The Department of Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering strongly encourages all students to participate in an internship or research experience related to their major and professional interests. Participating in these applied learning experiences provides valuable opportunities to gain hands-on experience, apply classroom content to real-world projects, prepare for your future career or graduate school, network with professionals, and strengthen your resume.
80% of CBEE students who graduated in 2024 and 2025 engaged in applied learning (internships, co-ops, research, etc.) while at UMBC. Learn about the research and internship programs that our students have participated in on the Research/Internship Profile page.
How do I get involved in research on campus?
- Prepare – Looking at your course schedule, do you have time to commit to research? How many hours per week? On which days of the week? Can you participate in research during the summer or winter break? What are your career goals? What research topic areas are you interested in?
- Research – Identity 3-5 research projects that interest you. CBEE has research labs in three different areas: Biomedical Engineering, Biochemical Engineering, and Environmental Engineering. Each lab has its own website, which you can find by visiting the Faculty Research page then clicking a faculty member’s name. Most labs accept undergraduate research assistants.
- CBEE students are welcome to apply to work in labs inside or outside of the department.
- Students who are not pursuing a chemical engineering degree may apply to work in a CBEE lab if their major is closely aligned with the lab’s research focus.
- Apply – When you are ready to apply to work as an undergraduate research assistant…
- Check the lab website for eligibility requirements and application instructions.
- If application instructions are not listed on the lab website, reach out to the faculty member via email. It is best practice to include your resume, transcript, and an explanation of why you would like to work in that specific lab.
How do I find off-campus research/internship opportunities for the summer?
Start your search early. You should start applying to summer opportunities in the fall semester. Applications typically open in mid-October or November and close between January and March. Some resources are listed below to help you find a summer research or internship position.
- Follow the Career Center myUMBC page and look out for upcoming on-campus opportunities. The Career Center frequently hosts events that can help you find an internship opportunity, including the Spring and Fall Career & Internship Fairs and recruitment events with specific companies.
- Visit the Career Center website to find helpful resources like Handshake, Retrievers Connect, and Career Guide.
- Check out the Undergraduate Research website for resources and suggestions on how to find summer research opportunities.
- Look into the National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) sites.
- Summer Opportunities Spreadsheet – This spreadsheet lists many summer research and internship opportunities that may be of interest to chemical engineering students. This is for informational purposes only; CBEE has no affiliation with these programs. It is your responsibility to check the eligibility requirements and application steps required for each program that you are interested in.