The Rossin Research Scholars (RRS) program in Lehigh University’s P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science (Rossin) aims to equip undergraduates with formative research experiences while offering PhD students impactful mentoring opportunities. By engaging undergraduates and doctoral students in a yearlong mentored research project, the program aims to:
1) provide an opportunity for undergraduates to author a publication and/or conference paper;
2) grow the research mentoring skills of Rossin PhD students; and
3) strengthen the ability of undergraduate research scholars and PhD mentors to propose, prepare for, and engage in leading-edge research, discovery, and innovation.
The broader goals of the program include:
1) increasing undergraduate participation in research;
2) cultivating a collaborative research culture within the Rossin college; and
3) affording undergraduates opportunities for impactful research, thereby increasing their eligibility for external fellowships
Program Overview
There are two initial components to the program:
- PhD mentors will develop faculty advisor-endorsed and college-vetted proposals for yearlong mentored research; and
- eligible undergraduates (UGs) will submit applications to participate in the program.
The UG applications will be reviewed by the College and PhD mentors, and UGs selected as research scholars will be matched with projects. PhD mentors will participate in formal mentor training during the semester break. Throughout the spring semester, PhD mentors will work with the UG research scholars to further define their project, establish relevant research skills and understanding, and prepare for full-time summer research for a paid UG stipend. The program will continue through the fall semester, culminating with a publication and/or conference paper. Research scholars will present their work at the David and Lorraine Freed Undergraduate Research Symposium in the spring and will be encouraged to continue their research beyond the conclusion of the program. Research scholars will be provided with discretionary research and conference travel funds. PhD mentors will be awarded discretionary funding in recognition of their commitment to high quality mentoring.
Eligibility and Required Commitment
Undergraduate researchers
● Full-time enrollment in a Rossin or IC (IBE, CSB, or IDEAS) BS degree for the duration of the program.
● No prior participation in the Rossin Research Scholars program.
● Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater; GPA eligibility reviewed after the fall semester for 1st-year applicants.
● Spring 2026: Commitment to 4-8 hr/week of mentored research for 1-2 academic credits.
● Summer 2026: Commitment to 10 weeks of full-time (40 hr/week) summer research; paid stipend to offset housing and living expenses; restricted from academic courses or other work commitments
● Fall 2026: Commitment to 4-12 hr/week of research for 1-3 academic credits or stipend.
● Spring 2027: Freed Research Symposium presentation and (encouraged) continuation of research.
PhD mentors
● Enrollment in a Rossin PhD program or pursuit of a PhD with a Rossin faculty adviser.
● Advanced students who have successfully completed their PhD qualifying exam.
● Commitment to continuous high-quality mentorship over the fall, summer, and spring of the program.
● Commitment to completion of mentor training during the January 2026 semester break.
Undergraduate Research Scholar Application Package
Interested undergraduates should complete an application using this RRS UG Application link. Requirements include an unofficial transcript (uploaded) and brief statements detailing (i) the
motivation for the Rossin Research Scholars program, (ii) technical areas of interest, (iii) relevant past experiences and background, (iv) future career goals, and (v) any other information deemed useful to share with the application review committee. Applicants will also be asked to upload an unofficial transcript. Applications must be received by 5 PM, Nov. 14, 2025.
PhD Mentor Application Package and Proposal
Eligible PhD students interested in mentoring a research project should develop a research proposal containing the following in a single pdf:
- Cover page with executive summary (0.5 page max): Project title, PhD student mentor’s name, name(s) of faculty research advisor(s), department, and project summary.
- Proposal (2 pages max) with the following sections: (A) Overview and impact (description of the scientific/engineering problem being tackled through PhD research); (B) Proposed RRS project (description of the project, its relationship to PhD research, and its significance and potential for impact); (C) Specific project aim(s) (details of specific aims, related objectives, research strategies, and pathway to a culminating publication and/or conference paper).
Research proposals should be submitted through this RRS PhD Mentor Application link. The application will also ask for: (i) classification of research (experimental, computational, other), (ii) number of undergraduate scholars requested, with justification required if more than one and clarification of the impact if only one is assigned; (iii) preferred background/skillsets of undergraduate(s), with brief explanation; (iv) key skillsets to be developed by undergraduates over the course of the experience; and (v) discussion of prior experience of the PhD student with, and commitment/approach to, mentoring. Application packages must be received by 5 PM, Nov. 21, 2025.
In addition to submitting an application package, PhD students must forward the electronic copy of their application receipt (automatically emailed upon application submission) and their final 2-page proposal to their advisors, requesting them to use this RRS PhD Mentor Advisor Endorsement form to endorse the proposal, comment on the PhD student’s capacity for high-quality research mentoring, and confirm their willingness to host a RRS undergraduate in their lab.
2026 Program Funding
- $6,000 - Summer stipend paid to RRS undergraduate for 10 weeks of full-time research.
- Up to $1,000 - Research fund for RRS project expenses.
- Up to $1,000 - Optional fall semester stipend for RRS undergraduate.
- Up to $1,000- Conference travel fund for RRS undergraduate.
- $1,000 - PhD mentor discretionary fund.
Dates and Deadlines
Application, review, and cohort selection schedule
- Nov. 14 - Undergraduate application deadline (5 PM)
- Nov. 21 - PhD mentor proposal and application deadline (5 PM)
- Nov. 28 - Projected date for communication of PhD mentor project review results.
- Dec. 5 - Projected date of first round offers extended to undergraduates for 2026 RRS cohort.
Project matching and kick-off
- Jan. 5-16 - Mandatory PhD mentor CIMER training to be scheduled during winter break
- Week of 1/19 - Rossin Research Scholars program kick-off