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Student Research

Illinois Tech offers countless research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students—from on-campus work in professors’ labs to national and international funded research programs.

Students at Illinois Tech can take advantage of our small, private university and find unparalleled access to challenging, thought-provoking research opportunities. Our focus on technology means you will be supplementing your education with research experiences in fields where significant innovation is taking place—and in areas with profound societal implications.

Student Research and Discovery Across Campus

From its founding in 1890, Illinois Institute of Technology has been inspiring student researchers to see beyond the visible, to push the boundaries of what is possible, and to stretch the powers of the imagination. Here are a few examples of the ways our students do just that.

“Illinois Tech’s abundance of ongoing physics research projects that are open to undergraduate students has been one of the most impactful things on my academic experience. My first year, I approached Assistant Professor Bryce Littlejohn about joining his research group, and was quite surprised at how kind and laid back he was. That summer I had the amazing opportunity to travel to New Hampshire and Massachusetts to assist with the construction of an antineutrino detector. I was also able to complete a related analysis project that taught me Python, a sought-after skill for future researchers.”

Alexandra Detweiler (Physics, Astrophysics, M.A.S. Health Physics 3rd Year), Sussex, Wisconsin

“If you want to get a grad-level degree in biology and you are looking for a school where you will get personalized attention and research opportunities, Illinois Tech is a great option. There are several labs that accept new grad students every year and offer a good variety of disciplines and projects, so you can find what you like best.”

—Adriana Mañas Núñez (M.A.S. BENG ’14, Ph.D. BIOL ’18), Co-Founder, Great Lakes Neuroscience

“I spent the summer working on an Armour R&D project that was concerned with manipulating flow fields around vertical axis wind turbines. I have been able to directly apply my technical knowledge to a field about which I am incredibly passionate, and the research has challenged me time and again to find those unique solutions emphasized in our coursework.”

—Maddy Urig (Mechanical Engineering 4th Year), Cleveland

“I think the research opportunities, in the engineering department, are incredible. Because we are such a small school, it’s really easy to get involved early, and many professors are willing to take first- and second-year students into their labs. Getting involved in research is a great way to learn more about biomedical engineering outside of the classroom and has opened a lot of doors for me. For example, by being a part of the lab I am in, I was able to compete at a national engineering competition, competing among other top engineering schools in the United States."

—Jamine Baste (Biomedical Engineering, Cell and Tissue Specialization 3rd Year), Orland Park, Illinois

“Illinois Tech’s abundance of ongoing physics research projects that are open to undergraduate students has been one of the most impactful things on my academic experience. My first year, I approached Assistant Professor Bryce Littlejohn about joining his research group, and was quite surprised at how kind and laid back he was. That summer I had the amazing opportunity to travel to New Hampshire and Massachusetts to assist with the construction of an antineutrino detector. I was also able to complete a related analysis project that taught me Python, a sought-after skill for future researchers.”

Alexandra Detweiler (Physics, Astrophysics, M.A.S. Health Physics 3rd Year), Sussex, Wisconsin

“If you want to get a grad-level degree in biology and you are looking for a school where you will get personalized attention and research opportunities, Illinois Tech is a great option. There are several labs that accept new grad students every year and offer a good variety of disciplines and projects, so you can find what you like best.”

—Adriana Mañas Núñez (M.A.S. BENG ’14, Ph.D. BIOL ’18), Co-Founder, Great Lakes Neuroscience

“I spent the summer working on an Armour R&D project that was concerned with manipulating flow fields around vertical axis wind turbines. I have been able to directly apply my technical knowledge to a field about which I am incredibly passionate, and the research has challenged me time and again to find those unique solutions emphasized in our coursework.”

—Maddy Urig (Mechanical Engineering 4th Year), Cleveland

“I think the research opportunities, in the engineering department, are incredible. Because we are such a small school, it’s really easy to get involved early, and many professors are willing to take first- and second-year students into their labs. Getting involved in research is a great way to learn more about biomedical engineering outside of the classroom and has opened a lot of doors for me. For example, by being a part of the lab I am in, I was able to compete at a national engineering competition, competing among other top engineering schools in the United States."

—Jamine Baste (Biomedical Engineering, Cell and Tissue Specialization 3rd Year), Orland Park, Illinois

“Illinois Tech’s abundance of ongoing physics research projects that are open to undergraduate students has been one of the most impactful things on my academic experience. My first year, I approached Assistant Professor Bryce Littlejohn about joining his research group, and was quite surprised at how kind and laid back he was. That summer I had the amazing opportunity to travel to New Hampshire and Massachusetts to assist with the construction of an antineutrino detector. I was also able to complete a related analysis project that taught me Python, a sought-after skill for future researchers.”

Alexandra Detweiler (Physics, Astrophysics, M.A.S. Health Physics 3rd Year), Sussex, Wisconsin

“If you want to get a grad-level degree in biology and you are looking for a school where you will get personalized attention and research opportunities, Illinois Tech is a great option. There are several labs that accept new grad students every year and offer a good variety of disciplines and projects, so you can find what you like best.”

—Adriana Mañas Núñez (M.A.S. BENG ’14, Ph.D. BIOL ’18), Co-Founder, Great Lakes Neuroscience

Student Research

Student Research and Discovery Across Campus

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