I-ACED Program for Engineering Professional Master’s Students

Integrating internships and research experiences to prepare students for careers in engineering and STEM fields

Integrating internships and research experiences to prepare students for careers in engineering and STEM fields

Improving Access to Career and Educational Development for Talented, Low-Income Students through the Flexible Internships-Research-Education Model (I-ACED) is a multi-institutional NSF-backed program integrating internships and research experiences to prepare students for careers in engineering and STEM fields.

This award will support students from low-income backgrounds seeking master’s degrees in Bioengineering (MBE), Data Science (MDS), Chemical Engineering (MChe), Computational & Applied Math (MCAAM), and Industrial Engineering (MIE). Students will select from among disciplines in one of three technical tracks: biotechnology, sustainability and resilience, and digital twinning. 

The I-ACED Program is a collaboration between Jackson State University, Prairie View A&M University, Rice University, Texas Southern University, and the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, and supports the students from the former four institutions.

Applications to the I-ACED Program are competitive and needs-based. Applicants should read all the information below to confirm that they are eligible and then submit a program application:

Benefits to I-ACED Award Recipients

All I-ACED Scholar Awards benefit from attention to the small cohort of scholars supporting them in their career and professional goals. Each university may have additional support options available. Each I-ACED Scholar at the four institutions receives:

  • Up to $10,000 in scholarship funds toward student’s education*
  • Career and educational development professional and social support by faculty mentors and student cohorts
  • Ongoing scholar engagement activities during the academic year
  • Guided in-person tour of U.S. Army Engineer Research & Development Center facilities (expenses covered)
  • Coordinated internships or research experiences (locally or at the U.S. Army Engineer Research & Development Center)

*NOTE: A limited number of both Awards are available at each program. At Rice University, two types of I-ACED Awards are available: Full and Partial:

- The Full I-ACED Scholar Award includes a Full tuition waiver for the Master’s program of choice at Rice University.

- The Partial I-ACED Scholar Award does not include the tuition waiver

Both Full and Partial Award include up to $10,000 in scholarship funds, career development and cohort support, and a trip to the U.S. Army Engineer Research & Development Center. Your application is evaluated based on your prior educational experiences, overall alignment with the program goals (defined by your essays), your GPA, and the information in your FAFSA.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for an I-ACED Award, applicants must satisfy the following criteria:

  • Be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, U.S. national, or an admitted refugee at the time of the application
  • Have demonstrated academic potential, defined as being accepted for admission to one of the I-ACED Master’s degree programs (you may concurrently apply for I-ACED while also applying for your graduate program)
  • Have demonstrated unmet financial need as defined by the individual university that you are applying for (defined by the information in your FAFSA at each university)
  • Be enrolled in at least six hours of coursework toward an I-ACED Master’s degree (At Rice, students may not be part-time and must be enrolled in at least nine hours of coursework per Fall/Spring semester).

Application Process

Step 1

Step 2

  • Eligible candidates will receive the follow-up application via email.

For additional information, visit the I-ACED website.