Research
From the outer reaches of space to the inner workings of cells, research within our 12 departments and a multitude of research centers are solving some of the world's greatest problems

Undergraduate student research

Undergraduate students have a wide array of opportunities to conduct research under the direction of world-class faculty who are leaders in their fields of research. Students involved in the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) receive up to $1,400 in stipends and up to $300 for project related expenses. Learn more about undergraduate research on the student research web page.

With more than 10,000 square feet of hands-on learning space and tools that include the largest bank of 3D printers on campus, the Clifford I. and Nancy C. Anderson Student Innovation Labs are available to students for use in research, coursework, and other projects. Learn more about the innovation labs on the Anderson Student Innovation Labs web page.

Graduate student research

There are several ways to acquire a graduate student research assistantship at the University of Minnesota. Your department may offer you an assistantship as part of your admission and acceptance to a graduate degree program. In addition, there are other ways to find an assistantship:

With each posting, you will find complete application instructions. Learn more on the Graduate Assistant Employment website.

Faculty research

Several resources are available to help faculty secure research grants, connect with other researchers, and meet University requirements for safety.

Industry research partnerships

The College of Science and Engineering has many research partnerships with businesses and industry that include non-sponsored and sponsored support for faculty research. We also encourage University-industry partnerships in sponsored research from other external funding sources. In addition, we support industry use of research facilities (according to approved external usage fees) and technology transfer and licensing of University-generated IP. Find out how your business can become a research partner.

Related links

Two students working on aeronautical engineering research

Research by the numbers

  • The University’s College of Science and Engineering posted $144 million in sponsored research expenditures in FY22.
  • The College of Science and Engineering had 595 successful grant proposals (totaling $153 million) in FY22.
  • Over the past three years, CSE research has generated more than 396 invention disclosures, 343 patents, and 27 startup companies.
  • The University of Minnesota had a record-breaking year in FY22 with 22 startups and 241 patents. It also surpassed a milestone 200 startups since the formation of the Venture Center in 2006.

See more stats on the CSE by the numbers webpage.