The REU Site: Research on Sustainable Energy Technology and Systems (ROSETAS) is a 10-week summer research program for undergraduate students interested in sustainable energy. Accepted students are awarded a $7,000 stipend and given housing for the summer. Candidates must be U.S. Citizens or U.S. Permanent Residents to be accepted into this program. Unfortunately, no exceptions can be made.

ROSETAS is hosted by the Ralph O’Connor Sustainable Energy Institute (ROSEI), which serves as the nexus for sustainable energy-related research and educational programs at Johns Hopkins University. Projects are available in multiple disciplines within engineering and science.

Program Description

Undergraduate students nationwide, particularly those from community colleges, primarily undergraduate institutions, and minority serving institutions, are invited to apply for a multi-disciplinary experience in research and policy on creating and implementing clean, renewable, and sustainable energy technologies. Trainees will participate in research projects in one of five areas that address society’s vast energy needs and their consequences: carbon capture and transformation to reduce the carbon dioxide in the air; energy storage technology for energy on-demand; solar energy technology; wind energy technology; and electricity grid management for energy delivery. Each student will be a part of a research team, including a faculty project sponsor and a graduate student or postdoc mentor, to guide them through the summer. Students will also participate in a professional development program to help them hone specific skills for their research, understand the energy industry and commercial opportunities, and provide them with a clear picture of their future opportunities. Activities will include instructional workshops, tours and off-site visits, and a final research symposium where students will present their results to the broader energy community.

Eligibility

• Candidates must be U.S. Citizens or U.S. Permanent Residents to be accepted into this program. Unfortunately, no exceptions can be made.
• Undergraduate students from all institutions, who have at least completed their freshman year and will not be graduating with a bachelor’s degree before the start of the program, are encouraged to apply. Students who graduate in Spring 2025 are not eligible for the 2025 program.
• The ROSETAS program will be open to undergraduates in any technical field related to energy: primarily engineering and science majors, but also potentially economics and political science students with strong quantitative backgrounds. Students from groups underrepresented in science and engineering are encouraged to apply, including those from community colleges, primarily undergraduate institutions, and minority serving institutions.

Projects

Trainees will participate in research projects aligned with the research areas of ROSEI, specifically its four pillars of Carbon, Storage, Wind and Grid, as well as solar technology. Specific projects for the summer of 2025 can be found here. Applicants will be asked to rank their top three project choices on their application.

Application Information

The 2025 application will open in mid-November, 2024. The NSF ETAP system will be used for application materials.

Application link will be provided here in mid-November, 2024.

Deadline: All application materials should be received by February 3, 2025. Any materials received after February 3^rd are not guaranteed to be reviewed. Notification of acceptance will be sent by March.

Program Dates: May 27, 2025 – August 1, 2025

Application Materials:

• CV or resume
• College transcript(s) – unofficial or official will be accepted
• Personal statement (1-2 pages) summarizing interests, skills, and experiences relevant to the ROSETAS program
• One letter of recommendation from a past or current professor or other research professional with whom you have worked
• Ranked list of top three project choices from this list

Contact: If you have questions about the application process, please email Marlena Rogers at [email protected].

This program is supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. EEC-2349378.

Pictures

Photos from the final symposium of a pilot undergraduate research program that ROSEI hosted in the summer of 2024.