Opportunity Research Scholars Program

The network of Opportunity Research Scholars and Mentors is a community of dedicated students who work together to broaden the academic experience.

Program Overview

The Opportunity Research Scholars (ORS) Program is an academic enrichment initiative that matches 2-3 undergraduate electrical and computer engineering students with a PhD mentor. The group meets weekly to work on a structured research project under the direction of the mentor. Undergraduate student participants, known as ORS Scholars, work in a research laboratory setting throughout the academic year, where they learn, design and conduct research-related tasks. This year-long experience culminates in a descriptive research poster that permits students to showcase their talents at various undergraduate research competitions at Georgia Tech and for industry representatives.

In addition to ongoing research, ORS Scholars are required to attend monthly enrichment workshops that address a variety of topics related to academic success. Opportunities to interact with industry visitors, advisory board members and ECE faculty occur throughout the year. Periodically, ORS Scholars are asked to represent ECE at formal events and meetings.

Program Purpose

The Opportunity Research Scholars program effectively promotes student retention and success in the electrical and computer engineering fields. As an enrichment program, ORS helps students to see beyond the rigors of the academic curriculum and understand the possible applications of the concepts they learn in the classroom. Combined with workshops, mentor leadership and peer support, the ORS Scholars are fully engaged in their department with ongoing research projects. This model of college student enrichment has been shown to increase student satisfaction and success, and thus increase the likelihood to pursue graduate studies.

To find out more about the ORS program, see the following pages:

Last revised on January 9, 2008.