Houston is a growing city in the humid subtropics, making its environmental challenges ideal models for many global locations in both the developed and developing world. Students and faculty are working together on interdisciplinary and public facing projects to address increasingly commonplace environmental conditions. Your research interests have a place and can make a local impact in Houston.
Research
There are many research projects and programs available to students during their academic studies at Rice. Students should contact the center appointed to the program, project or department of their interest to learn more about the requirements and details.
Capstone Research Project
Center for Civic Leadership
A year-long, two-semester sequence for an academic certificate in civic leadership. Students identify issue areas of interest, such as climate justice, and work closely with community partners.
Data to Knowledge Lab
At the D2K Lab, students put their computational and data engineering skills into real-world applications using cutting-edge data science tools and research. Students may complete a Capstone project through the program. Previous projects include: Development of Machine Learning Algorithms for Precision Waterbird Monitoring, Team Heat: Mitigating Extreme Heat in Houston, and Predicting the Dynamics Driving US Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) Waterborne Exports.
Field Schools
Departmentally-based
Found in the Departments of Anthropology; Biosciences; and Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences.
Gulf Scholars Program
Center for Civic Leadership and School of Engineering
Experiential learning for students about natural hazards and their social and environmental impacts along the Gulf Coast. Semester long training with summer capstone projects.
Houston Action Research Team (HART)
Center for Civic Leadership
HART is a semester-long program composed of small, interdisciplinary teams of Rice undergraduate students working with a community partner to address a social issue, including with the HISD Zero-Waste program and Memorial Park Conservancy. Graduate students serve as advisors, mentors, and project leads.
Independent Study
Departmentally-based
In addition to the research opportunities found across campus centers, you can also find research opportunities within your department, listed as Independent Study. Talk with your department and professors to see what opportunities exist to join and participate in department-wide research.
National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (NSF REU)
NSF REU programs are summer exchange research programs hosted across university campuses in the United States and internationally. Students work closely with research faculty at the host campus on a specific research project. Students may apply to projects at any campus. Rice is host to several NSF REU programs, including the Planetary Habitability Over Space and Time project, located in the Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences department and a Computer and Data Science REU.
Rice Undergraduate Scholars Program (RUSP)
Center for Civic Leadership
RUSP is a two-semester, for-credit and funded program aimed at senior Rice students in all disciplines who are interested in pursuing a research career and planning a one-year senior research project through an honors thesis or independent study. The program is focused on developing research and presentation skills, an understanding of a research career, and how to apply to graduate school and nationally competitive fellowships.
Rich Family Endowment for Community Service
Center for Civic Leadership
The Rich Family Endowment program supports community-based and student-led projects to address social issues in the City of Houston. Community partners put forward issue focus areas for which they are seeking student-led project proposals that will involve mobilizing fellow students to build the capacity of the organization.
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF)
Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry
SURF is a program for undergraduates from underrepresented backgrounds who are interested in pursuing supervised research with a Rice faculty member over the summer. No prior research experience is required, and preference will be given to first- and second-year students without previous experience. Students from all disciplines are eligible to apply.
Sustaining Excellence in Research (SER)
Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry
Freshman and sophomore students in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) are paired with a Natural Sciences or Engineering lab either within Rice or the Texas Medical Center, and attend regular mentorship meetings.
Wagoner Foreign Study Scholarship Program
Center for Civic Leadership
International research experience spanning eight weeks to one year. Students propose independent research on different areas, such as climate change or environmental justice, based on student experiences and knowledge. Returning undergraduates can be sponsored by Rice Faculty to do work that is in line with a faculty members’ research internationally.
Internships
Faculty and students have partnered with off-campus and international organizations, agencies, laboratories and museums. Students interested in internships are encouraged to reach out and ask their department faculty and advisors to learn about any specific opportunities or visit the websites of the organizations that interest them.
Leadership Rice Mentorship Experience (LRME)
Center for Civic Leadership
LRME is a summer internship program through the CCL for returning Rice undergraduates who wish to develop their professional, personal, and civic capacities through the mentorship of experienced professionals. While the internships might vary, all students accepted into the program are expected to be in Houston physically for the summer.