ECE Next

ECE Next Poster Session

This yearlong series of workshops and mentoring activities for juniors and seniors is aimed at increasing and maintaining the number of underrepresented students in ECE. Attendees include Texas ECE and non-UT undergraduate students, in particular undergrads from HBCUs and HSIs from partner institutions. The workshops for junior and senior students will provide the support and self-efficacy tools that underrepresented students may find useful to move forward from undergraduate to graduate school, while involved in summer undergraduate research in the process. The program will help ensure that more underrepresented students become next generation graduate researchers, leaders, and role models in ECE.

Research Topics

ECE Next offers a wide range of research projects that coincide with our 8 research tracks. Please click here to see our current research offerings.

Juniors Next Summer Research Prep Workshop

Current undergraduate Juniors studying ECE or related disciplines, especially students from groups historically under-represented in the discipline, are invited to a workshop. Participants will have the opportunity to:

Learn an overview of Texas ECE graduate programs
Identify paths forward from an undergraduate ECE degree
Find out more about research (what it is, how it's done, and what opportunities are available)
Connect with current ECE graduate students, faculty researchers, and labs
Identify an ECE research direction or topic of interest

Seniors Next Grad School Prep Workshop

Undergraduate Seniors studying ECE or related disciplines, especially students from groups historically under-represented in the discipline, are invited to a 2-day workshop where participants will have the opportunity to:

Deepen understanding of the possibilities of graduate school for their career path
Demystify the graduate application process, including funding options
Identify the grad school/research labs or groups of their choice
Work on their grad school application materials
Leave the workshop with a guide on navigating the admission process and deciding among multiple offers

Summer Research Experience

Over the course of the program participants will have the opportunity to:

Work with ECE faculty on a graduate level research project
Present research project at summer poster session
Weekly stipend, Housing/Dining and travel included
Weekly meetings with faculty and program coordinator

Program Information

Program Timeline

February 15: Application Deadline
March: Juniors Next Summer Research Prep Workshop & Research Project Match (Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates)
June 1-July 31: Summer Research Experience & Project Mentoring
September: Seniors Next Grad School Prep Workshop & Info Session for new applicants

Program Advising Sessions and Info Session

Zoom advising sessions per appointment (email abigail.garza@austin.utexas.edu)
Held regularly. Dates will be provided here as information sessions are scheduled.

Eligibility and Requirements to Apply

No minimum GPA requirement, rather a wholistic review of the applicants
For the Summer Research Experience you must be available for entire 8-week period (June 1-July 31)
Statement of Purpose (One typed paged describing the student's interest in the research experience for undergraduate program)
Resume, including the name and contact details of one faculty reference
Unofficial transcripts are optional

How to Apply

Have questions? Check out our FAQ page.

Application deadline for the new academic year cohort is February 15. Applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis after the deadline.

Apply Now