Their broad background makes them highly adaptable to a variety of modern industrial environments, and responsive to new developments in automation, computing, and energy. On CE-CERT's agenda are vehicle emissions research, advanced vehicle engineering, environmental modeling, renewable fuels and energy engineering, transportation systems research, atmospheric processes, and stationary source emission control. Once their projects are funded, students usually are hired as research assistants and continue working on the project through their senior year. CRIS is a collaborative, multi-departmental environment, encouraging the contributions of faculty, students, and staff. VISLab also provides graduate and undergraduate research opportunities, supports postdoctoral and visiting scientist research programs, and provides access to National Science Foundation supercomputing facilities.
Faculty members enlist, and pay for, student help on numerous research projects under way each year.
Students also take part in special design contests, many of them sponsored by government agencies or by professional engineering societies. Undergraduates have recently been involved in competitions to develop an ethanol-powered vehicle and to develop a technology for recovering materials from a wastewater stream. The UCR team organized by CE-CERT won first place in the National Solar Two Challenge contest. Beginning in their very first term, undergraduates in The College have their own computer lab account and computer lab access 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They can surf the 'Net, complete homework assignments, even e-mail their advisor for answers to pressing questions.