There’s more to an engineering education than just coursework! Cornell Engineers have always been involved in an eclectic range of activities. We’ve always encouraged engineering students to pursue their interests and participate in the extracurricular activities of the college. Below is a listing of the primary programs that enhance the education students receive in our classrooms and labs.
Student Project Teams
Undergraduate engineering students from numerous specialty fields can collaborate on special projects to gain hands-on experience. Current student projects include the prize-winning Formula SAE racecar, the Cornell Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (a submarine), RoboCup (four-time world-champion soccer-playing robots), and many others.
Undergraduate Research
Nearly 50% of the engineering undergraduates take advantage of the many opportunities to gain hands-on experience by working with faculty members and graduate students on a variety of projects. Research takes place in many laboratories and centers on the Cornell campus, including Duffield Hall, the new state-of-the-art center for nanotechnical research, and off-campus in places like Arecibo, Puerto Rico, at the world’s largest radiotelescope, and in Maine at the Shoals Marine Laboratory.
Co-op
The Cooperative Education program offers engineering students the opportunity to use what they have learned before they graduate. Students with a 2.7 or higher grade point average qualify for admission to the Co-op program. Students are paid for their work, and they leave the experience with a better sense of real-world engineering. Some students are offered jobs even before they’ve started looking!
Study Abroad
Engineering students are increasingly interested in opportunities to study abroad. The Cornell Abroad Office offers informational meetings, a comprehensive Web site, and individual advising to help students plan ahead. The College of Engineering has just started a new program for students in Paris. You can learn more about that program at the link above.
Diversity Programs In Engineering
The Office of Diversity Programs is dedicated to supporting and encouraging outstanding students who come to engineering from historically under-represented populations. The program supports the college’s academic excellence in ways that celebrate and promote respect for individual perspectives and experiences. The College of Engineering also provides services like academic advising, tutoring and tutor training, many levels of peer educator leadership training, undergraduate research, and Co-op and internship opportunities.
