Undergraduate research performed at Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) has contributed significantly to the development of independent, well-rounded engineers by providing opportunities for students’ professional growth, knowledge, experience, creativity and confidence. Through a decade-long and continuing, summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program sponsored by the National Science Foundation, we have demonstrated extraordinary success at the MSOE interdisciplinary Rapid Prototyping Center and the closely associated Center for BioMolecular Modeling—hubs of activity with faculty, staff, students and industry working together in a variety of programs. Specifically, we have provided integrated research opportunities for technically diverse groups of undergraduate students to experience the growing technological trends and opportunities in rapid prototyping (RP) leading to newly created, complex and miniature structures and models. We have continued the principle of diversity in successful recruiting of minorities, women and students with disabilities, enabling them to become professional graduates with extraordinary capabilities. We developed interdisciplinary approaches, enabled by research and development in rapid prototyping, in the fields of biomedical, biomolecular, manufacturing, mechanical, electrical, architectural and aerospace engineering. We continue to publish the findings from the research projects in national conferences and journals. Our success at fostering undergraduate research is showcased through the nature of student activities and specific projects, the research/mentoring environment and facilities, student recruitment history including diversity, evaluation results, samples of program impact and highlights of summer REU program at MSOE.
A General Model for Both Shape Control and Locomotion Control of Tensegrity Systems