Research Internships

Engage in transportation research at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI), recognized as the largest university-affiliated transportation research institute in the nation.

2024 Summer Undergraduate Research Internship Program

Dates: May 28–August 2, 2024
Location: Bryan, Texas | Texas A&M RELLIS Campus

Program Overview

Every student will be paired with a TTI research mentor and will contribute to an ongoing research initiative within one of TTI’s University Transportation Centers:

• Center for Advancing Research in Transportation Emissions, Energy and Health (CARTEEH)
• National Center for Infrastructure Transformation (NCIT)
• Southern Plains Transportation Center (SPTC)

Research Topics

• Innovative vehicle and infrastructure technologies
• Improving infrastructure durability in climate change
• Vulnerability assessment of multimodal transportation
• Transportation economics, equity, and social justice
• Transportation emissions and/or air quality modeling
• Assessment of exposures and health impacts
• Policy and decision making
• Land-use and urban planning

Funding and Relocation

Interns will be paid up to $6,000 in wages for the 10-week period.

Interns have the option to reside in Bryan/College Station during the summer or complete their internship remotely. Those who elect to live in Bryan/College Station will receive housing or an equivalent housing allowance (estimated at $1,500) as well as a $1,700 food allowance.

(Please be aware that both wages and food/housing allowances are considered taxable income.)

Applicant Eligibility

Any academic major is welcome, including:

• Civil or other Engineering
• Urban Planning
• Public or Community Health
• Social Sciences
• Statistics or Data Analytics

Each applicant:

• Should possess a strong enthusiasm for engaging in research and a genuine interest in the core focus area of the respective UTCs:
  • CARTEEH: Transportation Emissions, Energy, and Health
  • NCIT: Infrastructure Transformation
  • SPCT: Climate-related Transportation Challenges/Resilience
• Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
• Must have completed junior year (at least 90 hours) by the end of Spring Semester 2024.
• Must be on track to graduate no sooner than December 2024.

Participant Requirements and Expectations

• Students chosen for the research internship must refrain from enrolling in university courses throughout the entire 10-week summer duration.
• Attendance at internship-related events, including the final poster session (or virtual presentation session, as applicable), is mandatory.
• Students are expected to commit at least 40 hours/week, which includes:
  • Working research hours as determined by the student’s research mentor.
  • Mandatory internship activities.

Program Completion Requirements

• Research plan
• Final paper
• Final presentation to researchers and fellow interns
• Research presentation

Internship Application

Application Packet Requirements

• Completed internship application
  (To be certain this editable PDF performs properly, download the application to your computer before opening and filling it out.)
• Personal essay (maximum 500 words) answering the following questions:
  • If applying to CARTEEH:
    • Why is it important to address transportation emissions/air pollution in the context of public health?
    • What strengths or skills would make you a great candidate for this internship?
    • What are your career goals and/or post-graduation plans?
  • If applying to NCIT:
    • How can policy and/or technology transform future transportation infrastructure?
    • What strengths or skills would make you a great candidate for this internship?
    • What are your career goals and/or post-graduation plans?
  • If applying to SPTC:
    • How might climate change and extreme weather affect future transportation systems?
    • What strengths or skills would make you a great candidate for this internship?
    • What are your career goals and/or post-graduation plans?
• Current transcript (can be a downloaded version)
• Letter of recommendation from a faculty member at your college/university

Deadline

• Monday, November 6, 2023, 5:00 p.m. (CT).
• Complete application packets must be received by the deadline. Application materials received after this deadline will not be considered.

Contact Information

Completed applications and any questions regarding this program should be directed to:

Sponsored by the CARTEEH, NCIT, and SPTC University Transportation Centers