Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) are paid positions that give students the opportunity to actively participate in research and work closely with faculty.
Brianna Freitag (BS 2018, MS 2019)
Senior Civil Engineer, DuPage County Stormwater Management
What year(s) did you participate in undergraduate research?
Senior year
With which professor did you work, and what were you studying?
Dr. Ashlynn Stillwell – The Energy-Water nexus
What were the benefits of participating in research as an undergrad?
I got to work with graduate students who had a lot of knowledge and various types of experiences within our field, which I otherwise would not have been exposed to in my classes. I also made meaningful connections with my professors and other students which helped me attain my master’s degree and later my job.
Did it influence your desire to pursue more education or the career you chose?
I enjoyed collaborating with other students on research that we shared an interest in, which ultimately led to my decision to go for a master’s degree. Although my current job does not exactly involve the kinds of research I participated in, the experience I gained from using different programs such as GIS as well as how to effectively work with others ended up being very beneficial for my current position.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Even if you don’t think you want to pursue a graduate degree or career in a specific research area, I would still recommend joining a research group for the collaborative experience and connections you make.