Researchers in the Field Robotics Center of the university's Robotics Institute continue to develop robots that can function in unpredictable and hazardous environments for such uses as nuclear maintenance, mining and space exploration. Research and Creative Projects Undergraduates hear news of research developments and artistic creation through professors, read about them in papers and magazines, or see them in galleries or on stage. Students can also initiate projects of their own or become involved with existing projects on campus. The Department of Biological Sciences, for example, assigns each student a faculty mentor who will help him or her find appropriate opportunities. Drama students are the stars of stage productions.
Students can be assertive in pursuing their particular interests.
Most departments offer courses for independent study which allow undergraduates to work on projects of their own design, overseen by professors. Many sources of funding are available to aid students conducting independent research and creative projects. The World of Carnegie Mellon Carnegie Mellon students will sometimes proudly count on one hand the number of hours they slept the previous night. You may assume that they were struggling with a problem set, perfecting a paper, putting the finishing touches on a piece of sculpture, and often they were. But many students spend free hours simply taking advantage of the company they share.