Undergraduate students are invited to apply for summer research opportunities under the supervision of a School of Engineering faculty member. Students will work side-by-side with faculty, graduate students, and other staff on an active research project while gaining first-hand laboratory experience.
Students will receive $8,000 to aid with the cost of housing and living expenses during this ten-week program.
Application Timeline
- January 6, 2025: Application opens to students
- February 7, 2025: Applications due by 11:59pm CST
- March 14, 2025: All decisions and offers sent to students
- April 6, 2025: Student responses due by 11:59pm CST
Application Requirements
- Student information including GPA and any relevant experience
- Current transcript from a 4-year college or university
- Statement of Purpose describing how participation in this program would align with research and career goals
- 1 Letter of Recommendation
- Selection of up to 3 projects from the list below
How To Apply
To apply, follow the link here to the application site.
If this is your first time applying to a Vanderbilt program, you will need to make an account. This should only take a minute or two.
Once you have made an account, select "Start New Application", then select "Summer Research Program" from the dropdown menu. When prompted, click "Create Application" and then "Open Application".
Once the application is open, select "VUSE Summer Research Program" from the dropdown menu to view and select projects from the list and complete your application.
If you have any questions about the application process, send them to vuse.summer.research@vanderbilt.edu.
Biomedical Projects
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A Digitally Refocusing Microscope to Improve Infertility Outcomes
Primary Investigators:
Audrey BowdenBrief Description of Project:
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is the most effective way to treat infertility. During IVF, one of the key steps is to grade the embryos based on their quality as determined with microscopy; the best embryos are then selected for implantation. Current clinical microscopes have limited accuracy for grading because they can only image in 2D but the embryo is 3D. To address the limitation, this project aims to develop a low-cost time-lapse 3D microscope with digital refocusing. The student will help with assembling the microscope and developing the relevant software to control it. They will also conduct initial studies to validate the imaging quality.Desired Qualifications:
Highly self-motivated. One or more semesters of signals and systems, and proficiency with Python and MATLAB.Nature of Supervision:
Student(s) will be work closely with graduate students in the lab.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Week 1: Orientation and project introduction
Week 2: Training in the developed microscope hardware
Week 3-4: Software development for microscope control
Week 5-6: Software development for 3D image reconstruction
Week 7-8: Mouse embryo imaging experiments
Week 9: Quantitative data analysis
Week 10: Compile data, summarize results, submit abstract for relevant conferenceNumber of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Audrey Bowden
a.bowden@vanderbilt.edu
Biomedical Engineering
Electrical and Computer Engineering -
A Massively Parallel Universal Transmit Array for High Field MRI
Primary Investigators:
Adam Anderson
Brief Description of Project:
High field MRI offers high sensitivity in theory, but practical applications are limited by the difficulty of producing uniform radio frequency magnetic fields at high frequencies. The goal of the project is to build a new type of MRI transmit coil to address this issue.Desired Qualifications:
A desire to learn CAD, 3D printing, and RF electronics.Nature of Supervision:
Initially, we will meet daily to introduce the project and relevant skills. In addition to me, there are other faculty who can advise in addition to well-staffed electronics and mechanical shops to support students. As the student acquires more skills and familiarity with the project, we will meet as needed, in addition to a regular weekly update meeting.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Weeks 1-2: CAD and 3D printing.
Weeks 3-4: Tri-axial coils and evaluation.
Weeks 5-6: Single column phased array.
Weeks 7-8: Full 8-column array.
Weeks 9-10: Testing and research poster creation.Number of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Adam Anderson
adam.anderson@vanderbilt.edu
Department of Biomedical Engineering
https://www.vumc.org/vuiis/welcome -
Designing and Testing a Wearable ECMO Unit
Primary Investigators:
Rei Ukita
Brief Description of Project:
We have an opening for a summer research student to develop a wearable extracorporeal life support system that can carry blood pump, oxygenator, battery, sensors, and user interface to facilitate ambulatory use. The technological solution here is ergonomically important given the increasing clinical interests in walking patients during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). While it is more traditional to keep patients sedated during ECMO, recent clinical data suggest that it is in the patient’s best interest to wake them up and ambulate for physical rehabilitation. This is especially important for patients who are on a lung transplant waiting list so that they can regain their strengths and be eligible for transplant. However, the bulky profile of ECMO requires a team of at least 3 clinical staff members to safely mobilize a single patient. The proposed work will also integrate actuator, sensors, and controller of the ECMO system into a single wearable unit. We envision that the logistical barrier to patient ambulation will be lower with this wearable setup. This technology will help move patients out of ICUs and ultimately facilitate care as a home-based destination therapy.Desired Qualifications:
Currently in an undergraduate engineering program including mechanical, electrical, and/or biomedical engineering.Nature of Supervision:
Direct supervision from either PhD student or the faculty mentor.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Prototype the wearable vest (3 weeks)
Test the wearable in human volunteers (2 weeks)
Refine the prototype based on human testing (3 weeks)
Second round of testing in human volunteers (2 weeks)Number of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Rei Ukita
rei.ukita.1@vanderbilt.edu -
Engineering Nanoparticles for Peptide Delivery to Vascular Grafts
Primary Investigator:
Craig DuvallBrief Description of Project:
Our lab recently developed a new polymer-based nano-formulation for delivery of therapeutic peptides to vascular grafts during transplant procedures (for patients undergoing bypass surgery due to blocked coronary arteries in the heart). We have shown therapeutic benefit of this drug delivery approach in preclinical models of vascular bypass and ex vivo in human tissue.This project will involve work on two aspects of this project:
-Developing new, more reliable methods for fabrication of these nanoparticles to optimize their size and to make them more uniform.
-Expand the use of this nano-formulation approach to new therapeutic peptides.
Desired Qualification:
Highly motivated students interested in research who have taken general chemistry and preferably BME 2200 (Biomedical Materials) or equivalent course. Completion of organic chemistry class and lab are also desired but not required.Nature of Supervision:
The undergraduate researcher will have the opportunity to meet at least weekly to discuss research progress with the PI. Hands-on training and support will be provided by a graduate student who will serve as a mentor.A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Students will be involved in development and optimization of a new nanoparticle fabrication approach with the goal of producing monodispersed particles of different sizes. The student will also complete basic nanoparticle characterization by dynamic light scattering and electron microscopy. The functional effect of various nanoparticle fabrication parameters will be assessed based on peptide delivery to cells and tissues.Number of Open Slots: 1
Contact information:
Craig L. Duvall, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Biomedical Engineering
PMB 351631
2301 Vanderbilt Place
Nashville, TN 37235-1631
craig.duvall@vanderbilt.edu
(615) 322-3598
https://www.duvall-lab.com -
Flexible, Transparent Electrodes for Intracortical Recordings
Primary Investigator:
Daniel GonzalesBrief Description of Project:
Electrical recordings are the gold-standard for understanding how neural activity governs cognition. More recently, optical recordings have also emerged as a powerful method for understanding neural circuit computations. These two techniques can be combined for a superior platform for studying the brain; however, conventional electrode technologies are typically incompatible with optical approaches. In this project, we are designing, manufacturing, and testing polymer-based neural interfaces that are compatible with optical imaging and stimulation.Desired Qualifications:
None required, but a strong background in engineering design is advantageous.Nature of Supervision:
The student will work closely with PhD students in the lab in addition to the PI. The lab holds a weekly group meeting. The student will also meet one-on-one with the PI bi-weekly for project updates.A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
The student will be involved in characterizing and optimizing neural interfaces developed in the lab. This includes optimizing the neural probe geometry, fabrication process, and connectorization for the best electrical and optical performance. We also plan to characterize neural probe mechanical properties and longevity.Number of Slots: 1
Contact Information
Daniel L. Gonzales
Department of Biomedical Engineering
daniel.gonzales@Vanderbilt.Edu
https://gonzales.science/ -
Measuring the Geometry of Neuronal Fibers in the Brain
Primary Investigators:
Adam AndersonBrief Description of Project:
The goal of the project is to create a software tool to analyze 3D confocal microscopy images and construct geometrical models of axonal fibers in the brain. These models will quantify the distribution of axon orientations within single fibers, as well as the crossing angles of two or more fibers within a small volume element (voxel) of brain tissue. The models will serve as “ground truth” in tests of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) fiber tractography estimates.Desired Qualifications:
Programming experience with MATLAB and/or python.Nature of Supervision:
The student will be mentored by a team of 3-4 faculty and several staff. The student(s) will meet with Professor Anderson each day at the beginning of the program to troubleshoot and learn about the image data, microscopes, analysis resources, and goals of the project. As the student(s) acquire more skills and familiarity with the project, we will meet as needed, in addition to a regular weekly update meeting.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Weeks 1-2: Orientation to the Imaging Institute; introduction to confocal microscopy and neuroanatomy.
Weeks 3-4: Structure tensor calculation from 3D microscopy.
Weeks 5-6: Fiber segmentation and orientation distributions.
Weeks 7-8: Application to large datasets.
Weeks 9-10: Data visualization and project poster creation.Number of Open Slots: 2
Contact Information:
Adam Anderson
adam.anderson@vanderbilt.edu
Department of Biomedical Engineering
https://www.vumc.org/vuiis/welcome -
Measuring Brain Networks in Epilepsy
Primary Investigators:
Victoria Morgan
Brief Description of Project:
In this project we will investigate brain networks in patients with focal epilepsy at different disease stages (early after diagnosis and chronic). We will use MRI-based measures of functional and structural connectivity, and compare to healthy controls and clinical assessments of disease severity.Desired Qualifications:
MATLAB processing
Signal processing
Curiosity and creative thinkingNature of Supervision:
The students will be supervised directly by a 4th year graduate student and the PI.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Week 1: Introduction to human subjects research and MRI connectivity
Weeks 2-3: Develop specific hypothesis and testing method
Weeks 4-8: Data analysis
Weeks 9-10: Finalize resultsNumber of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Victoria Morgan
Biomedical Engineering
victoria.morgan@vumc.org -
Neurophysiology of Cognitive Functions
Primary Investigators:
Christos Constantinidis
Brief Description of Project:
The research project seeks to understand the neurophysiology of the prefrontal cortex as it underlies working memory. The project will obtain behavioral data in working memory tasks and recording neural activity from the cerebral cortex using multi-contact probes in a non-human primate model. The project will use optogenetic techniques to activate specifically targeted neuron types, and computational methods to analyze neural activity will be developed in the course of the project.Desired Qualifications:
Computer programming experience in the MATLAB (or Python) environment is desired.Nature of Supervision:
The lab holds two events every week: a lab group meeting, and a research presentation by lab members. This project involves an international collaboration with colleagues in Spain, and the two teams meet over Zoom biweekly. Additional supervision of the student will be accomplished through biweekly individual meetings with PI. Day-to-day supervision and mentoring will also be provided by a senior graduate student in the lab.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Students will be involved in collecting behavioral data daily from non-human primates performing working memory tasks. Pharmacological administration of NMDA antagonists will be performed on some sessions to study the effects of NMDA receptor blockers. The students will also participate in the data acquisition of neurophysiological data, with 128-contact microelectrodes that can sample neural activity directly from the cerebral cortex. Finally, students will be involved in analysis of a completed dataset of neurophysiological recordings. Prior students participating in summer programs in the lab have developed research abstracts presented in national conferences and have co-authored publications.Number of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Christos Constantinidis
Biomedical Engineering
christos.constantinidis.1@vanderbilt.edu -
Optical Imaging of the Retina
Primary Investigators:
MD Imam Uddin, Ph.D.
Brief Description of Project:
We have developed mRNA targeted optical imaging probes to detect disease in the retina and the brain. These imaging methods will be useful in visualizing disease onset, progression, and response to therapy. In future studies, potential students will design and synthesize novel optical imaging probes and test their sensitivity, specificity, and toxicity in vitro and in vivo.Desired Qualifications:
Concepts in basic molecular biology and chemical synthesis are required.Nature of Supervision:
Students will be under direct supervision by senior research staff in the laboratory.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Students will synthesize RNA and DNA molecules using our automated oligo synthesizer and characterize the compounds. Students will perform experiments related to nanoparticles synthesis and characterization using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).Number of Open Slots: 2
Contact Information:
MD Imam Uddin, Ph.D.
Biomedical Engineering
md.i.uddin@vanderbilt.edu -
Pathogen Detection in Low Resource Settings
Primary Investigators:
Rick Haselton
Megan Pask
Graduate Students
Brief Description of Project:
A major stumbling block to low resource and/or home diagnostics is simplicity of design. Complex designs drive up the cost of manufacturing and fail to perform properly in the hands of those unskilled in the principles of operation of the device. The goal of this project is to further develop and test a simple diagnostic design which is inexpensive to manufacture, is simple to operate, and can be readily interpreted by the unskilled end-user in a low resource environment.A major focus of recent efforts is the detection of drug-resistant pathogens. In these projects, we seek to develop methods for detecting nucleic acid sequences in a sample that indicate drug susceptibility or drug resistance.
We are particularly interested in developing designs which do not require instrumentation to interpret the test results. Some sort of visible outcome would appear to be ideal. One promising design is based on the unique radial flow present in an evaporating water drop. As noted by Deegan (Nature 97) the radial flow produces a characteristic “coffee ring” stain of small particles (coffee bean particulates!) readily visible by eye. We are developing and testing a detector based on modulation of this simple phenomenon. In our design, the presence of a pathogen in a small drop of fluid triggers a visible change in the ring structure at the edge of a drop dried on a glass surface.
Desired Qualifications:
Interest in global health and some background in experimental molecular biology.Nature of Supervision:
Student will work with a research group consisting of Rick Haselton, Megan Pask, and graduate students. Applicants are expected to participate in weekly lab discussions of project results.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Student will receive training in basic molecular biology techniques and their application to test specific benchtop procedures. Our preliminary results suggest that several designs works well. In the summer, we plan to focus on some of the following questions: What is the limit of detection of a particular design? Is the design sensitive enough to detect the expected number of targets? Are the built-in controls adequate to assure correct assay interpretation? Will the design also work for other applications?Number of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Rick Haselton
Biomedical Engineering
rick.haselton@vanderbilt.edu -
Structural and Functional MRI of the Thoracolumbar Spinal Cord
Primary Investigators:
Kristin O'Grady
Brief Description of Project:
Bladder dysfunction and impaired gait are highly prevalent symptoms affecting quality of life in multiple sclerosis, a neurological disease that results in demyelination and neurodegeneration in the brain and spinal cord. Unfortunately, there is a lack of quantitative, advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods targeting the thoracolumbar spinal cord segments which are relevant to bladder and lower limb function. The overall goals of our research are to 1) develop and validate quantitative MRI methods for characterizing macrostructure, microstructure, and functional connectivity in the thoracolumbar spinal cord, and 2) evaluate these methods as potential biomarkers for neurological deficits in patients with multiple sclerosis.Desired Qualifications:
Interest in MRI and neuroscience. Proficiency in MATLAB or other programming experience such as Python will be helpful, although not required.Nature of Supervision:
The student will be directly supervised by Dr. O’Grady and will have additional support from other lab members. Individual research meetings to discuss progress and results will take place at least once per week depending on project needs, and the student will participate in biweekly lab meetings.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Week 1: Introduction to the lab, the project, and background reading
Week 2: Introduction to MRI data acquisition and image processing methods
Week 3: Image processing tutorials and training in lab-specific code
Weeks 4-7: Processing spinal cord MRI data using Spinal Cord Toolbox and MATLAB
Week 8: Compiling MS symptom data from sensorimotor testing
Week 9: Correlating MRI-derived metrics and measures of MS symptoms
Week 10: Summarizing results, preparing an abstract and research posterNumber of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Kristin O'Grady
Biomedical Engineering
kristin.p.ogrady@vanderbilt.edu -
Synthetic Gene Circuits For Regenerative Engineering
Primary Investigators:
Jonathan Brunger
Brief Description of Project:
Our lab takes a multi-disciplinary approach that integrates tissue engineering, synthetic biology, pluripotent stem cell technology, and genome engineering to understand diseases and design cell-based therapeutics. We have recently developed new methods to enable cells to sense features of a niche that are consistent with musculoskeletal pathology and neurodegeneration. We have shown we can then program these cells to execute defined scripts to locally activate cell differentiation, production of therapeutic compounds, or expression of genes that may help us dissect molecular bases for disease.This project will involve contributions in the following areas of these investigations:
- Design and assembly of new gene circuits to control cell behaviors relevant to musculoskeletal regenerative medicine and studies of neurodegeneration
- Production of gene delivery vehicles for implementation of cell engineering strategies
- Cell-based and molecular assays (e.g., flow cytometry, luminescence assays, immunocytochemistry, ELISAs, gene expression profiling) to determine specificity of circuit responses and impact on cell and tissue function
Desired Qualifications:
Highly motivated students interested in research who have taken general chemistry and biology.Nature of Supervision:
Hands-on training and support will be provided by a graduate student, who will serve as the researcher's primary mentor and interact directly on a daily basis. The student will participate in weekly lab group meetings. The undergraduate researcher will meet with the PI at least bi-weekly to discuss research progress.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
After completing safety training and acclimating to the lab during week 1, the student will be involved in cloning, sequencing, and purifying new gene expression vectors (weeks 2-3). Lentivirus will be produced and used to engineer target cells (e.g. pluripotent stem cells, immortalized cell lines) with gene circuit platform components (weeks 4-5). Students will then assess the influence of the artificial signaling circuit by a variety of outputs that may include measurement of reporter transgene expression (e.g., fluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry, luminescence assays), immunolabeling, qRT-PCR, and RNAseq (weeks 6-9). The student will then prepare a final report and poster presentation during week 10.Number of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Jonathan Brunger
Biomedical Engineering
jonathan.m.brunger@vanderbilt.edu -
Targeted and Local siRNA Drug Delivery
Primary Investigator:
Craig DuvallBrief Description of Project:
Our lab has recently synthesized and screened a new library of synthetic polymers designed to form nanoparticles for delivery of short interfering RNA (siRNA) for gene therapy (targeted gene silencing) applications. We have optimized the pH-responsiveness of these polymeric carriers to enable endosomal escape and intracellular delivery / gene silencing bioactivity of siRNA. We are now seeking to further improve upon this promising nanocarrier for biomedical applications.We are seeking researchers to contribute to two aspects of this project:
- Incorporation of targeting ligands to improve cell- and tissue-specific action in order to improve drug potency and reduce off-target effects following intravenous siRNA nanocarrier delivery.
- Build upon technologies invented in our laboratory for temporally-controlled, local delivery of siRNA nanocarriers in order to achieve sustained, potent bioactivity without the requirement for multiple applications / doses.
Candidate Qualification:
Highly motivated students interested in research who have taken general chemistry and preferably BME 2200 (Biomedical Materials) or equivalent course. Completion of organic chemistry class and lab are also desired but not required.Nature of Supervision:
The undergraduate researcher will have the opportunity to meet at least weekly to discuss research progress with the PI. Hands-on training and support will be provided by a graduate student who will serve as a mentor.A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Students will be involved in synthesis and in vitro testing of new forms of this nanocarrier amenable to functionalization with targeting ligands and / or fabrication of biodegradable polymer-based depots for sustained, local nanocarrier delivery. This will require polymer synthesis, basic nanoparticle characterization by GPC, DLS, TEM, and 1H-NMR, measurement of intracellular delivery in vitro, and measurement of gene expression. The student will be encouraged to interface and collaborate with other members of the Duvall lab and to utilize VINSE facilities.Number of Open Slots: 2
Contact information:
Craig L. Duvall, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Vanderbilt University
Department of Biomedical Engineering
PMB 351631
2301 Vanderbilt Place
Nashville, TN 37235-1631
craig.duvall@vanderbilt.edu
(615)322-3598
http://research.vuse.vanderbilt.edu/biomaterials/Duvall/index.html -
Wireless Resonator for Enhancing CEST and Other Applications at 7T MRI
Primary Investigators:
Zhongliang Zu
Xinqiang Yan
Brief Description of Project:
This project focuses on the development of a wireless resonator to enhance chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) imaging and other MRI applications at 7T. CEST imaging is a powerful technique for detecting low-concentration metabolites and assessing tissue microenvironment properties, such as pH and metabolite exchange rates. However, achieving optimal sensitivity and contrast in CEST imaging, especially at ultra-high field strengths like 7T, remains challenging due to hardware limitations, including non-uniform RF fields and poor signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in certain regions. The proposed wireless resonator addresses these limitations by acting as a local RF amplifier, improving both transmit field uniformity and receive sensitivity without the need for direct electrical connections to the MRI system. This design is especially advantageous for applications requiring high-resolution imaging of small or anatomically complex regions, such as the brain or joints. In addition to CEST imaging, the wireless resonator has the potential to enhance other MRI applications at 7T, including structural imaging, functional MRI (fMRI), and spectroscopy, by providing improved RF field control and SNR. By overcoming existing hardware constraints, this project aims to broaden the utility of 7T MRI for both research and clinical purposes, enabling more precise and informative imaging studies.Desired Qualifications:
Proficiency in Python and foundational algorithm development. Demonstrated strong motivation for academic research with a commitment to producing high-quality scientific publications.Nature of Supervision:
Collaborate closely with the Principal Investigator (PI), research staff scientists, graduate students, and other neuroimaging scientists. Engage in weekly individual meetings to discuss progress and receive guidance.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Week 1: Project overview and plan development
Weeks 2-9: Project implementation
Week 10: Project write-up and presentationNumber of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Zhongliang Zu
Zhongliang.zu@vumc.org
Medical Center North, 1161 21st Ave. S. AAA-3106 -
VISE: Augmented Reality for Cancer Margin Resection Assistance
Primary Investigators:
Michael Miga
Brief Description of Project:
In this project a tissue-specimen to tumor-bed alignment approach and visualization system is proposed, i.e., a surgical pathology-enabled augmented reality display. The display is designed to enhance resection efficacy at the time of surgery. The technology is to be used in breast cancer surgery and is designed to align and visualize pathologically identified high-risk margins for additional resection in the patient’s tumor-bed. The project spans many skill sets to include design, visualization, and analysis.This lab is part of VISE (Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering). Students accepted into this project will have the opportunity to participate in VISE-specific activities in addition to other Summer Research Program activities and events.
Desired Qualifications:
A traditional coding background is important. C# is useful. Working in computational environments. Not all of these are used in every possible project aspect. If you are interested in tissue implant design (CAD), that would be useful too.Nature of Supervision:
PI, research faculty, and graduate students will be part of supervision.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
In the first third of the 10-week period, the student experiences onboarding for the project and reading followed by familiarization with technology through tutorials and supervisory guidance. All students will present weekly at laboratory meetings. This is followed by more familiarization with the technology more independent tasks. The final of the experience, students and laboratory members will identify a new problems and full time research and development will ensue.There are also structured activities as part of being a VISE Summer Fellow: Week 1 Welcome Lunch 5-minute presentations, Week 2 Professional Development workshop, Week 3 Social event (like coffee hour), Week 4 Working group, Week 5 Professional Development workshop, Week 6 Faculty lunch, Week 7 Working group, Week 8 Practice seminar (Aug 6th), Aug 21 or 28 VISE seminar.
Number of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Michael I. Miga
michael.i.miga@vanderbilt.edu
Department of Biomedical Engineering
http://migalab.org
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/esi -
VISE: Augmented Reality for Surgical Guidance and Training
Primary Investigators:
Michael Miga
Brief Description of Project:
At the turn of the millennium, the very first frameless surgical navigation systems were becoming standard of care. These navigation systems would enable the tracking of surgical positions in physical space while simultaneously displaying that location relative to preoperative imaging data, i.e. image space. These systems were technological disruptors to previous care frameworks by allowing the physician to more directly interact with neuroanatomical data while performing physical surgery in a highly unencumbered workflow. What is equally fascinating is that, despite the lack of extensive Level I evidence, the value of these systems was self-evident and became ubiquitous for cranial surgery. Figure 1a,b shows a typical system and its use in the OR. It is quite easy to see that navigation is a task where it separates the surgery from the display. In this project we are going to explore how augmented reality with the Hololens2 can be used to possibly guide surgeries or train surgeons. The ideal team will have an interest in surgery and intervention, good computing skills, good software organization skills, and are interested in workflow processing.This lab is part of VISE (Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering). Students accepted into this project will have the opportunity to participate in VISE-specific activities in addition to other Summer Research Program activities and events.
Desired Qualifications:
A traditional coding background is important. C# is particularly useful. MATLAB only is not sufficient. Working in computational environments.Nature of Supervision:
PI, research faculty, and graduate students will be part of supervision.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
In the first third of the 10-week period, the student experiences onboarding for the project and reading followed by familiarization with technology through tutorials and supervisory guidance. All students will present weekly at laboratory meetings. This is followed by more familiarization with the technology more independent tasks. The final of the experience, students and laboratory members will identify a new problems and full time research and development will ensue.There are also structured activities as part of being a VISE Summer Fellow: Week 1 Welcome Lunch 5-minute presentations, Week 2 Professional Development workshop, Week 3 Social event (like coffee hour), Week 4 Working group, Week 5 Professional Development workshop, Week 6 Faculty lunch, Week 7 Working group, Week 8 Practice seminar (Aug 6th), Aug 21 or 28 VISE seminar.
Number of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Michael I. Miga
michael.i.miga@vanderbilt.edu
Department of Biomedical Engineering
http://migalab.org
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/esi -
VISE: Computational Imaging Markers for Therapeutic Response
Primary Investigators:
Jon Heiselman
Brief Description of Project:Clinical advances in personalized medicine depend on the development of reliable, repeatable, and reproducible markers that can quantify patient-specific disease state. Unfortunately, in low-visibility cancers such as pancreatic ductal adenocarincinoma and sub-centimeter liver metastases, there is a dramatic absence of imaging markers that can effectively assist disease prognostication and tailoring of therapeutic course. This project aims to develop advanced computational imaging markers to evaluate tumor response during chemotherapy using longitudinal models for pathophysiological effects in cancers of the pancreas and liver. This project will focus on characterizing changes in disease state by integrating intra- and inter-modal imaging data between baseline and restaging clinical imaging sequences using biophysical computational models for tumor response, parenchymal response, and elastographic changes developed by the PI. In addition to evaluating these models on clinical data to establish correlation to survival outcomes, inter-reader reliability, and other clinical endpoints, the student will have opportunities to further improve these models and their associated data processing pipelines using deep learning image segmentation and other AI tools.
This lab is part of VISE (Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering). Students accepted into this project will have the opportunity to participate in VISE-specific activities in addition to other Summer Research Program activities and events.
Desired Qualifications:
Programming in MATLAB and/or Python, interest in computational modeling and medical image analysisNature of Supervision:
The student will be supervised by the principal investigator with daily contact and weekly meetings with the PI.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Week 1: Project orientation, human subjects research, and set up computational environment
Weeks 2-3: Familiarization with computational model, datasets, analysis pipelines
Weeks 4-8: Project implementation
Week 9: Finalize results
Week 10: Project write-up and presentation
There are also structured activities as part of being a VISE Summer Fellow: Week 1 Welcome Lunch 5-minute presentations, Week 2 Professional Development workshop, Week 3 Social event (like coffee hour), Week 4 Working group, Week 5 Professional Development workshop, Week 6 Faculty lunch, Week 7 Working group, Week 8 Practice seminar (Aug 6th), Aug 21 or 28 VISE seminar.Number of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Jon Heiselman
jon.s.heiselman@vanderbilt.edu
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering
https://www.vanderbilt.edu/vise/ -
VISE: Deep Networks for Ultrasound Cardiac Imaging
Primary Investigators:
Brett Byram
Brief Description of Project:
Cardiac ultrasound is one of the most common medical imaging exams, but the images are inadequate in most patients. We are working on developing new methods to overcome these shortcomings. There are lots of related projects including opportunities to work on the methods and opportunities to build PDMS phantoms to help evaluate the methods.This lab is part of VISE (Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering). Students accepted into this project will have the opportunity to participate in VISE-specific activities in addition to other Summer Research Program activities and events.
Desired Qualifications:
If you want to work on method development portions of the project then an interest in MATLAB or similar is important. We will teach you what you need to know.Nature of Supervision:
Daily contact with graduate student supervisor. Weekly meetings with larger team, and regular contact with PI throughout the week.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Weeks 1-2 orientation and work the grad student to understand the project. Also begin experiments.
Weeks 3-4 continue experiments and begin to learn the existing Matlab processing pipeline. Identify summer specific task/targets for improvements.
Weeks 5-6 continue experiments and begin algorithm (or hardware) developments.
Weeks 7-9 continue with project and iterate as needed.
Weeks 9.5-10 wrap up and pass project knowledge back to supervising graduate student and PI.There are also structured activities as part of being a VISE Summer Fellow: Week 1 Welcome Lunch 5-minute presentations, Week 2 Professional Development workshop, Week 3 Social event (like coffee hour), Week 4 Working group, Week 5 Professional Development workshop, Week 6 Faculty lunch, Week 7 Working group, Week 8 Practice seminar (Aug 6th), Aug 21 or 28 VISE seminar.
Number of Open Slots: 2
Contact Information:
Brett Byram
Biomedical Engineering
brett.c.byram@vanderbilt.edu -
VISE: Developing a Robotic-enabled Surgical Navigational Assistant
Primary Investigators:
Michael Miga
Brief Description of Project:
Robotic-enabled surgery and interventions have made dramatic inroads into many areas of procedural medicine. These systems have enabled surgeons to be more precise in their procedures, have leveraged techniques in device design such that previous laborious tasks like suturing have become much easier, and overall have sped up surgical times and enabled less invasive procedures. The integration of guidance information is still limited and the systems themselves can be expensive and cumbersome. In this project we are developing a novel robotic-enabled surgical navigation assistant (ReSNA) to improve the fidelity and reliability of soft-tissue cancer surgery. This collaborative robot will work along-side the surgeon to: (1) surveil and measure soft-tissue in the surgical field, (2) account for soft-tissue deformation effects on navigation, (3) localize lesions and their extent, and (4) provide an augmented visual display to assist the surgeon in margin navigation. ReSNA’s current first clinical deployment target is to transform breast conserving surgery. The ideal team member will have an interest in surgery and intervention, good computing skills, good software organization skills, and are interested in workflow processing.This lab is part of VISE (Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering). Students accepted into this project will have the opportunity to participate in VISE-specific activities in addition to other Summer Research Program activities and events.
Desired Qualifications:
A traditional coding background is important. C# is useful. Also of use, experience with ROS or ROS 2. Working in computational environments. Not all of these are used in every possible project.Nature of Supervision:
PI, research faculty, and graduate students will be part of supervision.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
In the first third of the 10-week period, the student experiences onboarding for the project and reading followed by familiarization with technology through tutorials and supervisory guidance. All students will present weekly at laboratory meetings. This is followed by more familiarization with the technology more independent tasks. The final of the experience, students and laboratory members will identify a new problems and full time research and development will ensue.There are also structured activities as part of being a VISE Summer Fellow: Week 1 Welcome Lunch 5-minute presentations, Week 2 Professional Development workshop, Week 3 Social event (like coffee hour), Week 4 Working group, Week 5 Professional Development workshop, Week 6 Faculty lunch, Week 7 Working group, Week 8 Practice seminar (Aug 6th), Aug 21 or 28 VISE seminar.
Number of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Michael I. Miga
michael.i.miga@vanderbilt.edu
Department of Biomedical Engineering
http://migalab.org
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/esi -
VISE: Thalmic Microstructural Changes in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy
Primary Investigators:
Victoria Morgan
Brief Description of Project:
In this project the student will utilize diffusion MRI to quantify microstructural changes in the thalamus of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy. They will compare these measures in patient patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy, chronic drug-resistant epilepsy and after surgical treatment. All of these can be compared to a population of healthy control subjects. It is a continuation of a project started last summer. All data are available for analysis. The project can be performed in a hybrid fashion with much data analysis completed remotely, and discussions/instruction/feedback both remote and in person.This lab is part of VISE (Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering). Students accepted into this project will have the opportunity to participate in VISE-specific activities in addition to other Summer Research Program activities and events.
Desired Qualifications:
Comfort and interest in MATLAB and some basic statistics; organization; effective communication.Nature of Supervision:
The student will be supervised by 5th year graduate student, Lucas Sainburg, through weekly meetings and daily interactions. Every other week, the student will meet with PI Vicky Morgan.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Week 1 Orient to project goals and set up computer, Week 2 begin analysis and check strategy for upcoming weeks, Weeks 3-6 perform analysis, Week 7 summarize findings and start presentation, Week 8 revisit analyses based on summary, Week 9 develop final presentation, Week 10 presentation and organize folders.There are also structured activities as part of being a VISE Summer Fellow Week 1 Welcome Lunch 5-minute presentations, Week 2 Professional Development workshop, Week 3 Social event (like coffee hour), Week 4 Working group, Week 5 Professional Development workshop, Week 6 Faculty lunch, Week 7 Working group, Week 8 Practice seminar (Aug 6th), Aug 21 or 28 VISE seminar.
Number of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Victoria Morgan
Biomedical Engineering
victoria.morgan@vumc.org
Chemical and Biomolecular Projects
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Aggregation Dynamics of Colloids Under Diffusioelectrophoretic Levitation
Primary Investigators:
Carlos A. Silvera Batista
Brief Description of Project:
Control of the spatial arrangement of uniform and anisotropic colloids into 3D lattices is of scientific and technological interest to achieve materials with novel properties such as optical bandgaps and structural colors. Electric fields are a useful external input of energy that can help rapidly and controllably concentrate colloidal suspensions to the point of liquid/crystals transitions by creating gradients in osmotic pressure. Electric fields can also impart directionality to colloidal interactions through induced multipoles, while the large and easy-to-navigate parameter space provides versatility. Therefore, knowledge of the dynamics and forces that colloids experience under electric fields is essential for the fabrication and engineering of reconfigurable materials. A parameter space of interest is where electrokinetics becomes relevant and ions respond to fields. The electrokinetic behavior of anisotropic colloids in fields at low frequency shows emerging forms of transport processes (diffusioelectrophoresis) that manifest into unique levitation and aggregation behavior that can be exploited in separation and microfluidic operations. But most interestingly, while levitating, the colloids experience collective dynamics that results in clustering despite the particles holding similar charges. The objective of this project is to unravel the physical origins of such counterintuitive collective dynamics. Research tasks will include the fabrication and surface modification of uniform and anisotropic colloids, the characterization of surface properties, the application of DC and low frequency AC fields, visualization of individual and collective dynamics through confocal microscopy, image analysis and particle tracking.Desired Qualifications:
Basic programming skillsNature of Supervision:
The student will mostly work under my direct supervision and at times will work alongside a graduate student. I will meet the student weekly to discuss progress and research goals. They will have a chance to improve their research skills and communication skills by presenting the work regularly in our group meetings. My travel throughout the summer will be minimal (less than a week), which will ensure that the student will always have either myself or the graduate student for assistance and guidance.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Training on confocal microscopy and surface characterization, then project investigation.Number of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Carlos Silvera Batista
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
silvera.batista@vanderbilt.edu -
Atomistic Understanding of Nanostructures for Anion-Storage Batteries
Primary Investigators:
De-en Jiang
Brief Description of Project:
The project will focus on computational modeling of novel nanostructures (e.g., nanochannels) inside oxide-based electrode materials that allow reversible anion storage at high capacity. Students working in the Jiang group would learn how to build atomistic models for electrode materials, how to carry out first principles calculations, and how to simulate atomistic processes of ion storage inside battery electrodes. Students will gain an appreciation for first principles calculations, materials modeling, battery chemistry, and electric energy storage.Desired Qualifications:
This project is best suited for a student interested in computational nanoscience, materials chemistry, and battery research. Knowledge of Linux operating system, solid-state chemistry, and quantum mechanics is a plus.Nature of Supervision:
A graduate student or a postdoc will be assigned to help and mentor the undergraduate student researcher, under the supervision of the PI. Three-person meetings among the PI, the senior group member assigned, and the undergraduate student researcher will be held in the beginning, the middle, and the end of the summer program.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Weeks 1-2: Linux operating systems and software tutorials
Weeks 3-4: Structure building
Weeks 5-8: Running simulations and analysis of results
Weeks 9-10: Summary and preparation of report/posterNumber of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
De-en Jiang
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
de-en.jiang@vanderbilt.edu -
Engineering Protein-Drug Conjugates for Cancer Immunotherapy
Primary Investigators:
John T. Wilson (PI)
Blaise Kimmel (postdoc and primary research mentor)
Neil Chada (graduate student)
Brief Description of Project:
The goal of this project is to engineer a bispecific nanobody for tumor targeted delivery of small molecule immunotherapeutics. During the summer, a student will conduct an independent project in which they will engineer a bispecific nanobody with one domain that targets serum albumin and another domain that targets B7-H3 and has a tag for site-selective ligation of a small molecule STING agonist. This will provide experience in areas of molecular biology, chemistry, immunology, and pharmaceutical engineering.Desired Qualifications:
Prior experience in cell and molecular biology, including cloning and protein expression.Nature of Supervision:
The student will supervised by a postdoc in the lab, Dr. Blaise Kimmel, and a graduate student in the lab, Neil Chada. They will supervise all aspects of the project and will work closely with the student over the course of the summer, interacting almost daily. The PI will meet with the group at least every two weeks to discuss the project and the PI and student will meet individually at the beginning and end of the project period to discuss project and career development goals. The student will have an opportunity to present their work throughout the semester in weekly lab and small group meetings.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
The proposed research plan for the 10 week period is:
1. Design and build a plasmid for expression of a fusion protein comprising an anti-albumin and an anti-B7H3 nanobody that also has a site for sortase-mediated ligation of azide groups.
2. Clone the construct into E. coli. The student will clone a fusion protein that contains the anti-B7H3 domain.
3. Express and purify the fusion protein. The student will work independently to express and purify the protein and characterize it by SDS-PAGE and mass spectrometry.
4. Perform a sortase-mediated ligation of an amino-PEG-azide linker and characterize conjugation efficiency via mass spectrometry.
5. Conjugate a DBCO-modified dye to the azide group of the protein and characterize via UV-vis spectroscopy.
6. Evaluate the binding affinity of the fusion protein to albumin via isothermal calorimetry and binding to B7-H3-expressing cells via flow cytometry.Number of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
John T. Wilson
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
john.t.wilson@vanderbilt.edu -
Investigating the Tumor and Tissue Microenvironment After Therapy
Primary Investigators:
Marjan Rafat
Brief Description of Project:
Previous studies have found that immunocompromised patients are more susceptible to breast cancer recurrence following radiation damage. In pre-clinical mouse models, radiation enhances both macrophage infiltration and tumor cell recruitment to normal tissues in the absence of CD8+ T cells. The mechanisms by which tumor cells can be attracted to damaged sites are largely unknown. Understanding these mechanisms can help breast cancer patients prevent local recurrence. This project has two goals: 1. to determine how changes in the extracellular matrix after radiation influence tumor cell recruitment, and 2. to evaluate how secreted factors regulate macrophage and tumor cell behavior after radiation damage.Desired Qualifications:
The Rafat Lab is accepting undergraduate students who would like to conduct breast cancer research. Serious consideration will be given to students who have a strong interest in pursuing a future PhD or MD/PhD. A minimum GPA of 3.5 and knowledge of basic research approaches are favored but not required.Nature of Supervision:
Students will be supervised by Dr. Rafat directly regarding research goals. They will meet with her individually to evaluate research progress. She will assist them in literature searches initially to provide information about selecting appropriate and relevant papers with the goal that they will learn to do so on their own. She will provide feedback on bi-weekly written reports that serve to enhance the students' scientific communication skills. In addition to Dr. Rafat's supervision, undergraduate students will be supervised by graduate students working in the Rafat Lab. These graduate students will supervise them on a daily basis to ensure that their concerns can be addressed, their questions are being answered, and research is being conducted in a safe and responsible manner. This supervision is intended not only for the undergraduates to use proper techniques but also for them to learn how to think critically and creatively to prepare them for a potential research career.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Students will participate in one of two areas. In one area, students will evaluate the effect of radiation on the extracellular matrix (ECM) in normal tissues by performing immunohistochemistry. Characteristics in pre-irradiated tissues will be compared to tissues damaged by radiation over a time period of 10 days. Students will be able to image the stained slides, quantify the images, and analyze the data to determine how radiation-induced changes in the ECM influence tumor cell recruitment. Students will also evaluate how the ECM alters tumor cell behavior by fabricating ECM hydrogels that mimic in vivo changes after irradiation, which will be used to determine the effect on tumor cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. In the second arm of the project, students will probe differences in normal tissue cytokine secretion following radiation in immunocompromised and immunocompetent mice. Previous studies indicate that CD8+ T cells regulate the infiltration or proliferation of macrophages into damaged tissues, so students will evaluate how CD8+ T cell removal and macrophage infiltration alter secreted factors in damaged tissues through analyzing data from Luminex immunoassays. To test these factors, students will optimize and perform invasion and chemotaxis assays using conditioned media from control and irradiated fibroblast and adipocyte cells to determine how the radiation response of normal cells influences tumor and immune cell behavior. The students will learn how to image fluorescent and migrating cells, quantify migration and proliferation, and analyze data to determine the mechanisms by which radiation regulates tumor and immune cell dynamics. Finally, all students will have the opportunity to present their independent research findings at laboratory meetings.Number of Open Slots: 2
Contact Information:
Marjan Rafat
Assistant Professor
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
ESB 426
marjan.rafat@vanderbilt.edu
(615) 343-3899 -
Metabolic Engineering
Primary Investigators:
Jamey D. Young, Ph.D.
Brief Description of Project:
The undergraduate student will be involved in research to engineer the metabolic pathways of cells to understand disease mechanisms or to produce commercial products.Desired Qualifications:
Prior cell culture or biochemistry lab experience.Nature of Supervision:
Weekly individual meetings with PI and weekly lab group meetings. Day-to-day supervision and mentoring by a senior mentor working in the lab.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Student will learn cell culture techniques and metabolic assays. Student will apply these methods to investigate biological questions of interest.Number of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Jamey D. Young
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
j.d.young@vanderbilt.edu
Civil and Environmental Projects
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Architected Multi-layered Materials For High-Velocity Impact Mitigation
Primary Investigators:
Caglar Oskay
Brief Description of Project:
The overall goals of this project are to investigate the deformation and energy dissipation mechanisms of Bioinspired Multilayered Architected Composites (BMACs) subjected to high-velocity impact loading and elucidate the relationship between the microstructure of BMACs and their high-rate dynamic properties. To achieve these goals, one of the tasks that we have been working on is the development of a new multiscale computational framework that can accurately and efficiently simulate the impact response of structures made of BMAC composites. The efficiency of the proposed multiscale framework will be achieved by developing machine learning (ML) surrogate models that replaces the fine scale model that resolve the heterogeneous and intricate material microstructure. In this research, the undergraduate researcher will perform the following tasks: (1) identify and prepare the input data sets that will be used to generate the training and test sets for the machine learning models. These data sets include macroscopic velocity, acceleration, displacement (that constitute the forcing function for the microscale problem) and microstructure geometry; (2) execute the microstructure problem (already developed and available for use) with the model inputs to generate the training and test data sets; (3) design, train and test three different machine learning models (a) a classical convolutional neural net (CNN); (b) a recurrent neural net (RNN); and (c) an autoencoder; (4) verify capabilities of these different ML approaches in representing the kinematics of the microscale behavior.Desired Qualifications:
Interest in mechanics of materials, computational modeling and simulation, and machine learning. Good writing and communications skills.Nature of Supervision:
Weekly meetings will be held with the student to monitor the progress of the project. The student will work under the supervision of a graduate student and postdoc during the week.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
2 weeks: Review of the aforementioned ML models.
5 weeks: Implementation of the ML models using data set coming from multiscale simulations
2 weeks: Analysis of model accuracy and impact of using ML models instead of direct simulation of fine scale problems.
1 week: Write a report and make a poster.Number of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Caglar Oskay
Civil and Environmental Engineering
caglar.oskay@vanderbilt.edu -
Phase Field Modeling of Fracture in Glaciers and Ice-Rock Cliffs
Primary Investigators:
Ravindra Duddu
Brief Description of Project:
Fracture of glaciers in Antarctica, Greenland, and high-mountain Asia leads to ice and rock mass loss, which causes global sea level rise and catastrophic mass flows, such as ice-rock avalanches. Advanced modeling of fracture propagation can therefore be useful in geophysical hazard prediction and risk assessment, thereby help in planning and mitigation of the threats facing coastal and down-glacier communities. The phase-field fracture model (PFM) has gained popularity in the recent decade as a robust thermodynamically-consistent approach that is well suited for simulating complex crack patterns and interactions in 2D and 3D. The purpose of this summer research project will be to perform phase field fracture modeling of glaciers and ice-rock cliffs using the open-source finite element software FEniCS. The broader research objective is to understand the mechanical stress state and the evolution of fractures in engineering and natural materials and structures over time.Desired Qualifications:
Interest in mechanics of materials, computational modeling and environmental science. Self-motivated and interested in programming in Python. Good writing and communications skills. It is also desirable that the student have interest and/or experience in the following areas:Advanced calculus, partial differential equations
Statics and Engineering Mechanics
Mechanics of Materials
Fluid Statics and Mechanics
Finite Element AnalysisNature of Supervision:
Weekly meetings will be held with the student to monitor the progress of the project. The student will work under the supervision of a graduate student and postdoc during the week.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
2 weeks: Learn basics of phase field fracture and finite element modeling.
5 weeks: Conduct simulations in Python-based FEniCS software.
2 weeks: Visualize and analyze simulation data.
1 week: Write a report and make a poster.Number of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Ravindra Duddu
Civil and Environmental Engineering
ravindra.duddu@vanderbilt.edu
Computer Science Projects
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Building Educational Apps for Elementary Students
Primary Investigators:
Daniel Balasubramanian
Brief Description of Project:
For better or worse, the status quo of our educational system places a strong emphasis on standardized testing, leading many families to invest significant time and money in preparing for standardized exams. However, access to high-quality and effective test preparation resources is uneven. This unevenness contributes to unequal opportunities for success, highlighting the need for effective test-prep solutions for all learners, regardless of their background or resources. This project will build free, educational apps targeted at the late elementary school age group. Potential apps include English vocabulary apps and math practice apps.Desired Qualifications:
Applicants should have prior experience with either native iOS development or cross-platform development with Expo/React/Typescript. Backend experience is a plus but not required.Nature of Supervision:
The PI will work closely with the student in developing the apps.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Week 1: Introduction, getting acquainted with the project and team
Weeks 2-5: Learning about and working on system design, data collection, etc.
Weeks 6-9: Working on analysis and further investigations
Week 10: Preparing a final report on the research resultsNumber of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Daniel Balasubramanian
daniel.a.balasubramanian@vanderbilt.edu -
Creating Trustworthy AI-powered Assistant Systems for Social Good
Primary Investigators:
Meiyi Ma
Brief Description of Project:AI-powered systems are increasingly used to address societal challenges like healthcare, education, and urban development. Creating trustworthy AI technologies for assistant systems for social good is to ensure that AI systems are fair, transparent, and ethical more important than ever. In this project, students will join projects to develop novel AI-powered assistant systems for improving one of the real-world domain areas: public safety, healthcare and education, with a focus on developing techniques to ensure trustworthiness. We collaborate with the Emergency Communication Department in Nashville, faculty in education and VUMC that can offer students opportunities to learn real-world problems and design practical AI approaches for social good.
The primary goal is to bring students awareness of importance and challenges in AI for real world applications, provide students with practical experience in AI development for social good, motivate students to apply what they learn from class to practice, and further equipping them with valuable skills for future careers in AI. Moreover, they will learn how to do research and get experience with conducting research in this project.
Desired Qualifications:
Students should have research interests in advanced AI and their applications in Assistant Systems. Have taken one of the following classes (offline or online courses): AI, Machine Learning, or Deep Learning. Please let us know if you have other related experiences.Nature of Supervision:
PI will supervise the project, and students will closely work with the PI and a Ph.D. student. Additionally, there will be weekly one-to-one and group meetings with the PI. Additional meetings and supervision might be needed in a timely manner. Students will write a report or a research paper at the end of the internship.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
This is a 10-week project. We expect the students to get familiar with our projects in the first two weeks, including software applications and the simulation generation process. Weeks 3-7 will be spent developing environments and code, providing functionality to the software, and presenting research discoveries along the way. The last three weeks will be spent refining and improving the robustness of the code as well as summarizing the work.Number of Open Slots: 2
Contact Information:
Meiyi Ma
Computer Science
meiyi.ma@vanderbilt.edu -
Cybersecurity in Industrial Networks
Primary Investigators:
Bryan C. WardBrief Description of Project:
Industrial networks connect many industrial machines and processes in applications ranging from the power grid to the factory floor. The specific type of network used to communicate among such industrial devices is called the Operational Technology (OT) network, and it is often disjoint from the Information Technology (IT) network that is used for email, web browsing, and many other general-purpose services. OT networks are unique from IT ones in that the timing of communication can be critical to ensure the correct operation of the industrial devices, where a timing failure could lead to equipment failures, damage, or even human injury of loss of life.The Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) networking standard is emerging as a key technology to enable such timely communication in these OT networks. Recently, industry practitioners are moving towards more converged IT/OT networks to enable new features and functionalities, as well as greater efficiencies. However, this convergence introduces new threat vectors, and therefore new cybersecurity architectures are needed to protect critical industrial OT devices. We will explore cybersecurity in the context of industrial networks, especially in the convergence of IT/OT networks, using the North American Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) TSN testbed, which is hosted at Vanderbilt.
https://www.isis.vanderbilt.edu/tsn
Desired Qualifications:
Computer science students with junior standing or higher is preferred but not required. Students should have programming experience in C/C++, and preferably experience with network programming.Nature of Supervision:
Prof. Ward will routinely meet with the summer intern, at least twice per week, to discuss plans and current progress. The student will also be able to work with graduate students and other staff and faculty working on or interested in TSN.A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
The first two weeks will be spent learning about TSN and networking programming, the TSN testbed, as well as any other required software tools. Weeks three through seven will be spent developing a protection mechanisms and/or networking analysis tools. The last three weeks will be spent conducting experiments to evaluate the work, and then document and summarize the work conducted over the summer.Positions Available: 1
Contact Information:
Bryan Ward
bryan.ward@Vanderbilt.Edu
https://my.vanderbilt.edu/bryancward/ -
Integrative Statistical Analysis of Large-Scale Neural Datasets
Primary Investigators:
Mika Rubinov
Brief Description of Project:
We are developing and deploying tools to integratively analyze large-scale neural timeseries and networks, and to associate these data with multiomic signatures of genomes and transcriptomes in individuals.Desired Qualifications:
Proficiency in programming and/or data analysis.
Interest in neuroscience.Nature of Supervision:
Daily supervision by graduate student with weekly supervision by PI.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
The student will aim to complete a self-contained project focusing on development of tools to enhance our existing analysis infrastructure.Number of Open Slots: 1 - 2
Contact Information:
Mika Rubinov
mika.rubinov@vanderbilt.edu
www.rubinovlab.net -
Securing High-Density Urban Airspaces
Primary Investigators:
Bryan C. Ward
Xenofon Koutsoukos
Gautam BiswasBrief Description of Project:
Emerging advanced air mobility (AAM) technologies are enabling new applications of drones to transport people and goods, as well as conduct many types of missions such as search and rescue or emergency response. The proliferation of such devices offers the potential for myriad new capabilities, but also presents challenges due to the potential to have many such vehicles in urban air spaces, necessitating better architectures for coordination and security.Vanderbilt is working on several research thrusts to address the security of high-density urban airspaces. In particular, there are three tasks: (i) developing secure platform architectures leveraging trusted execution environments (TEEs), (ii) applying graph machine learning to detect security anomalies, and (iii) enabling more secure distributed communication and consensus among vehicles in a dynamic network. (Each intern will work on one of these tasks.)
Desired Qualifications:
Computer science students with junior standing or higher is preferred but not required.Nature of Supervision:
The summer intern will join a collaborative research group supervised by Professors Ward, Koutsoukos, and Biswas. There will be weekly group meetings as well as individual meetings to discuss plans and progress, and the intern will work closely with other graduate students also working on the project.Number of Slots: 3
Contact Information
Bryan Ward
bryan.ward@vanderbilt.edu -
Neural Network and Machine Learning Verification
Primary Investigators:
Taylor Johnson
Brief Description of Project:
In this project, students will help develop benchmarking processes for recent machine learning and neural network verification algorithms and tools, such as our nnv tool (https://github.com/verivital/nnv). These approaches allow, for example, to detect or prove the absence of perturbations that can cause various computer vision and machine perception tasks to misbehave, known colloquially as adversarial perturbations, but the source of which could be due to environmental uncertainty, noise, attackers, etc. Anticipated contributions include developing scripts for performing benchmarking of our methods and other research groups' recent approaches, to primarily be evaluated on convolutional neural networks (CNNs) on standard data sets, such as MNIST, CIFAR, and ImageNet.Desired Qualifications:
Students at all levels (first-year through senior) are welcome and will be able to help refine our prototype systems and approach. Programming experience in MATLAB, Java, and Python would all be desirable, as would prior experience with machine learning frameworks, such as Keras, TensorFlow, etc. All code will be version controlled using Git/Mercurial, which experience with is desired, but not required.Nature of Supervision:
The adviser will hold weekly group meetings with the undergraduates, current PhD students, and postdocs, as well as approximately weekly individual meetings with undergraduate students. The current group members are available here: http://www.taylortjohnson.com/?m=people
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
In the first 2-3 weeks, students will learn about machine learning and our existing prototype framework called nnv (https://github.com/verivital/nnv). In weeks 4-9, students will develop and test extensions to our framework, as well as developing benchmarking processes for our tools as well as other research groups' tools, evaluating on standard convolutional neural networks and image data sets, such as MNIST, CIFAR, and ImageNet. In the final week, students will prepare and submit a written report describing their prototype enhancements, accuracy evaluation, and their experience with the research program. Students will present an oral presentation on their summer research in the final week.Number of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Taylor T. Johnson
Assistant Professor
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
ISIS 401D
1025 16th Avenue South Room 401D
Nashville, TN 37212
United States
taylor.johnson@vanderbilt.edu
(979) 251-6215 -
VISE: Evaluating AI Foundation Models in Digital Pathology with Human-in-the-Loop Enrichment
Primary Investigators:
Yuankai Huo
Brief Description of Project:
Training AI foundation models has emerged as a promising large-scale learning approach for addressing real-world healthcare challenges, including digital pathology. While many of these models have been developed for tasks like disease diagnosis and tissue quantification using extensive and diverse training datasets, their readiness for deployment on some arguably simplest tasks, such as nuclei segmentation within a single organ (e.g., the kidney), remains uncertain. We seeks to answer this key question, "How good are we?", by thoroughly evaluating the performance of recent cell foundation models on a curated multi-center, multi-disease, and multi-species external testing dataset. Additionally, we tackle a more challenging question, "How can we improve?", by developing and assessing human-in-the-loop data enrichment strategies aimed at enhancing model performance while minimizing the reliance on pixel-level human annotation. To address the first question, we will use a multicenter, multidisease, and multispecies dataset consisting of thousands of whole slide images (WSIs). To tackle the second question, we will explore data enrichment algorithms by distilling predictions from the different foundation models with a human-in-the-loop framework, aiming to further enhance foundation model performance with minimal human efforts.This lab is part of VISE (Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering). Students accepted into this project will have the opportunity to participate in VISE-specific activities in addition to other Summer Research Program activities and events.
Desired Qualifications:
Optimistic: Approaches challenges with a positive mindset and a forward-looking perspective.
Self-Motivated: Demonstrates strong initiative and drive to pursue research goals independently.
Responsible: Exhibits a high level of accountability, reliability, and dedication to their work.
Curious: Driven by a deep intellectual curiosity and a passion for exploring new ideas and concepts.
Resilient: Perseveres through setbacks, learning and growing from every experience.Nature of Supervision:
The student will be co-mentored by Dr. Huo and a senior PhD student. The student will have weekly meetings with the professor.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Week 1: Literature review
Week 2-4: AI training data preparation
Week 5-8: Develop and assess AI foundation models
Week 9-10: Wrap up a first author conference paper.There are also structured activities as part of being a VISE Summer Fellow: Week 1 Welcome Lunch 5-minute presentations, Week 2 Professional Development workshop, Week 3 Social event (like coffee hour), Week 4 Working group, Week 5 Professional Development workshop, Week 6 Faculty lunch, Week 7 Working group, Week 8 Practice seminar (Aug 6th), Aug 21 or 28 VISE seminar.
Number of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Yuankai Huo
yuankai.huo@vanderbilt.edu
https://hrlblab.github.io/ -
VISE: Kidney Reconstruction From Endoscope Videos
Primary Investigators:
Jie Ying Wu
Brief Description of Project:
Kidney stone surgery is difficult as clinicians need to map 3D structures from CT scans to the intraoperative visualization they have from the endoscope video. This results in high reoperation rates (up to 30% of patients need another surgery within 6 months following the initial surgery). We aim to make this process easier by localizing endoscope videos within the 3D structure and showing clinicians where they are in relation to stones. Students will look at using structure from motion to reconstruct a kidney from endoscope videos. This is made challenging by numerous artifacts in the video from the fluids and deformations of the kidney. Students will look at filtering techniques to reduce the noise.This lab is part of VISE (Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering). Students accepted into this project will have the opportunity to participate in VISE-specific activities in addition to other Summer Research Program activities and events.
Desired Qualifications:
Have taken a computer vision or deep learning course. Has a passion for improving health technologies and surgical outcomes.Nature of Supervision:
The students will meet with the PI once a week and more often with the graduate student leading the project.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
In the first two weeks, the student will get an introduction to the project and the existing pipeline to run the structure-from-motion code. They will develop an understanding of the challenges in using existing structure-from-motion algorithms on the endoscope images. They will then spend six weeks researching and implementing different pre-processing pipelines and evaluate whether they improve the result from structure from motion. In the last two weeks, the student will compare the different preprocessing pipelines and work to integrate the most promising one into the existing structure-from-motion method. They will also document their findings and prepare the poster for the presentation.There are also structured activities as part of being a VISE Summer Fellow: Week 1 Welcome Lunch 5-minute presentations, Week 2 Professional Development workshop, Week 3 Social event (like coffee hour), Week 4 Working group, Week 5 Professional Development workshop, Week 6 Faculty lunch, Week 7 Working group, Week 8 Practice seminar (Aug 6th), Aug 21 or 28 VISE seminar.
Number of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Jie Ying Wu
Computer Science
jieying.wu@vanderbilt.edu -
VISE: Precise Surgical Tool Detection From Images
Primary Investigators:
Jie Ying Wu
Brief Description of Project:
Having correct surgical instruments is critical for surgeons to perform safe and efficient procedures. However, instruments are neither individually tracked nor consistently counted in the OR, leading to frequent misplacement into the wrong trays or even accidental disposal at the end of a case. Thus, hospitals often spend over $1.5 million a year replacing lost instruments. To address these issues, we created a novel system using deep learning-based computer vision methods to automate the detection and counting of surgical instruments. The proposed system consists of a camera mounted on an adjustable light source using a 3D-printed component with the option of integrating a local processing unit, such as an NVIDIA Jetson, for on-site inference. Alternatively, the system can connect to a computer running deep-learning models for instrument identification. Once positioned to ensure an optimal field of view and level of detail, the system should seamlessly integrate into existing workflows without requiring modifications to the workspace or instruments. Using a lightweight detection model (currently YOLOv9), it operates in real-time, logging data and visually displaying results with segmented boundaries or bounding boxes. The system alerts users to missing instruments, guides tray completion, and can provide additional data, such as replacement locations or cleaning instructions for specific tools.This system has the potential to replace error prone manual scanning of instruments and reduce lost instruments.
This lab is part of VISE (Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering). Students accepted into this project will have the opportunity to participate in VISE-specific activities in addition to other Summer Research Program activities and events.
Desired Qualifications:
Have taken a computer vision or deep learning course. Has a passion for improving health technologies and surgical outcomes.Nature of Supervision:
The students will meet with the PI once a week and more often with the graduate student leading the project. The student will also meet as needed with hospital collaborators to understand the clinical impact of the project.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Week 1: Background research and reading about the proposed project
Week 2-3: Learning relevant tools and deploying existing project
Week 4: Formulating a proposed improvement to the existing pipeline
Week 5-9: Implementing and testing the improvement
Week 10: Documentation and presentation preparationThere are also structured activities as part of being a VISE Summer Fellow: Week 1 Welcome Lunch 5-minute presentations, Week 2 Professional Development workshop, Week 3 Social event (like coffee hour), Week 4 Working group, Week 5 Professional Development workshop, Week 6 Faculty lunch, Week 7 Working group, Week 8 Practice seminar (Aug 6th), Aug 21 or 28 VISE seminar.
Number of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Jie Ying Wu
Computer Science
jieying.wu@vanderbilt.edu -
VISE: Short-to-Long Leg X-Ray Prediction in Total Joint Replacement
Primary Investigators:
Daniel Moyer
Brief Description of Project:
Orthopedic surgeons use x-ray images before, after, and during their procedures. Often the before and after images are collected from a standing position and include the whole leg (“long leg” x-ray film) so that the patient pose and relative implant positioning can be estimated. However, intra-operative imaging usually can only be collected in a smaller area and is taken in a non-standing position. This project will use machine learning to predict leg pose from short leg images, given a pre-operative long image in a separate pose.This lab is part of VISE (Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering). Students accepted into this project will have the opportunity to participate in VISE-specific activities in addition to other Summer Research Program activities and events.
Desired Qualifications:
3rd or 4th year CS student with stats course completed, Python familiarity. Preferred qualifications: ML course completed.Nature of Supervision:
The student will meet bi-weekly in formal meetings with PI Moyer, once in a one-on-one setting, and once during lab meeting, as well as informally throughout the week. They will be assigned to a PhD student mentor who will additionally meet with them, and whose work are will be co-located with them. All interactions are planned to be in-person.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Week 1: Onboarding, data familiarization, load-in, existing model lit review.
Week 2: Working with existing models computationally, getting previous code running.
Week 3: Debug for first two weeks work, if first weeks’ work completed start building experiments for preliminary Short-to-Long model for positioning.
Week 4-6: Iterate on positioning model. If high quality positioning is achieved, begin looking at more complex measurements (femoral head position/orientation, loading, varus/valgus orientation).
Week 7-9: Begin write up (SPIE Medical Imaging, 4pg abstract). Continue experiments, focusing on generating complete results/plots/figures for abstract.
Week 10: Abstract finalization for submission, code wrap.There are also structured activities as part of being a VISE Summer Fellow: Week 1 Welcome Lunch 5-minute presentations, Week 2 Professional Development workshop, Week 3 Social event (like coffee hour), Week 4 Working group, Week 5 Professional Development workshop, Week 6 Faculty lunch, Week 7 Working group, Week 8 Practice seminar (Aug 6th), Aug 21 or 28 VISE seminar.
Number of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Daniel Moyer
daniel.moyer@vanderbilt.edu
Computer Science
Electrical and Computer Engineering Projects
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AI in Medical Imaging
Primary Investigator:
Bennett LandmanBrief Description of Project:
This research opportunity focuses on developing and applying computational methods to improve medical imaging analysis. The goal is to address practical challenges in processing imaging data, such as ensuring consistency across different imaging systems and sites, identifying meaningful patterns in the data, and enabling personalized insights for patient care. Projects may involve refining image analysis techniques, applying statistical methods to imaging datasets, or developing algorithms for better disease detection and tracking.Examples of potential areas of focus include:
Data Consistency:
Standardizing imaging data from diverse sources to ensure reliability.
Imaging Biomarkers: Developing methods to identify and analyze features in medical images that can provide useful clinical insights.
Patient-Specific Analysis: Using data to better understand individual patient characteristics.
Applications to Healthcare: Working on imaging data related to diseases such as Alzheimer’s or cancer, with an emphasis on practical solutions for clinical research.
The aim is to create straightforward, practical tools that can be shared with the research community and applied to real-world problems in medical imaging.
Desired Qualifications:
Familiarity with programming, preferably Python
Interest in medical imaging or data analysis
Exposure to neuroscience, imaging, or related areas is helpful but not requiredNature of Supervision:
Regular weekly meetings with Dr. Landman and opportunities to collaborate with graduate students, faculty, postdocs, and research staff.A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Weeks 1-2: Introductions, training, and project planning
Weeks 3-8: Work on the research project, including coding, data analysis, and troubleshooting
Week 9: Summarize findings and perform final evaluations
Week 10: Prepare and present a written reportNumber of Slots: 2
Contact Information
Bennett Landman
Electrical & Computer Engineering
bennett.landman@vanderbilt.edu -
Circuit Simulation of Radiation Effects on CMOS Designs
Primary Investigators:
Bharat BhuvaBrief Description of Project:
Our main research thrust is in the area of soft-error immune circuit design and single-event related simulations. The student will need to design circuits that are immune to the single-event transient pulses generated when a heavy-ion traverses through an electronic transistor. The students must have excellent knowledge of digital design and must be familiar with single-event effects. This project is aimed towards combinational logic and latch designs. Students will need to understand a little bit of CMOS layout and should be somewhat familiar with circuit simulations. Students will be required to carry out circuit-level simulations using Cadence tool suite.Desired Qualification:
Junior/senior standing with digital circuit design and analysis experience. Familiarity with CMOS layout is desired. Strong self motivation and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team are essential.Nature of Supervision:
The students will interact with VU microelectronic circuits faculty and ISDE engineers in the analysis of radiation effects in advanced circuit designs. The students will be assigned an RER graduate student as a day-to-day mentor. Students will attend weekly technical research meetings with faculty, staff, graduate students, and other summer interns.A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Work with ISDE circuits faculty and engineers on a 10-week analysis project. Present results at weekly group meetings.Number of Slots: 2
Contact Information:
Bharat Bhuva
Professor
(615) 343-3184
Bharat.bhuva@vanderbilt.edu -
Nano-optical Trapping with Resonant Nanophotonic Structures
Primary Investigators:
Professor Justus Ndukaife
Brief Description of Project:
This project will expose students to the trapping and manipulation of nanoscale objects using light and electric field within microfluidic channels. The students will gain exposure to simulation of nanophotonic structures, and experiments on nano-optical trapping with fabricated structures.Desired Qualifications:
Undergraduate student with basic knowledge of General Physics, and Chemistry.Nature of Supervision:
The student will take part in weekly meetings with the PI and also work closely with graduate students in the PI’s lab.Number of Open Slots: 2
Contact Information:
Prof. Justus Ndukaife
justus.ndukaife@vanderbilt.edu
Electrical and Computer Engineering
https://my.vanderbilt.edu/ndukaifelab/ -
Investigating Single Event Effects in High-Electron-Mobility Transistors (HEMTs)
Primary Investigators:
Mona Ebrish
Brief Description of Project:This summer project focuses on studying the impact of radiation-induced single event effects (SEEs) on high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs). These devices are widely used in high-power and high-frequency applications, making it essential to understand their reliability in radiation-prone environments such as space or nuclear facilities.
The project will involve selecting HEMTs with the highest on/off current ratios and breakdown voltages to ensure optimal device performance. Once identified, the devices will undergo wire-bonding and preparation for radiation testing. The primary evaluation methods will include Pelletron accelerator and CF-252 (isotope) to observe any transient rise in drain current during the tests, indicative of SEE phenomena.
Designing and executing the experiment will be a key part of the project. Students will apply their knowledge of transistor operation and radiation physics to develop a robust experimental setup. Attention to detail will be critical to ensure reliable and repeatable results.
Data analysis will follow the experimental phase, focusing on correlating radiation exposure to transistor performance changes. Students will evaluate metrics such as shifts in current-voltage characteristics, device stability, and recovery time. Additionally, there is an opportunity to incorporate TCAD simulations to complement experimental findings by modeling the effects of radiation on device behavior.
This interdisciplinary project requires skills in semiconductor physics, hands-on device testing, and data analysis. It offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the understanding of radiation effects on cutting-edge technologies, with potential applications in aerospace, defense, and medical fields.
Desired Qualifications:
Semiconductor physics basics
Hands-on device testing experience
Data analysis skillsNature of Supervision:
Students will be working with graduate students and the PI.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
In the first couple of weeks we will focus on training and getting the student familiarized with the equipment in the lab.
Between the 3rd and 7th week we will conduct several experiments.
At the last couple of weeks we will work on summarizing the results and preparing a presentation to the group with our finding and I will gouge if the findings are worthy of peer reviewed publication.Number of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Mona Ebrish
Electrical and Computer Engineering
mona.ebrish@vanderbilt.edu -
Radiation Effects in Microelectronics
Primary Investigators:
Michael Alles and the team at the VU Institute for Space and Defense Electronics (ISDE)
Brief Description of Project:
ISDE leads a government-funded workforce development program in the area of Radiation-Hardened Microelectronics. The goal of this summer project will be to introduce the student to the technical area, or to build on and advance their existing experience. Specific technical details of the research project will be tailored to the student's experience and direction of interest. The student will be paired with one or more mentors for technical guidance and support. The student will participate in weekly SCALE programming during the 10 week period.Desired Qualifications:
Undergrad in STEM field with a preference for EE. US Citizen.Nature of Supervision:
Professor Alles will serve as the primary supervisor. The student will be paired with one or more additional mentors, which may include other students/grad students, faculty, and staff, depending on the specific project.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
The student will interact with the SCALE student cohort and participate in weekly programming (multi-university, hybrid-virtual). A project suitable for the student's specific experience and interests will be defined and one or more mentors assigned for technical support. The workforce development mission allows for wide technical latitude for the specific projects, allowing us to define a project that has synergy with our existing funded research programs.Number of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Michael Alles
Electrical and Computer Engineering
mike.alles@vanderbilt.edu -
Radiation Hardness Assurance for Spacecraft Electronics
Primary Investigators:
Brian Sierawski
Brief Description of Project:
Student will support NASA models and software tools for microelectronics radiation hardness assurance. Electronics used in space systems must be robust in order to reliably operate in the natural space environment. In particular, ionizing radiation degrades and disrupts microelectronics. Commercial electronics are especially at risk but are desirable for their size, power, and cost reductions. Assessments of on-orbit failures are made from ground-based tests and simulations. This project will support the development of hardware systems for radiation effects assessment. The thrust of this summer project is to involve the student in graduate research and introduce the student to radiation hardness assurance activities.Desired Qualifications:
ECE students with programming experienceNature of Supervision:
The student will interact with VU faculty (Sierawski, Reed) and ISDE engineers. Student will attend weekly technical research meetings with faculty and graduate students.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
1. Become familiar with radiation effects and the space environment
2. Learn how to model radiation effects
3. Assist with the analysis or development of models
4. Perform tests and document effortsNumber of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Brian Sierawski
Research Assistant Professor
Electrical and Computer Engineering
brian.sierawski@vanderbilt.edu -
Radiation Effects and Reliability Study on GaN HEMTs
Primary Investigators:
Ron Schrimpf
Dan Fleetwood
Brief Description of Project:
This work explores the mechanisms limiting the radiation response and reliability of state of art GaN HEMTs. The project requires a background in laboratory measurements and basic knowledge of electronic devices, circuits, and materials.Desired Qualifications:
VU students in ECE or related area with basic knowledge of electronic devices, circuits, and materials, as well as effective communication, data plotting and programing skills.Nature of Supervision:
The undergraduate student will be trained with hands on skills of semiconductor device characterization, data analysis, and/or low frequency noise (LFN) measurements. Graduate students in the Radiation Effects and Reliability research group will work closely with the undergraduate student till he/she can work independently.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Week 1-2: Laboratory orientation and training on instruments
Weeks 3-5: Develop research plans and perform initial characterization of state of the art GaN-based HEMTs
Weeks 6-9: Experiments, analysis, and reporting on device performance, reliability, and radiation response
Week 10: Wrap up with report and a potential journal paper if possible.Number of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Dan Fleetwood
Electrical and Computer Engineering
dan.fleetwood@vanderbilt.edu -
RF Transmitter and Receiver for Brain and Spinal Cord MRI
Primary Investigator:
Xinqiang YanBrief Description of Project:
This project aims to develop a specialized transmit and receive radiofrequency device for simultaneous brain and spinal cord imaging at 9.4T, specifically designed for preclinical research. Functional and structural MRI are essential for studying the intricate interactions between the spinal cord and brain. For example, the processing of sensory input, such as touch or pain, involves circuits in the spinal cord and the brain’s somatosensory system. These two regions also interact to perform complex tasks, such as goal-directed limb movements, which originate in the brain’s higher cognitive areas and depend on spinal cord pathways for execution. Despite their interconnectivity, most non-human primate (NHP) imaging studies have examined the brain and spinal cord separately. This is largely due to the absence of suitable imaging hardware capable of providing high-quality images of both regions simultaneously. Simultaneous imaging of the brain and spinal cord is critical for understanding how these systems interact in real-time, offering new insights into both basic neuroscience and translational applications.To address this gap, the proposed coil system combines a quadrature volume transmit coil, which ensures uniform RF transmission across the brain and spinal cord, with a custom multi-channel receive array designed for optimal signal-to-noise ratio in these regions. This innovative system will enable high-resolution, simultaneous imaging of the brain and spinal cord, facilitating studies on their functional and structural integration. The work not only advances the capabilities of preclinical MRI but also provides a powerful tool for exploring the neural circuits that connect the brain and spinal cord, which are critical for behavior and neurological health.
Desired Qualifications:
Basic understanding of radiofrequency (RF) circuits and experience with computer-aided design (CAD) tools. Interest in medical imaging technologies, particularly magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Demonstrated strong motivation for academic research and a commitment to producing high-quality scientific publications.Nature of Supervision:
Collaborate closely with the Principal Investigator (PI), research staff scientists, graduate students, and other neuroimaging scientists. Engage in weekly individual meetings to discuss progress and receive guidance.A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
1 week: Project overview and plan development
8 weeks: Project implementation
1 week: Project write-up and presentationNumber of Slots: 1
Contact Information
Xinqiang Yan
Research Associate Professor
Medical Center North, D2205
Electrical & Computer Engineering
xinqiang.yan@vanderbilt.edu -
VISE: Advancing AI-based Imaging Techniques for Personalized Medicine
Primary Investigator:
Bennett LandmanBrief Description of Project:
This project focuses on developing and validating AI-driven techniques for analyzing medical images to support personalized medicine. Specifically, we aim to improve quantitative image processing for applications such as early disease detection, risk stratification, and treatment response evaluation. The project involves creating harmonization methods to standardize imaging data across diverse datasets, with a focus on diffusion-weighted MRI and its application in brain and lung imaging. The results will directly impact the scalability and robustness of medical AI tools in clinical workflows.This lab is part of VISE (Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering). Students accepted into this project will have the opportunity to participate in VISE-specific activities in addition to other Summer Research Program activities and events.
Desired Qualifications:
Background in computer science, biomedical engineering, or related field.
Proficiency in Python programming; experience with libraries like PyTorch or TensorFlow is a plus.
Interest in medical imaging and machine learning.
Basic understanding of statistical analysis and/or image processing.
Strong communication skills and ability to work collaboratively in a team setting.Nature of Supervision:
The student will be directly supervised by members of the MASI Lab, including senior researchers and graduate students. Weekly check-ins with Dr. Bennett Landman will provide guidance and feedback. Additional mentorship will include:
Weekly lab meetings to discuss progress and challenges.
Hands-on coding and data analysis support from MASI team members.
Biweekly progress reviews to ensure alignment with project goals.A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Week 1: Orientation and project onboarding. Introduction to MASI Lab workflows and imaging datasets.
Week 2: Familiarization with machine learning models and relevant imaging software. Begin preprocessing datasets.
Week 3-4: Develop initial AI models for image analysis. Start implementing harmonization techniques.
Week 5: Midpoint review with MASI team. Evaluate progress and refine goals.
Week 6-7: Train and validate machine learning models on preprocessed data. Optimize model performance.
Week 8: Present preliminary findings to MASI Lab for feedback.
Week 9: Finalize model evaluations and document results.
Week 10: Prepare and deliver a final presentation summarizing project outcomes.There are also structured activities as part of being a VISE Summer Fellow: Week 1 Welcome Lunch 5-minute presentations, Week 2 Professional Development workshop, Week 3 Social event (like coffee hour), Week 4 Working group, Week 5 Professional Development workshop, Week 6 Faculty lunch, Week 7 Working group, Week 8 Practice seminar (Aug 6th), Aug 21 or 28 VISE seminar.
Number of Slots: 1
Contact Information
Bennett Landman
Electrical & Computer Engineering
bennett.landman@vanderbilt.edu
https://my.vanderbilt.edu/masi/ -
VISE: Sources of fMRI Signal Fluctuations
Primary Investigators:
Catie Chang
Brief Description of Project:
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a widely used technology for studying human brain activity in health and disease. Yet, fMRI provides an indirect measure of neural activity, and fMRI signals also reflect blood-flow changes associated with physiological processes such as breathing and cardiac activity. This project uses signal processing methods to characterize specific neural and physiological contributions to fMRI data, and to relate these variables to cognitive and clinical measures.This lab is part of VISE (Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering). Students accepted into this project will have the opportunity to participate in VISE-specific activities in addition to other Summer Research Program activities and events.
Desired Qualifications:
Programming experience (preferably MATLAB or Python), and a strong interest in brain imaging data.Nature of Supervision:
The student will work closely with the PI, with assistance from graduate students and postdocs in the lab.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
The first couple of weeks will involve becoming familiar with fMRI and learning relevant data analysis techniques. The remainder of the program will focus on analyzing neuroimaging and physiological signals, and preparing a final report and poster.There are also structured activities as part of being a VISE Summer Fellow: Week 1 Welcome Lunch 5-minute presentations, Week 2 Professional Development workshop, Week 3 Social event (like coffee hour), Week 4 Working group, Week 5 Professional Development workshop, Week 6 Faculty lunch, Week 7 Working group, Week 8 Practice seminar (Aug 6th), Aug 21 or 28 VISE seminar.
Number of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Catie Chang
catie.chang@vanderbilt.edu
Mechanical Projects
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Engineering Functional Resistance Vessels
Primary Investigators:
Leon Bellan
Brief Description of Project:
Resistance vessels in the microvasculature regulate vascular resistance by modulating their lumen diameter via the constriction or dilation vessel wall; this functionality ensures appropriate pressure-flow relationships to facilitate the changing perfusion needs of various tissues in the body. Current engineered microvasculature, however, lacks the vascular resistance regulation capabilities of the vessels they are meant to mimic. To address this critical gap in engineered microvasculature, we are developing approaches to form functional medial layers of smooth muscle cells on the interior walls of engineered microvessel.Desired Qualifications:
We are looking for highly motivated undergraduate researchers who would like hands-on experience working with microfluidic devices. In particular, prospective students should have:- Interest in interdisciplinary engineering and science
- Interest in hands on experimental work
- Good time management
- Experience with data analysis (i.e. MATLAB)
- Interest in learning cell characterization techniques/microscopy/non-traditional microfabrication
Nature of Supervision:
Student will work directly with a graduate student and be mentored by Prof. Leon Bellan and the graduate student.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Week 1: Literature survey, lab training, safety training
Week 1-5: Microfluidic hydrogel fabrication
Week 5-10: Fluorescence widefield and confocal microscopy, cell culture and characterizationNumber of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Leon Bellan
Mechanical Engineering
leon.bellan@vanderbilt.edu -
Intelligent Human-Machine Interface for Teleoperating a Mobile Magnetic Actuation System
Primary Investigators:
Xiaoguang Dong
Brief Description of Project:
This project aims to develop an intelligent human-machine interface for teleoperating a mobile magnetic actuation system in Robot Operation System (ROS). The mobile robotic system consists of a 7-DOF robotic arm and a permanent magnet, which is controlled in ROS. A joystick is used to provide the human-machine interface together with a visualization software module. Project outcomes include a project report and a software module which could be used for controlling wireless miniature robots in a friendly manner.Desired Qualifications:
The student should be comfortable with mechatronic systems and mechanical design (e.g. SolidWorks), and ideally have experience related to control and dynamics.
Knowledge on Robot Operation Systems, NI LabView, Arduino, MATLAB, Python, and other software or programming languages are NOT required but are a plus.
Students should be prepared to learn new skills such as magnetic actuation, kinematics, dynamics, and control, which are needed to complete the project(s).Nature of Supervision:
You are expected to be self-motivated to constantly sustain progress on your project and incorporate feedback from Prof. Dong and the PhD students in the lab. You will work in a very collaborative environment with other undergraduate and graduate students. Weekly research summary reports to the Principal Investigator (PI) help the student to track their progress and get prompt feedback from the PI. Weekly group meetings are held with Prof. Dong and other members of the team. The group meeting includes presentations and discussions of ongoing research projects. You are expected to present your project progress as well as actively giving feedback to other students’ projects in the group meetings. For additional details on the undergraduate research experience and expectations please visit our lab website: https://xgdongcmu.github.io/opportunity.html
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Weeks 1: Read background literature, learn to use core equipment, software, and customized experimental setup in the lab
Weeks 2-5: Perform experiments, simulation, and/or device instrumentation and control depending on the project tasks and progress
Weeks 6-8: Perform characterization of robots/devices, and collect experimental and simulation data
Weeks 9-10: Analyze experimental and simulation results, and finalize/report findingsNumber of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Xiaoguang Dong
Mechanical Engineering
xiaoguang.dong@vanderbilt.edu -
Lubricant Health Monitoring
Primary Investigators:
Amrutur Anilkumar
Brief Description of Project:
The student will be conducting research on Engine Health Monitoring using two laboratory experiment facilities. They will be instrumenting a Diesel Engine Test Facility to study the lubricant characteristics. They will also be running parallel experiments on a Bench Top Oil Quality Test facility, which will be used for calibration of the Oil Quality, and lubricant physical property, measuring Instrumentation. Different engine oils, both fresh and degraded through long term use in car engines, will be used for this purpose. The outcome of the experimental studies will be both fundamental thermo-fluid science studies in lubricant flow calibration, and the development of neural network models for autonomous monitoring of oil quality.Desired Qualifications:
ME Senior StandingNature of Supervision:
Working with a Graduate Student to learn how to operate the facility and how to collect and analyze data.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Week 1: Literature survey, Lab training, Safety Training
Week 2-6: Benchtop Facility operation, Data Acquisition, and Analysis
Week 7-10: Engine Implementation & TestingNumber of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Amrutur Anilkumar
Mechanical Engineering
amrutur.v.anilkumar@vanderbilt.edu -
Microfluidic Production of PET Radiotracers
Primary Investigators:
Leon Bellan
Brief Description of Project:
The immense infrastructure, resource, and logistical burdens associated with current radiopharmaceutical production and distribution limit the proliferation and development of these valuable drugs with crucial diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities. To address this critical hurdle, we are developing a rapid, inexpensive microfluidics-based approach for low-cost, dose-on-demand production of human dosage quantities of ready-to-inject radiopharmaceuticals that can be adapted to a variety of relevant chemistries.Desired Qualifications:
We are looking for highly motivated undergraduate researchers who would like hands-on experience working with microfluidic devices. In particular, prospective students should have:- Interest in interdisciplinary engineering and science
- Interest in hands on experimental work
- Good time management
- Experience with data analysis (i.e. MATLAB)
- Interest in learning microfabrication techniques for microfluidic devices
Nature of Supervision:
Student will work directly with a graduate student and be mentored by Prof. Leon Bellan and the graduate student
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Week 1: Literature survey, lab training, safety training
Week 1-5: Microfluidic device fabrication
Week 5-10: Microfluidic device characterizationNumber of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Leon Bellan
Mechanical Engineering
leon.bellan@vanderbilt.edu -
Super-Planckian Radiative Cooling from Nanostructured Surfaces
Primary Investigators:
Deyu Li
Brief Description of Project:
Efficient cooling technologies are critical for power generation, microelectronic device thermal management, and building environment control. This project aims at understanding thermal radiation from nanostructures that could occur at a rate beyond the blackbody limit, creating nanostructured surfaces and measuring their radiation properties. The summer student will work closely with Ph.D. students and post-doctoral fellows and participate in experimental studies involving sample preparation, measurements and data analysis. Meanwhile, the student will learn relevant knowledge about nanoscale thermal transport, materials design, and thermal measurements.Desired Qualifications:
We are interested in highly-motivated, curious, and responsible individuals. The student should have completed the college physics sequence and is interested in pursuing further studies in energy and sustainability. Student who are quick learners and comfortable to new physical concepts should be able to make better progress in this project.Nature of Supervision:
The student will work with a Ph.D. student or a post-doctoral fellow on a daily basis, attend the weekly group meetings and receive advice from the faculty advisor.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
An example research plan that may vary based on the progress could be:
Weeks 1: Learn the fundamental concepts and read background literature
Weeks 2: Learn about the thermal measurement mechanism and system
Weeks 3-4: Continue learning and start assisting with experiments
Weeks 5-6: Design a specific project with a scope that can be done in about a month
Weeks 7-10: Complete the designed project with the help of the Ph.D. student/post-doc mentor.Number of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Deyu Li
Mechanical Engineering
deyu.li@vanderbilt.edu -
VISE: Design and Control of Wireless Miniature Soft Robots for Biomedical Application
Primary Investigators:
Xiaoguang Dong
Brief Description of Project:
Small-scale robots with an overall size less than one centimeter that can be wirelessly actuated, monitored and controlled, could revolutionize minimally invasive medical operations by allowing access to enclosed small spaces inside the human body and performing medical operations such as drug delivery, onsite biofluid pumping, and biopsy. Wirelessly powered small-scale robots using stimuli-responsive material and mechanisms which can be actuated by magnetic fields are especially promising, as magnetic fields can penetrate most nonmagnetic materials such as biological tissue and induce relatively large magnetic forces and torques on the robot body for remote and precise actuation. Despite recent advances in this field, critical challenges still exist in creating intelligent miniature robots that could navigate through complex confined fluid-filled environments and demonstrate practical medical functionalities. This project aims to develop wirelessly actuated shape-morphing material and mechanisms, and their enabled devices and robots for specific biomedical application. These robots or devices will be designed by developing fundamental mechanisms of generating complex, large, and reconfigurable shapes, with the guidance of computational models. They are fabricated with advanced micro-fabrication techniques and controlled to move to target locations using a desired locomotion in challenging environments, to further perform medical operations such as drug delivery, biopsy, biofluids pumping, and other functions. Project outcomes include a project report which could potentially be turned out to a manuscript to be submitted to a proper journal or a top robotic conference such as RSS, ICRA, etc.This lab is part of VISE (Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering). Students accepted into this project will have the opportunity to participate in VISE-specific activities in addition to other Summer Research Program activities and events.
Desired Qualifications:
We are interested in self-motivated, responsible, and independent students who are particularly interested in miniature robotics, soft robotics and medical robotics. The student should be comfortable with mechatronic systems, and ideally have experience related to control, mechatronics, flexible electronics, or smart materials. Knowledge on Robot Operation Systems, NI LabVIEW, Arduino, MATLAB Python, and other software or programming languages are preferred. Previous experience on soft robots or flexible electronics is a plus. The student should be prepared to learn new skills such as miniature soft robot fabrication, modeling, and control which are needed to complete the project(s). For existing projects, please visit our website: https://xgdongcmu.github.io/research.html. You are welcome to contact Prof. Xiaoguang Dong for further discussion about your background via email.Nature of Supervision:
You are expected to be self-motivated to constantly sustain progress on your project and incorporate feedback from Professor Dong and the PhD students in the lab. You will work in a very collaborative environment with other undergraduate and graduate students. Weekly research summary reports to the Principal Investigator (PI) help the student to track their progress and get prompt feedback from the PI. Weekly group meetings are held with Professor Dong and other members of the team. The group meeting includes presentations and discussions of ongoing research projects. You are expected to present your project progress as well as actively giving feedback to other students’ projects in the group meetings. For additional details on the undergraduate research experience and expectations please visit our lab website: https://xgdongcmu.github.io/opportunity.html
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):Weeks 1: Read background literature, learn to use core equipment, software, and customized experimental setup in the lab
Weeks 2-5: Perform experiments, simulation, and/or device instrumentation and control depending on the project tasks and progress
Weeks 6-8: Perform characterization of robots/devices, and collect experimental and simulation data
Weeks 9-10: Analyze experimental and simulation results, and finalize/report findingsThere are also structured activities as part of being a VISE Summer Fellow: Week 1 Welcome Lunch 5-minute presentations, Week 2 Professional Development workshop, Week 3 Social event (like coffee hour), Week 4 Working group, Week 5 Professional Development workshop, Week 6 Faculty lunch, Week 7 Working group, Week 8 Practice seminar (Aug 6th), Aug 21 or 28 VISE seminar.
Number of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Xiaoguang Dong
Mechanical Engineering
xiaoguang.dong@vanderbilt.edu -
VISE: Developing a Controller for a Selectively Stiffening Manipulator Designed for Minimally Invasive Lung Surgery
Primary Investigators:
Dr. Robert Webster
Brief Description of Project:
The Vanderbilt Medical Engineering and Discovery Lab (MED Lab) conducts research on novel continuum robots to perform complicated minimally invasive surgeries. This project is investigating new designs of cable-driven continuum robots, which consist of flexible mechanisms that are pulled into different shapes by cables that run the length of the manipulator. In this project we’re looking at novel ways of changing the stiffness of the continuum robot during its operation, in order to change the force and motion capabilities of the device. The student would be involved in prototyping these devices and working on a closed-loop control system and user interface design with an existing hardware setup.This lab is part of VISE (Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering). Students accepted into this project will have the opportunity to participate in VISE-specific activities in addition to other Summer Research Program activities and events.
Desired Qualifications:
The student should be self-motivated, capable of identifying design opportunities and able to develop engineering solutions using a variety of techniques. The student should have coding experience in C++ and Python, experience with Robot Operating System (ROS) is an asset. Mechanical prototyping experience (Solidworks, 3D printing, machining) is also desirable.Nature of Supervision:
You will work with Dr. Webster and Emily McCabe (PhD Student) along with several others on the project. General guidelines and assistance will be provided as it is a collaborative project but you are encouraged to make this project your own and improve it how you see fit.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Week 1: Become familiar with lab environment and background
Weeks 2-3: Develop a design plan for the controller and user interface.
Weeks 4-7: Implement controller in ROS with input device and design robot prototypes
Weeks 8-10: Prototype robot designs and test with controller.There are also structured activities as part of being a VISE Summer Fellow: Week 1 Welcome Lunch 5-minute presentations, Week 2 Professional Development workshop, Week 3 Social event (like coffee hour), Week 4 Working group, Week 5 Professional Development workshop, Week 6 Faculty lunch, Week 7 Working group, Week 8 Practice seminar (Aug 6th), Aug 21 or 28 VISE seminar
Number of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Emily McCabe
Mechanical Engineering
emily.mccabe@vanderbilt.edu -
VISE: 3D Image Guided Surgery for the da Vinci Surgical Robot
Primary Investigators:
Dr. Robert Webster
Brief Description of Project:
The Vanderbilt Medical Engineering and Discovery Lab (MED Lab) is currently working on developing a three-dimensional image guided surgery (IGS) platform for minimally invasive robotic surgery. In this project, we generate patient-specific anatomical models and display them relative to a da Vinci surgical robot during robot-assisted procedures. To align the patient’s model with their intraoperative anatomy, we must perform anatomical model-to-surgical scene registration. Numerous approaches for intraoperative model registration, such as fiducial-based, surface-based, and volume-based methods, have been explored. This project will investigate a surface-based registration method using a distance sensor, powered by Arduino, and the Iterative Closest Point (ICP) algorithm. In this project, you will design and fabricate a custom hand-held housing for the distance sensor, write and execute the code for data collection and ICP registration, and create a shelf-stable anatomical model to register. At the end of the summer, you will have successfully implemented the most important aspect of image-guided surgery!This lab is part of VISE (Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering). Students accepted into this project will have the opportunity to participate in VISE-specific activities in addition to other Summer Research Program activities and events.
Desired Qualifications:
We are interested in motivated, curious, and resourceful individuals. The student should be familiar with CAD and ideally have experience with basic electronics (Arduino and breadboard). Most importantly, they should be open to learning and hands-on work.
Nature of Supervision:
You will work with Dr. Webster and Piper Cannon (PhD Student) along with several others on the project. General guidelines and assistance will be provided as it is a collaborative project but you are encouraged to make this project your own and improve it how you see fit.
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
Week 1: Complete our “Image Guidance Crash Course”
Weeks 2-3: Design and fabricate housing for distance sensor
Weeks 4-5: Write code for data collection and registration
Weeks 6-8: Integrate into our existing IGS platform
Weeks 9-10: Fabricate anatomical model and demonstrate registrationThere are also structured activities as part of being a VISE Summer Fellow: Week 1 Welcome Lunch 5-minute presentations, Week 2 Professional Development workshop, Week 3 Social event (like coffee hour), Week 4 Working group, Week 5 Professional Development workshop, Week 6 Faculty lunch, Week 7 Working group, Week 8 Practice seminar (Aug 6th), Aug 21 or 28 VISE seminar.
Number of Open Slots: 1
Contact Information:
Piper Cannon
Mechanical Engineering
piper.c.cannon@vanderbilt.edu
Program FAQs
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When does the application become available?
The Summer 2025 application will open January 6th, 2025 with applications due by 11:59pm February 7th, 2025.
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What is a Statement of Purpose, and how do I format one?
The Statement of Purpose is a short piece of writing describing how participation in this program would align with your research and career goals. This is your opportunity to show how you and the lab team can both benefit from your participation in summer research!
Showcase your communication skills by writing in paragraph format. Statements should be one page or less and can be submitted in PDF or .docx format.
(You can read a guide on Statements of Purpose from Vanderbilt here, though your statement will be much shorter than these Master's Program examples!)
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Who should write my Letter of Recommendation?
Your Letter of Recommendation can be from anyone who knows you and your qualifications, especially as they relate to research. This can include professors, laboratory instructors, advisors, employers, or other professional contacts you may have.
Letters can be submitted in PDF or .doxc format.
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How will I be paid?
Students that successfully complete the program will receive support totaling $8,000. Disbursement methods may vary depending on your undergraduate institution; accepted applicants will receive instructions on how to receive their funds.
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Does this program fulfill Immersion Vanderbilt requirements?
Yes! Vanderbilt students who participate in the Summer Research Program and present their research at the final poster session in August will fulfill their Immersion requirement.
The required paperwork will be sent out to Vanderbilt students at the end of the summer session. Be sure to complete it to ensure that this experience appears on your transcript.
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Is there housing available and how much will it cost?
Participants will be responsible for securing their own housing.
On-Campus housing: Vanderbilt students and students from other undergraduate institutions who are actively involved in a summer research or internship program may sign up for on-campus housing at this link.
Off-Campus housing: Use the referral website provided by the Office of Housing and Residential Education to get information and view sublets and rental listings near campus. Current Vanderbilt students can log-in with their VUnet ID and password, and non-Vanderbilt students accepting participation in VUSE Summer Research can create a log-in for the site.
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What is the minimum GPA requirement?
There is no minimum GPA requirement, though many labs may prefer candidates with a GPA of 3.5 and above.
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I am from another university, am I eligible to apply?
Yes! All students studying at a 4-year college or university in the United States, or U.S. citizens who are studying internationally, are eligible to apply.
Please note that Vanderbilt is unable to accept applications from international applicants who are not already studying at a school in the United States.
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Are applications from international students allowed?
Applications from international students currently studying at a university in the United States are accepted. U.S. citizens currently studying internationally are also eligible to apply.
Note that we are unable to accept applications from international students who are not already studying within the United States.
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Am I required to be in the U.S. during the summer to participate?
Yes, students participating in the VUSE Summer Research Program are required to be in Nashville, Tennessee in the United States during the 10-week program.
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Are participants allowed to take courses during the summer?
No. This is an intensive, full-time research experience and accepted applicants will not be eligible to register for courses during the program.
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Is the program binding? Am I required to participate if I am selected for the program?
Successful candidates will receive an offer from the program in mid-March, and will have until mid-April to officially accept or decline the offer to participate. We encourage accepted candidates to evaluate all of their summer options before accepting the offer.
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What kind of research would I be involved in?
This is an on-campus experience with many research opportunities. In the left-side navigation column is a list of departments and there you will find all of the projects and names of faculty members.
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Do you have to be an engineering major to apply?
No, although many projects have core engineering foundations. Given the interdisciplinary nature of the research projects, all students who might be a good match to a project are encouraged to apply.
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What are the requirements for acceptance into the program?
There are no minimum requirements for the program, but each lab may have their own standards for which candidates they will consider for acceptance. Candidates with high academic performance, especially in laboratory settings, are often preferred.
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Will this be an opportunity to find real work at the graduate level at VUSE or elsewhere?
Absolutely! Many students participating in the program have gone on to graduate studies, with many of them here at VUSE. Participating in this program will allow students to build a network of contacts and grain valuable graduate-level experience.
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Can high school students, community college students, college graduates or graduate students participate?
Students must be current undergraduates enrolled in a four-year college or university to participate. They must be sophomores, juniors, or non-graduating seniors to apply. First-year students are welcome to apply, but lab teams often prioritize students with more experience.
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How are program placements made?
The online application allows you to select three research programs in which you are most interested. Lab groups will assess applicants and select their preferred candidates. Placement in those programs are not guaranteed.
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What summer projects are available?
Our list of projects can be found above, listed by department, or in the left-side navigation menus.
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How long will the program run?
The program runs for 10 weeks from late May through early August and culminates in a poster session. Specific dates/travel plans can be negotiated with your supervisor.
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Are students without previous research experience eligible?
Yes!
Contact Us
Summer Research Coordinator
If you have questions about the program please contact vuse.summer.research@vanderbilt.edu.