Basic and Applied research is at the core of the Department's educational program. Faculty, Research Staff, Graduate and Undergraduate students all participate in this activity.
Undergraduate students frequently join active research projects to satisfy their Independent Work or Senior Thesis requirements. They benefit from the experience of the other project participants and gain a clear understanding of the discovery process and the value of presenting it to others.
All graduate students become involved with a research project during their first year and normally develop this activity so that they can demonstrate their research competence at the time of admission to Ph. D. candidacy or the completion of a M.S.E. program.
Research in the Department is supported through contracts with many different government agencies and funds provided by industrial sponsors or foundations.