CEGE Undergraduate Research Opportunities

	A	B	C	D	E
1	Faculty	Fall 2025 Openings Available? (yes/no)	Research Description	Specific Application Directions	Relevant Links

2	Aaron Potkay (with Xue Feng)		Are you interested in how plants affect hydrology and the carbon cycle? I am looking for an undergraduate researcher to analyze a large dataset of leaf pressure-volume measurements to determine key plant traits of water-use, carbon-use, and drought resistance and to determine how those traits vary with climate. Strong coding skills (e.g., MATLAB) are required.	Interested students should email Aaron Potkay at potka002@umn.edu and include a CV or resume.
3	Alireza Khani	Yes	Are you curious to know how people get around town with transit on normal days, during the state fair, or on game days? Are you wondering how Google Maps calculates best transit directions? Have you ever cared about how transit service is planned and operated? If your answer is yes, Transit Lab is waiting for you to join as an undergraduate researcher. You can either bring your own questions or choose to work on one of our many research projects. In Transit Lab, you will get access to huge amounts and various types of data from Metro Transit and other transit systems in the country. We use GPS traces of buses and trains to study their on-time performance. We use automatic passenger counts to study ridership and crowding. And we use smart card (for example U-Pass cards) data to study how people choose among routes and stops and chain their trips during the day. Transit Lab consists of a diverse mix of graduate and undergraduate researchers in various engineering fields. You will have the opportunity to learn engineering methods and software tools to evaluate different aspects of transit systems, dig into automatically collected data to infer travel patterns, or develop new ideas and tools to improve the system, all in collaboration with other members of the lab. We are looking for people who are really into multimodal transportation (anything but personal cars! including buses, trains, bikes, e-scooters, Uber/Lyft, etc.) and are keen to use computer programs to solve problems. If you have done computer programming (beyond CEGE 3101), you should contact us now!"	Please send your CV or resume and unofficial transcript when contacting Prof. Khani about research opportunities.	http://umntransit.weebly.com/
4	Ben Worsfold		Are you interested in advancing the field of structural engineering through cutting-edge research on reinforced concrete? I am seeking motivated students to join my research group, where we focus on several key areas: the behavior and performance of reinforced concrete structures, the development and application of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC), and innovative methods for concrete rehabilitation and retrofit. Additionally, we explore finite element modeling to simulate the complex behavior of reinforced concrete systems under various loading conditions. Our work aims to improve the safety, durability, and resilience of civil infrastructure. If you have a background in structural engineering and are passionate about concrete materials and modeling, I encourage you to get in touch!	Interested students should email Prof. Worsfold indicating their interest and include a resume. worsfold@umn.edu	https://worsfold.umn.edu
5	Bill Arnold	maybe	Dr. Arnold's research group focuses on water pollutants. We seek to understand how organic pollutants, such as industrial solvents, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals, behave in natural systems (e.g., lakes and rivers) and engineered systems (e.g., drinking water pipes, treatment technologies for contaminated waters). Our projects focus on fundamental chemical processes, including reactions that breakdown the pollution and pollutant movement from one phase to another (for example, water to sediment). This information is used to predict the environmental impact of pollutants and to develop improved treatment and remediation technologies. More details are at https://williamarnold.org/research-projects/. There are potential opportunities to help process water and sediment samples that are to be analyzed for pesticides and pharmaceuticals, work on fluorochemical remediation, and photolysis experiments focused on various organic pollutants. If starting in the spring, continuing in summer would be ideal	Interested students should email me with their CV/Resume	williamarnold.org
6	Bojan Guzina		Geometric and interfacial properties of the fractures and faults in rock are the subject of critical importance to many facets of our society including mining, seismology, earthquake engineering, environmental protection, hydrogeology, and utilization of geothermal energy. One particular parameter embodying the fracture's interfacial condition is the so-called specific stiffness, quantifying for instance its rigidity under shearing or compression. Beyond its immediate relevance to the stability analyses in rock masses (e.g. during mining operations), the fracture specific stiffness has been found to: i) bear an intimate connection to the fracture's hydraulic properties (governing e.g. the performance of enhanced geothermal systems), ii) serve as a precursor of shear failure along rock discontinuities, and iii) help understand the mechanism of shallow earthquakes. In general, however, the fracture's response to given activation is equally driven by its geometry, which is inherently not limited to the planar condition. Thus a holistic characterization of subterranean fractures, that unveils both their geometric and mechanical characteristics, is a paramount.“Geometric and interfacial properties of the fractures and faults in rock are the subject of critical importance to many facets of our society including mining, seismology, earthquake engineering, environmental protection, hydrogeology, and utilization of geothermal energy. One particular parameter embodying the fracture's interfacial condition is the so-called specific stiffness, quantifying for instance its rigidity under shearing or compression. Beyond its immediate relevance to the stability analyses in rock masses (e.g. during mining operations), the fracture specific stiffness has been found to: i) bear an intimate connection to the fracture's hydraulic properties (governing e.g. the performance of enhanced geothermal systems), ii) serve as a precursor of shear failure along rock discontinuities, and iii) help understand the mechanism of shallow earthquakes. In general, however, the fracture's response to given activation is equally driven by its geometry, which is inherently not limited to the planar condition. Thus a holistic characterization of subterranean fractures, that unveils both their geometric and mechanical characteristics, is a paramount. In this vein, I am looking for talented and highly motivated undergraduate students to take part in a laboratory study on seismic, i.e., ultrasonic, wave propagation through partially-closed fractures in rock.	none	bojanguzina.org
7	Boya Xiong		Focusing on advancing the science at the interface of polymer science, environmental chemistry, and membrane material science, our research aims to i) understand enviornmental polymer degradation that shapes sustainable design and materials circularity, and ii) develop novel nature-inspired polymeric membrane material for water and wastewater treatment. Specific projects that are available right now are: 1. Extract natural protein from Moringa seeds and nanocellulose from wood and study its antiviral properties disinfecting SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogens after functionalize them on membrane substrate in drinking water and wastewater; 2. create and characterize plastic formulations with additives to study their impact on degradation and fate in generating microplastics; 3. synthesize plastic degradation database and use metaanalysis to understand trends in their degradation pattern; 4. Characterize size, concentration, and surface property of microplastics generated from mechanical abrasion of plastic waste.	Student who is willing to commit one year of labwork is welcome to email me with your CV/resume to set up a discussion	https://xiong.cege.umn.edu/
8	Cathy French		Primary research areas involve the experimental investigation of reinforced and prestressed concrete structural systems.Current research project involves tests at MAST Laboratory to investigage a structural failure and application of new instrumentation techniques.	Direct email to cfrench@umn.edu
9	John Gulliver and Andy Erickson		We have two opportunities for Spring Semester 2024, both involving alternative media for stormwater treatment. The main "pollutant" in stormwater runoff is phosphorus, which is the limiting nutrient that prevents eutrophication in lakes and rivers. Compost is used to supply water and nutrients to plants in rain gardens, but is also releases substantial phosphorus. Project 1: We would like to perform experiments on media that does not release phosphorus but retains water for the plants. We believe that the runoff typically has enough nutrients for the plants to survive, but we need to supply water to carry the plants through droughts. Project 2: We would also like to research media that will remove phosphorus from stormwater runoff. Limited research has been done on this topic, and we feel that it is ripe to be investigated.	Please send a resume and transcript to John GUlliver at gulli003@umn.edu and to Andy Erickson at eric0706@umn.edu	Stormwater.safl.umn.edu
10	Judy Yang		The Environmental Transport Lab (ET-Lab) led by Dr. Judy Yang studies the transport of water, soil, chemicals, and bacteria in nature. We design flume, microfluidic, and other experiments to simulate complex natural environment. We apply fluid mechanics and biogeochemistry to understand and predict sediment transport and landscape evolution, contaminants and carbon transport in soil, as well as bacterial spreading.	Direct email to judyyang@umn.edu	https://yang.cege.umn.edu/
11	Kimberly Hill		Are you curious about changing rainfall / drought period affects landslides and other slope instabilities around Minnesota? We are using data on rainfall, soil moisture, and geology of Minnesota to understand the relative importance of changing weather patterns and local soil materials to better understand how these effect instabilities in natural and engineering structures. A particular interest is how changing drought periods and rainfall patterns affect infiltration into the graound. For this time we are particularly hopeful in hiring students with skills and/or interest in geo-spatial analysis, i.e., combining relavent geo-spatial data from different sources to provid help in presenting a unifying picture of these issues. Longer term goals involve experiments to test thoeries that are developed from the field data across different landscapes with experiments.	Interested students should email me with their CV/Resume, their particular interests relevant to this project, and highlights, if possible, of particular background (e.g., coursework, teamwork) that they feel are relevant .	kmhill@umn.edu
12	Lauren Linderman		My research is focused on improving the long-term performance of structures or limiting their response during transient events, such as earthquakes. Primary areas of interest include vibration mitigation strategies, decentralized control, structrual health monitoring, wireless sensor systems, and data acquisition techniques. Current efforts focus on leveraging the computational and sensing capabilities of wireless sensor systems for control of civil infrastructure and environmental impacts on monitoring strategies.	Interested students should email Prof. Linderman indicating their interest and include a resume.	linderman.cege.umn.edu
13	Michael Levin		Research questions: how do automated vehicles affect traffic congestion, travel patterns? How does shared mobility options like Uber/Lyft, bike sharing, etc. affect travel choices? How can we use stochastic processes to improve traffic signal timings? As a research assistant, you can help answer these questions through data analysis, simulations, and software development. See mwlevin.github.io for more information.
14	Mihai M		Marasteanu's research at the University of Minnesota has focused on two main themes: application of viscoelasticity and fracture mechanics concepts to asphalt materials characterization, and the development of simple, implementable laboratory testing methods based on complex material characterization analyses.	none
15	Pedram Mortazavi		Are you interested in applying the fundamentals of structural engineering to solve the most pressing challenges our societies face today? Do you ever wonder why we see structures collapse during natural disasters such as earthquakes? Do you wonder if there are ways to not only prevent their collapse, but have structures be fully operational immediately after natural diasters? In my research group, we work on the development, testing, and codificaiton of a new generation of resilient and sustainable structural systems. Using state-of-the-art research methodologies and tools we seek to increase the resilience and sustainability of our built infrastructure under natural and man-made hazards. Successful applicants will be able to work along side graduate students at the Galambos or the MAST Laboratories, which are unique testing faciliteis in the world. We also use a variety of finite element packages for understanding the local and global response of structural components and systems. If you have interests in these topics, send me an email or feel free to drop by for a casual chat!	If you would like to be considered for these opportunities, please send your CV and unofficial transcripts to Professor Mortazavi at pmortaza@umn.edu	https://cse.umn.edu/cege/faculty/pedram-mortazavi
16	Qizhi He		Are you interested in understanding natural processes (inelastic materials, fracture, icesheet motion, etc.) or designing stronger but lighter structures using AI-driven algorithms? Dr. He's Group is focused on developing computational tools that integrate physics theories, computing, and machine learning (ML) approaches for modeling the mechanics of complex multiphysical processes. Here, you will gain unique experience exposing to both data-driven machine learning and physics-based simulation, and learn how to formulate physical problems and program for predicting reliable solutions. Current projects include: 1) 3D printing based on topology optimization structure design (involving lab work); 2) developing python-based algorithms for structure analysis (beam, truss, etc.) by using machine learning; 3) research training on using neural networks to learn inelastic material behaviors (civil and geological materials). Students with MATLAB or Python Coding experience are preferred.	Please send me an e-mail with your CV/Resume and your specific research interests	https://qzhe.umn.edu
17	Randal Barnes		Randal Barnes' research interests traverse mathematical modeling in geological and civil engineering. His recent research work is comprised of three interacting focii. The first research focus is geostatistical site characterization: specifically, optimal sample design and engineering decision-making in the face of spatial variability and parameter uncertainty. The second is the incorporation of uncertainty into quantitative modeling for geoengineering. The third, and most recent, focus is the development and extension of computational aspects of the Analytic Element Method in geoengineering.	none
18	Raphael Stern	Yes	My research interests center around how to use data to improve the management of transportation systems. I am seeking motivated undergraduate students to help collect data related to bicycle use in the Twin Cities and across Minnesota. The work includes site visits to install video data collection systems, and analysis to understand the collected data.	Please send me an email to rstern@umn.edu with a resume/CV and your research interests.	Raphael Stern
19	Raymond Hozalski		The primary research areas of my group are drinking water treatment and water distribution. We primarily perform empirical field and laboratory-based studies of water treatment processes and water quality changes that occur during transport of water though the distribution network and the premise or building plumbing. We are especially interested in bacteria, the biofilms they form, and their impacts on water quality and public health. The research tools we apply to our investigations include organic chemical analyses (e.g., gas chromatography, liquid chromatography), inorganic chemical analyses (ion chromatography and ICP-MS), and molecular biology (quantitative PCR and DNA sequencing). I will be working with the city of St. Paul on a large pilot-scale treatment system project in 2021 that will include lime softening, ozone and ozone/hydrogen peroxide (i.e., advanced oxidation), biological filtration with activated carbon media, disinfection, and pipe loop studies. I am looking for several undergraduate students to assist with this project.	none	http://personal.cege.umn.edu/~hozalski/
20	Sebastian Behrens		My research interests include microbial processes for bioremediation of (in)organic contaminants (wastewater, agriculture runoff) and the recovery of valuable resources from municipal/industrial wastes. My area of research is situated at the interface of Molecular Microbial Ecology, Geomicrobiology, and Environmental Biotechnology. In the lab we use classical microbiology and state-of-the-art molecular tools to identify and quantify the ‘lifestyle’ of environmental microorganisms. Through comprehensive ecosystem-level analyses of geochemical parameters, microbial community composition, and in situ functions at various spatial and temporal scales we obtain insights into key microbial-mediated transformation processes in various environments and engineered bioprocess systems.	Please send me an e-mail with your CV/Resume and your specific research interests	behrenslab.umn.edu
21	Seongjin Choi		Are you interested in dealing with large-scale transportation data? Are you interested in unveiling complex patterns in spatiotemporal data? Are you interested in learning state-of-the-art methods such as machine learning, deep learning, reinforcement learning, and generative AI? If so, don't hesitate to get in touch with me! My research interests are broad and interdisciplinary, encompassing Urban Mobility Data Analytics, Spatiotemporal Data Modeling, Deep Learning & Artificial Intelligence, and Connected Automated Vehicles (CAV) & Cooperative-ITS. I am particularly driven by the desire to optimize urban mobility and contribute to the development of a sustainable and efficient urban transportation system. My work involves utilizing data analytics to draw valuable insights from urban mobility data and applying cutting-edge AI technologies in the field of transportation.	Email chois@umn.edu to inquire	https://choi-seongjin.github.io/
22	Xue Feng		Are you interested in understanding ecosystem responses to climate change? Research opportunities are available on lab projects related to (i) the health and function of urban trees (along with the ecosystem services they provide, such as cooling and stormwater regulation), (ii) the connection between hydrology and carbon emissions from peatland watersheds, and (iii) plant water use strategies under drought and other climate change conditions. We are especially looking for students with strong coding skills, interests in sensor development, or field data collection.	Interested students should email me with their CV/Resume	feng.umn.edu
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