Research Programs
Research vs Industry Internships
Not every aerospace internship involves building products. Research internships — primarily through NSF REUs and university labs — offer a fundamentally different experience. You work in a faculty member's lab, contribute to a specific research question, and present your findings at a symposium or in a poster session.
| Factor | Industry Internship | Research Internship |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | $14–61/hr | ~$600/week + housing |
| Output | Product contributions, code, hardware | Research findings, posters, papers |
| Best for | Career in industry | Graduate school preparation |
| Mentorship | Senior engineer | Faculty researcher |
| Network | Company employees, industry contacts | Academic community, grad programs |
| Resume signal | "Built real things at a real company" | "Conducted original research" |
The honest advice: If you're considering graduate school, do at least one research experience. If you want to go straight to industry, prioritize industry internships. If you're not sure, do one of each.
NSF REU Program
The National Science Foundation funds universities across the country to host 8–10 week summer research programs for undergraduates. Each REU site focuses on a specific research area — aerospace engineering, materials science, robotics, astrophysics, and hundreds of other topics. You work in a faculty member's lab, get a stipend (~$600/week), and at many sites receive housing and travel support.
- 600+ active sites nationwide. There is no single REU application — you apply to individual sites through their own portals.
- Most deadlines cluster around March 15, but each site sets its own.
- Apply to 10+ sites. Each site accepts 8–12 students. Cast a wide net.
- Permanent residents are eligible. Unlike AFRL programs, REUs accept US citizens, US nationals, and permanent residents.
- Community college students are specifically encouraged. NSF wants to support students who don't have research access at their home institution.
Aerospace-Relevant REU Sites
| Site | University | Focus | Stipend | Housing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AERO-U | Texas A&M | Aerospace engineering | $7,000 | Check site |
| AUTOBOT | Kent State | Robotics, autonomous systems | $6,000 + $1,000 meals | Provided |
| Transport Phenomena | Auburn | Aerospace/mechanical engineering | Check site | Check site |
Use the NSF REU Search Directory or REU Finder to search by research area, location, and deadline.
University Research Labs
Beyond formal REU programs, many university research labs hire undergraduate research assistants directly. This is especially common at large research universities with active aerospace programs.
How to find lab positions:
- Your own university: Email professors whose research interests you. Read their recent papers first and reference specific work in your email. Most professors are happy to take on motivated undergrads.
- Other universities: Some labs post formal undergraduate research positions. Check aerospace engineering department websites at MIT, Georgia Tech, Purdue, Michigan, Stanford, Caltech, and CU Boulder.
- NASA-affiliated labs: JPL, Langley, Glenn, and Ames all have university partnerships that place students in NASA research. These are separate from OSTEM.
What to expect: University lab positions are less structured than formal internships. Pay varies widely — some are volunteer, some pay $12–20/hr, some come with stipends. The value is in the research experience, the mentorship relationship, and the recommendation letter your PI writes when you apply to graduate school.
The cold email works. If there's a professor doing research you find interesting, email them directly. Introduce yourself, reference their specific recent work, explain why you're interested, and ask if they have any openings for undergraduate researchers. Most students never do this — the ones who do often get in.
From Research to Graduate School
Research internships are the strongest preparation for graduate school applications. Here's why:
- Research experience is the #1 factor in graduate admissions for engineering programs. A student with one REU and one lab position is dramatically more competitive than a student with a higher GPA but no research.
- Recommendation letters from research mentors carry more weight than letters from course instructors. A PI who can speak to your research abilities, independence, and scientific thinking is the most valuable letter writer you can have.
- Published work matters. Even a poster at an undergraduate symposium or a conference proceeding counts. A peer-reviewed paper as an undergrad is rare and impressive.
- You learn whether you actually enjoy research. Graduate school is 4–6 years of full-time research. An REU or lab position is the only way to test whether that's what you want before committing.
The timeline: Do your first research experience sophomore year (university lab) or summer after sophomore year (REU). Apply to graduate programs fall of senior year. Having two research experiences by then puts you in a strong position.
Research vs. industry isn't binary. Many students do a research REU one summer and an industry internship the next. The combination — research depth plus industry exposure — makes you competitive for both graduate school and industry positions. You don't have to choose one path exclusively.