Wayne State College of Engineering students receive undergraduate research award

DETROIT (Dec. 16, 2013) - Sixteen Wayne State University College of Engineering students have been selected to receive a winter 2013 Engineering Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program award.

Farshad Fotouhi

Zahraa Bazzi

Nigil Valikodath, Zahraa Bazzi, Ahmad El-Bkaily, Amani Alkayyali, Curt Laugh, Joseph Osantowski, Ryan Scott, Mohammed Kakli, Enxhi Xhafa, David Warnke, Daniel Reinheimer, Trevor Kirsch, Ao Yu, Matthew Brown, Hamzeh Omar and Jad Gagnon will work alongside faculty members on cutting-edge research in biomedical engineering, electrical and computer engineering, civil and environmental engineering, chemical engineering and materials science, and computer science.

Undergraduate research is one of the five pillars to a Wayne State engineering and computer science education. The award, which provides a $1,000 stipend, was created in 2012 to provide students with additional support and mentorship on a wide range of research projects.

"It's crucial that tomorrow's engineers and computer scientists get the hands-on research experience they need prior to graduation," says College of Engineering Dean Farshad Fotouhi. "Our college is known for improving quality of life through education, innovation and entrepreneurship, and many of our faculty researchers are renowned experts in their fields. The role they play in our labs, teaching our students about innovation and collaboration, is immeasurable. On behalf of the college, I congratulate our award recipients and look forward to learning about their research experiences."

Bazzi, for one, is grateful for the opportunity.

"This UROP award will be very helpful in terms of moving forward in my education," she says. "Research is a great way to get the hands-on experience you don't get in the classroom and this award will allow me to do that. The college encourages working with faculty to get involved with projects that are implemented in the workplace, and research awards make these opportunities possible."

All Wayne State engineering and computer science students are eligible to apply for the award. For more information, contact the Office of Academic Affairs and Student Services at 313-577-3040 or academicaffairs@eng.wayne.edu.

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Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution of higher education offering 370 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 28,000 students. For more information about engineering at Wayne State University, visit engineering.wayne.edu.