lab.
Often, these year-long projects evolve into graduate theses, startup plans, or industry positions.
Guest speakers from industry and faculty also provide insight on topics ranging from technical communications to intellectual property to ethics in engineering. Students typically receive a named scholarship generously funded by gifts from industry sponsors and alumni donors, along with course credit.
The program serves as a launch pad to academia, research, industry, and startups by teaching students how to:
Each year in March, program coordinators hold several information sessions (and, as of 2020, you can see an info session on video as well). In April, students submit applications with project proposals. Acceptance letters typically go out in June, and the SuperUROP experience begins in September. See the Timeline page for details.
For more information, visit https://superurop-apply.mit.edu or contact superurop-contact at mit.edu