Center for Extreme Events Research (CEER) Undergrad Summer Research Program

2026 Theme: Human Digital Twins

Designing for Safety and Safety by Design

A CEER Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program at UC San Diego, Jacobs School of Engineering, Center for Extreme Events Research

The 2026 CEER REU Summer Program at UC San Diego is planned as an in-person-only and on-campus Program.

Overview

The overarching goal of this CEER REU Summer Program is to immerse students in a meaningful, immersive, and highly interdisciplinary research environment. The theme for 2026 is on Human Digital Twins, and the grand challenge problem is:

How can we sense, make sense, and augment human response in order to enhance their physical, physiological, and cognitive performance?

Instead, designing for safety embodies: quantifying potential load conditions, damage mechanics, and uncertainties; monitoring for anomalies during operations; processing this information through cyber-modeling via digital surrogates; and translating the information to actionable knowledge for improving current and future system designs. This is a self-funded summer research program and is open to all domestic and international undergraduate students interested in conducting multidisciplinary and cutting-edge for eight weeks at UC San Diego. More information about the Center for Extreme Events Research can be found here.

2026 REU Summer Program Information

Application Deadline: March 15, 2026 (rolling admissions)
Acceptance Notification: April 15, 2026 or earlier
Program Dates: June 29, 2026 to August 22, 2026
- Program dates can be adjusted if special exceptions are required. Contact Program Director, Prof. Loh at kenloh@ucsd.edu for requests.
Duration: 8+ Weeks (early arrival or late departure possible)
Costs: $5,000 (due May 15 upon acceptance and includes registration and program fees)
On-Campus Housing: N/A - Students are responsible for finding and securing their own off-campus housing

2026 CEER REU Summer Program Overview

CEER REU student scholars will work in pairs and be assigned - based on their interests – to work with a faculty mentor and graduate student in Structural Engineering. Students will conduct independent research while collaborating with and learning from other undergraduate and graduate students in an integrated group setting. Students will be exposed to a unique experience that includes:

Conduct cutting edge simulation- and/or analytical-based research related to Structural Engineering and Mechanics
Work closely with faculty mentors and graduate students
Conduct independent study, training, and research at one's own pace and schedule
Network with other CEER REU participants, graduate students, and faculty mentors
Participate in cohort activities, including a end-of-summer workshop/session

Download the 2024 CEER REU flyer here.

Participation and selection criteria are open to all eligible UC San Diego community members and do not include race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, or other protected categories as a basis for eligibility, preference, or treatment.

Potential and Previous Program Faculty Advisors

Jiun-Shyan Chen
Alicia Kim
Ken Loh
John McCartney
Gilberto Mosqueda
Mehran Tehrani
Michael Todd
Ingrid Tomac
Georgios Tsampras

Sample Research Topics

Composite materials
Cyber-modeling and digital surrogates
Damage mechanics
Human-structure interactions
Human performance
Risk and damage assessment
Sensor technologies
Signal processing and analysis
Structural control and damage mitigation
Structural design and optimization
Structural health monitoring

Student Enrichment Activities

Research and laboratory training
Research facility tours
Social activities with other undergrads
Faculty and graduate student lunches
Program Research Symposium

Caption: Structural Engineering Powell Labs

Eligibility

Completed at least one-year of their undergraduate studies (by Program start date)
Declared majors in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines
- For exceptions and waivers, please contact the Director of the CEER REU Site, Prof. Ken Loh
Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (exceptions are possible for special cases)
- Preference will be given to students with GPA greater than 3.25
Completed online application and supplemental documents, including:
- PDF copy of official or unofficial transcript
- Resume or curriculum vitae
Women, underrepresented, economically-disadvantaged, and first-generation college students are strongly encouraged to apply

Applications for the CEER REU Summer Program are due on March 15. To help you prepare your application, you can download the list of questions before formally submitting your application. Applications will still be accepted after the deadline. Please contact Prof. Loh if you need an exception to submit a late application.

Applications for 2026 will open soon

Note: You may need to sign into Google (Gmail) in order to complete the online application.

About UC San Diego Structural Engineering

Students scholars in the 2025 CEER REU Program at UC San Diego will conduct research in and be housed in the Department of Structural Engineering. The Department, and its faculty and students, conduct cutting edge research in aerospace, biological, civil, geotechnical, mechanical, and naval/marine structures by integrating engineering mechanics theories, computational modeling simulations, experimental testing, and practical design concepts. In addition, the Department is home to the world-class Charles Lee Powell Laboratories, the Caltrans Seismic Response Modification Device, and the Englekirk Engineering Center. Through these facilities, students and visitors have access to some of the most innovative and productive research infrastructure in the world.

Captions: UC San Diego, Jacobs School of Engineering quad adjacent to Structural Engineering

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