Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)

The application period has closed. Offer letters will be sent to selected students the week of March 22, 2021.
What do you ASPIRE to be?
- *Given the current state of affairs on the national and local levels, HERL is planning to offer ASPIRE in a remote format for summer 2021. Please revisit this page periodically for any changes to program format/status.
- 2.4.21 ASPIRE Housing update
*Out of an abundance of caution in light of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, the University of Pittsburgh has made the decision to not re-open or offer on-campus housing for summer 2021 programs. As a result, students who are accepted into the ASPIRE program can choose to:
a.) participate remotely, or
b.) secure housing on their own and participate in-person (if permitted under university guidelines)
c.) a hybrid of in-person/remote participation
If you have any questions, please contact rjw64@pitt.edu for additional information*
Undergraduates interested in an in-depth summer research experience should consider the American Student Placements in Rehabilitation Engineering (ASPIRE) program at HERL. ASPIRE is a ten-week research program, sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF), that focuses on research in the rehabilitation engineering and assistive technology fields. In addition to full participation in an on-going research project, students write a project paper, develop a poster, and compete in an elevator pitch competition. The program concludes with Student Symposium where the winners of the best paper, poster, and elevator pitch are recognized.
ASPIRE participants receive a stipend and laboratory accommodations. For more information, please visit our FAQ page.
Education > Undergraduates