2026 Summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)

Written by: Stephanie Pruett

2026 Summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) (Application Deadline Extended to April 10)

REU is now recruiting for our National Science Foundation (NSF) supported Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program in “Experimental and Computational Materials Research.” The program takes place May 17 through July 24, 2026. Our program is among the longest running NSF REU programs in the country. We offer a broad range of interdisciplinary materials research experiences to undergraduate students with diverse backgrounds in physics, chemistry, biology, computer science, applied mathematics, and engineering.

NSF Division of Materials Research (DMR) supported Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site at the University of Alabama at Birmingham is inviting applications for the Summer 2026 program. REU-projects are available in five research clusters: (1) computational materials research/machine learning (2) materials under extreme conditions (3) materials for energy applications, (4) materials for sensors and laser applications, and (5) biomaterials for implants, tissue engineering and drug delivery applications. This is an in-person research model.

The undergraduates will conduct the analysis of data generated in their research projects and make presentations on completed research to faculty mentors and other undergraduates taking part in this program. We require all REUs to take part in a campus-wide expo at the end of the program.

The program will offer 10-weeks of research from May 17, 2026 – July 24, 2026. The program will pay $7,000 over the entire 10-week period involving 400 hours of research with a faculty mentor at UAB (based on a 40-hour work week).

For program information and application questions contact Program Coordinator Charita Cadenhead (charita@uab.edu).

The application will be available online December 1, 2025, through midnight April 10, 2026.

Learn more at https://sites.uab.edu/cnmb/research-experiences-for-undergraduates/ and application process here: https://sites.uab.edu/cnmb/research-experiences-for-undergraduates/application-process/

(Application Deadline Extended to April 10)