University of Cincinnati College of Engineering and Applied Science | 2025 Dean's Report - Flipbook - Page 22
CEAS SUPPORTS UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
CO-OPS THROUGH FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
RESEARCH CO-OPS LEAD STUDENT TO PHD
Growing up in Cincinnati, Rebecca Gilligan was able to connect with UC
early on. In high school, she took an engineering foundations course — the
instructor was a UC alumnus — which spurred her interest and led her to
T
hrough UC’s top-ranked cooperative education (co-op) program, students have the
choice to work in industry, or hold positions in corporate, university, or government
“ THE RESEARCH I’VE DONE AT UC
research labs. The Undergraduate Research Co-op Fellowship Program was established
HAS BEEN REALLY MEANINGFUL,
by CEAS in 2021 to expand the opportunities for students to engage in research at UC in
take a robotics course, where she excelled. After several positive introductory
respected labs, working one-on-one with faculty. Nicholas Schoenleb, biomedical engineer-
experiences with UC’s College of Engineering and Applied Science, Gilligan
ing student and fellowship recipient, completed all five of his co-op rotations in Professor
decided to make it of昀椀cial and study mechanical engineering at CEAS. Prior to
Douglas Mast’s lab. Schoenleb has been part of several major projects including assisting in
her arrival as a 昀椀rst-year student, Gilligan was presented with the opportunity
a clinical trial for speech biofeedback therapy, as well as developing a swallowing study using
to work in the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Multi-Agent Systems Technology
ultrasound technology that received funding from an R21 research grant.
Research (UAV MASTER) Lab with Kelly Cohen, professor of aerospace
engineering.
Fellowship students like Schoenleb often come away with peer-reviewed publications,
peer-reviewed conference presentations, and unique research experience to support their
future careers in research, graduate school, or industry. Since 2021, 86 students have been
“ MY UNDERGRAD RESEARCH EXPERIENCE REALLY PUTS ME
AHEAD. I’LL BE ABLE TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING WITH
MY GRADUATE PROGRAM.” – REBECCA GILLIGAN
It wasn’t until after her 昀椀rst co-op rotation that Gilligan realized her passion
for research and went on to complete her remaining four co-op positions
in the UAV MASTER lab, where she worked on her own project: ATARI. For
this project, Gilligan’s research focuses on extending the battery life of a
collaborative aerial vehicle and a ground vehicle with a leveling platform.
Such vehicles are used for space exploration but have very short 昀氀ight times.
After three years dedicated to the project, she presented at the world’s largest
event for aerospace research, AIAA’s SciTech Conference. She received the
Presidential Leadership Medal of Excellence from UC and a Rindsberg Fellowship. Gilligan’s desire to learn more and the immense research experience she
was exposed to as an undergraduate led her to continue at UC in a direct-PhD
program in aerospace engineering.
20
DEAN’S REPORT
supported by the fellowship program.
THERE’S SUCH A DIRECT
CONNECTION BETWEEN WHAT
I’VE LEARNED IN CLASS AND
WHAT I WORK ON IN THE LAB.”
– NICHOLAS SCHOENLEB
