Research Areas

Each student will be selected to work on a project that is funded through a specific source, outlined below. Please visit the links below for more information about the research and faculty involved with each center or institute. You do not need to apply for specific funding, but if you have a preference to work with a particular area or certain faculty funded by the centers or institutes listed, please note this in your research statement. Applicants are considered for all projects based on interest selected in the online application. 

 

2024 Research Areas/Funding Sources

NSF Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) 

Study the mechanics of films and interfaces, design and test materials for soft robotics, and engineer materials and techniques for biological studies at cellular scales.

mrsec.harvard.edu

NSF National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI) at the Center for Nanoscale Systems at Harvard

The Center for Nanoscale Systems (CNS) at Harvard is a node of the NNCI, a network of nanotechnology user facilities. Areas of current exploration at CNS include photonics and optical computing, biomimetics, low-temperature physics, graphene and other 2-D materials, diamond-based nanoscale sensors and computing elements, photovoltaics, fuel cells, energy storage, and many more.

cns1.rc.fas.harvard.edu

The Summer Program at Harvard in Earth and Environmental Research (SPHEER)

The proposed Summer Program at Harvard in Earth and Environmental Research (SPHEER) focuses on investigation of the drivers and consequences of Earth system change. Such change occurs across multiple timescales, from decades to millions of years. Specific objectives are to: help students develop a roadmap of the interplay between field research, laboratory research, data analysis, and modeling in the study of environmental change, while incorporating diverse cultural perspectives in the study of environmental change. Experimental, modeling, and computational projects will probe the interplay of atmospheric, water, and land systems. 

SPHEER Website

The Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering

The Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering aims to discover the engineering principles that Nature uses to build living things and to harnesses these insights to create biologically inspired materials and devices that will revolutionize healthcare and create a more sustainable world. See the list of Wyss Core Faculty who can possibly host an REU student. 

wyss.harvard.edu

The Rowland Institute at Harvard

The Rowland Institute is dedicated to experimental science over a broad range of disciplines. Research in physics, chemistry, and biology has an emphasis on interdisciplinary work and development of new experimental tools. Rowland Fellows can host 1 REU student each. Positions contingent on funding.

rowland.harvard.edu

Privacy Tools Project and Open Differential Privacy

Join a multidisciplinary effort to help enable the collection, analysis and sharing of personal data for research in social science and other fields while providing privacy for individual subjects. Positions contingent on funding.

privacytools.seas.harvard.edu

opendp.org

Other Opportunities

Many of our participating faculty have other opportunities in related areas such as alternative energy, bioengineering, and computer science. Please specify your research interest on your application.