My S, an incoming Mechanical Engineering Honors freshman, received a notice in his portal yesterday inviting him to participate in “FIRE,” a freshman research program. I can’t find anything about it online, and I’m wondering if anyone knows anything about the program? The message said it offers 1 credit hour and involves assisting grad students and professors with research projects.
Just wondering if anyone can weigh in on the program?
In my opinion, any chance to do research with professors in college should be taken. Grad schools love research, especially when it has been published, plus you can get a hell of a rec letter if you’re working closely with a prof.
Thanks @danfer91. That is not the program he was offered, but it sounds similar. (He is Cockrell, not cns, and his program is FIRE – Freshman Initiative for Research in Engineering, I think it was.)
I told him he should take the offer, even if he is just a pencil carrier for a grad student for a semester. It is exposure and it may open doors for other opportunities down the road.
Ya I looked up FIRE and found a program named that at the U of Maryland? That page was connected to UT and the FRI program. This may be why you couldn’t find any information on UT’s website. Regardless you’re right, he should take the offer, he’ll almost certainly be working on something interesting and it looks great on a resume. I’ve done some more searching but I don’t see anything on Cockrell.
http://www.engr.utexas.edu/research/undergraduate/opportunities
He might have a research opportunity under the CNS, say Physics or Mathematics, but still be in the College of Engineering.