Summer Engineering Research Program (SERP)

An Application Checklist is available for print and/or download. This checklist is an overview of requirements to ensure that the application is complete.

• Application form
• LUH online application (MoveON)  (Please find tips for MoveOn here)
• Letter of motivation
• One letter of reference from the faculty or academic advisor of your home university
• Transcript of records
• CV
• Scan of your passport

All applications need to be sent to Stephen Sechrist via email by February 01, 2025

Please also check our terms and conditions for participation.

Visa

• Students must have a valid passport to travel to Europe.
• Citizens of some countries may need a visa (Australian, Canadian, Japanese, New Zealand, EU and US citizens do not need a visa).
• Please keep in mind that LUH is providing health insurance, liability and accident insurance. If more specific insurances are needed to obtain a visa,  participants are expected to acquire them themselves. It is the participants responsibility to take care of the visa application on time.

Program fee

• Program fees are due on March 15, 2025. An invoice for the program fee will be sent with the acceptance letter.
• Bank account:

Leibniz Universität Hannover
Hochschulbüro für Internationales
Nord/LB Hannover
SWIFT NOLADE2H
IBAN DE81 2505 00000151 0483 94
Bank code 250 500 00
Account 151 048 394
Reference number: <will beprovided in the invoice>

• If participation is cancelled after receiving the official acceptance letter, a non-refundable fee of 1000€ may be assessed.
• Payment is by wire transfer. Payment by credit card is not possible at this time.
• Bank wire charges may reduce the total amount received by LUH. Please consider this and calculate the amount accordingly.

Housing

• Accommodation will consist of a single dormitory room with a shared kitchen and bathroom.
• Please note that the rooms provided need to be cleaned and maintained by the participant. It needs to be left in the same condition as it was upon arrival. If rooms have to be extensively cleaned after departure, the participant will be charged with the additional cleaning costs. 

Insurance

• German health insurance (including liability and accident insurances) is  included in the program fee. Insurance is valid in all EU countries for the duration of the program.

Orientation/Introduction Week

• Participation in Introduction Week is expected. Please plan your arrival and departure accordingly, ideally for the weekend before the start and after the end of the program.

Credit and Transcripts

• Participants will receive 10 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) which are typically converted to 5 US or Canadian credit hours, depending on rules and regulations at your home university.
• Transcripts will be sent out (scan and hard copy) to the students and their home university advisors shortly after the end of the program (usually one to two weeks later).

Student - Faculty Matching

Accepted applicants will be notified of their acceptance by Science and Engineering Research Program director Stephen Sechrist and will receive contact information for their assigned research supervisors. We will match each participant as close as possible with a research project/team that suits the student’s interests. Participants are expected to get in touch with their research supervisor before coming to Hannover.

Study buddy

Participants will be matched with a local outgoing student as a Study Buddy (like a student ambassaor). The Study Buddy will pick the participant up at Hannover Central Station or the international airport (HAJ) and help you check in to your housing. They will also be there to assist and answer any questions that may arise during the stay in Hannover.

Before you leave home

Participants are expected to inform their Study Buddy as well as the International Office about their arrival dates in Hannover. To ensure a good start for the internship, participants should contact their advisor before coming to Hannover.

The International Office will send out a "Read Me". This is to help with questions about Hannover student and city living. There will also be a checklist to help before departure from the USA for your stay in Hannover. The International Office Staff are also always available for questions.

Introduction to German enginering and research at Leibniz University Hannover, Dos and Don'ts in Germany, social and cultural program, company visits.

• Social and cultural program: Campus and city tour, visit to the historic towns
• Company visits e.g: VW, Sennheiser Electronics, Hannover 96, etc.
• Program schedule 2024: The 2024 schedule is not yet available but you can refer to the 2022 Program Schedule to get an idea of what is offered!

We also know that you may want to have time to explore Germany (and perhaps neighboring countries) on your own during the weekends so we leave ample free time for you as well!

Process before coming to Hannover:

• Participants can indicate their desired research field in their application (please find the offered project topics at "Research Projects at Leibniz University")
• Participants will be matched with an institute/ research project
• The first day at work will be the final day of introduction week

Workflow at the instutite:

• Orientation to the insternship site and Introduction to the employees at the institue
• Familiarization with the project topic (literature research, familiarization with programs)
• As applicable . Lab tests, constructing products, programming of systems, manufacturing of parts
• Final presentation about the completed research work and experience in Germany

Please note that this is just an exemplary project flow. Work may vary depending on the institute or advisor.

Find final presentations about former participants for an insight into the work on a project at the university here: 

• Machine Tool Monitoring
• Intelligent Bioreactor System for Cultivation of Bioartificial Vascular Graft
• Tissue Engineering
• Novel Clamping for Orthopedic Implants
• Ultra-precise Electromagnetic Linear Guided Cutting Machine
• Inductive and Ohmic Heating
• Radiative Cooling Device Using Nanomaterials

Project descriptions
 

Collaborative Research Center 1368: Oxygen free production (multiple projects)

The objective of the Collaborative Research Centre is to develop a basic understanding of the processes and mechanisms involved in manufacturing, assembly and handling technology in oxygen-free environments. This will open up the completely new field of "oxygen-free production", which will add new possibilities to established processes, significantly increase the performance of the products manufactured and enable entirely new processes.

Multiple projects

• A01 – Compound Casting 
• A02 – Additive Manufacturing 
• A03 – Powder Forming Processes 
• A04 - Sintered Coatings for Hot Stamping 
• A05 – Roll Bonding
• A06 – Laser Beam Brazing
• B03 – Cutting
• B04 – Adhesive-based assembly processes
• B05 – Thermal plasma joining processes
• C03 – Tool Wear Protection
• C04 – Cooling concepts for Grindin

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
 

Institute of Assembly Technology and Robotics

At the Institute of Assembly Technology and Robotics (match), future-oriented ideas for automated and robot-assisted assembly in production are developed under the direction of Professor Annika Raatz. In addition to research in the area of tension between humans and machines, match offers a variety of courses in the fields of robotics and assembly.

1. Intuitive 6D pose estimation – Back-end orchestration and API
    
2. The Design and Validation of an Air Nozzle Digital Twin Model 
    
3. Intuitive 6D pose estimation – Apple Vision Pro Application
    
4. Intuitive 6D pose estimation – Web-based UI for inference

Institute of Multiphase Processes

The Institute of Multiphase Processes (IMP) under the leadership of Prof. h.c. Dr.-Ing. Glasmacher, M.Sc. has opened up new fields of biomedical engineering and developed and established technologies in addition to the established fields of process engineering research. The focus here is on the application of basic process engineering principles to biomedical engineering issues. The IMP is currently mapping a complete process chain in the development of new products for regenerative medicine.

1. Surface modification of cochlear implant electrodes
    
2. Magnetic hydrogels for tissue engineering
    
3. Surface characterization of superhydrophobic SLIPS-Coatings

Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
 

Institute of Electrotechnology*

The ETP is an institute of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Since its foundation in 1928, ETP has been conducting research and development projects on industrial electrothermal process technology.

1. Electromagnetic Stirring Applications for the Continuous Casting of Metals: Investigation and Optimization of the Process under Different Electrical Inputs

2. Enhancing Sustainability: A Systematic Approach to Evaluate Electric Substitution Concepts for Gas-Powered Industrial Furnaces

Institute of Electronic Materials and Devices (Group for Micro- and Nano-Integrated Systems)

The Institute of Electronic Materials and Devices works on advancements in future Si-based nanoelectronics. Our research focuses on new, primarily crystalline materials and material combinations (epitaxial heterostructures) and innovative device concepts on silicon. We demonstrate the potential of these developments by the creation of prototypes. Collaborating with capable partners, we leverage our semiconductor expertise to produce highly efficient solar cells.

1. Development and characterization of smart hydrogels for biomedical sensor applications

Do your interests lie outside these areas?  Let us know and we are happy to reach out to faculty individually to identify a suitable research internship.

Fee covers:

• administration and enrollment fees (and 10 ECTS credits)
• housing in a single dorm room (Studentenwerk Hannover)
• health, accident and liability insurance for Germany/EU
• public transportation in Hanover and Lower Saxony
• social and cultural activities
• field trips
• company visits

Credits:

• 5 US credit hours (10 ECTS)

Joanna Bastian, Purdue University

Chun Chang, Michigan State University

Michael Pui, Michigan State University

Owen Jarl, Michigan State University

Ian Ghanavati, Lincoln University Nebraska

Is my home university a partner university of the LUH?

Our North American and Australian partner universities are:

• Concordia College
• King's University College
• Michigan Technological University (Michigan Tech)
• Pennsylvania State University
• Purdue University
• University of Calgary
• University of Nebraska Lincoln and Omaha
• University of New Brunswick
• University of North Carolina - Wilmington
• University of Wollongong Australia

What is included in the program fees?

The program fee of 2.900 € covers single room accommodation; health and liability insurance; train, bus and subway transportation in the state of Niedersachsen;  state semester fee; company site visits; social and cultural activities. A meal plan is not included, cost of food purchases are estimated around 200 € per month.

How do I find a suitable institute or research area?

All institutes list their current research fields on their respective websites. Please follow the provided links. For example, if you''re a mechanical engineering student interested in combustion engines, click on ''School of Mechanical Engineering'', then follow the link for ''Institute For Technical Combustion'' and check out their research fields.

We have some listed research groups on our website, but there are many more so if you have an specific interest, let us know and we will reach out to that institute.

Some of the institutes'' pages are in German only. How do I deal with that?

If you find a German only website, you can download an add-on that translates automatically (f.e. google translator). Furthermore, you can also copy & paste all German text into google translator without installing any add-ons (search for "google translate" in google bar). For further assistance please contact us!

How does matching work?

 After handing in your complete application form it will be forwarded to your chosen institutes, beginning with No. 1 on your list. If No. 1 declines, No. 2 will receive your papers...we will contact you immediately after your application is accepted and program fees are due.

Which academic requirements do I have to meet to get accepted for my desired research field?

We accept applications only from students who are in their fifth semester or above (junior year). However, professors will expect a certain level of knowledge in their respective fields. You will need at least one course that fits the institutes'' research scope. For example, institutes researching the field of automatic control engineering will require you to have a minimum of passed one automatic control course at your home university. In this program, the professors who provide placements will be in charge of the final selection of candidates. If your completed classes meet the broader scope of the institute’s requirements, everything should be fine.

What is MoveOn and how do I register?

MoveOn is a  LUH data base containing all incoming/outgoing student movements for statistical & informative reasons. The only information we need is your full name, birthday, address, e-mail address, and home university. An online registration is sufficient. Please use the following link: MoveOn Incomings registration

What should a letter of motivation contain and how long should it be?

A letter of motivation is always addressed to those that decide on your acceptance. First, answer the following questions in your own words (1/2-1 pages): Why do you want to participate in this program? Why do you want to go to Germany? What do you hope to achieve by participating in the program? Secondly, you should write about your motivation for the specific research field at your chosen institute that you are interested in (1/4 pages per choice). 

What are letters of reference and how do I get them?

A letter of reference is  written by your educational supervisor, usually from your university (professors) or from companies you have worked at (superior authorities). It contains information about your working habits (hard & soft skills) like

• relationship to other students/employees
• learning abilities
• problem-solving
• self-reliance and independence
• sense of responsibility

Please provide at least one letter of recommendation from a professor at your university.

Will I get  credit hours for this program?

You will receive 10 ECTS points (European Credit Transfer System) for participation in this program, which converts to 5 US credit hours (e.g. Purdue University). Admission of US credit hours will be approved for a similar course at your home university by your home university''s study advisor.

How do grades convert from the German grading system to my universities'' standard grading system?

What is the housing like?

You will be accommodated  in single bed rooms (singles). You can have a closer look at a standard dorm room at the Studentenwerk Hannover by visiting their website: Studentenwerk Hannover: Details (studentenwerk-hannover.de)

I have food allergies. How can I know what I can eat?

All ingredients, including potential allergens, are mandatorily provided on the label at the cafeterias.

You can also download an app which can filter out all dishes that contain specific allergens in our student caferterias. Supermarkets have to list all allergic contents on the packing as well.

In diesem Programm arbeiten amerikanische Studenten von Partneruniversitäten -oder Institutskontakten in Nordamerika- von Mitte Mai bis Ende Juli (11 Wochen) an einem von Ihnen vorgegebenen Projekt. Die Studenten werden von uns während der gesamten Programmdauer betreut (Unterkunft und alles Organisatorische).

Die Bewerbungsfrist ist am 1. Februar des jeweiligen Jahres. Die Bewerbungen reichen wir an Sie weiter, damit Sie eine Auswahl treffen können.

Im Rahmen des Programms können vom Hochschulbüro für Internationales leider keine Kosten für Laborequipment übernommen werden. Jeder Studierende wird zusätzlich zur gesetzlichen Krankenversicherung haftpflicht- und unfallversichert sein.

Für eventuelle Rückfragen steht Ihnen Stephen Sechrist gerne zur Verfügung.