Future Leaders in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering

The Cornell FLAME Summer Program provides students a unique opportunity to launch into a Ph.D. program through enhanced summer research experience and through a subsequent fast-tracked/prioritized admission into the Sibley School's Ph.D. program in mechanical engineering with tailored programmatic and financial support.
Seven people stand side-by-side in a row outside of Upson Hall. The people are Professor Nelly Andarawis-Puri and six members of the FLAME program

Designed for students interested in:

  • Advanced Manufacturing and Materials

  • Biomechanics

  • Bioengineering

  • Energy and Sustainability

  • Robotics and Autonomy

  • Space Science and Engineering

Students present during Cornell SmallSat Mission Design School
Bill Nye and Smith Charles talk about various mechanical devices sitting on a table
A woman smiles as she listens to another woman amid a crowd.

The FLAME program is designed to advance student access to research experiences and graduate study in mechanical and aerospace engineering. Admission to FLAME is available on a competitive basis to domestic students who will be eligible to apply to graduate school in fall 2026 and are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, Indigenous peoples of Canada eligible to register as U.S. domestic students under the Jay Treaty, or students holding DACA, TPS, refugee, or asylee status.

Program Dates: June 15 – August 7, 2026

Summer Program Highlights

  • Academic preparation for graduate school
  • Opportunity to cultivate a relationship with your potential future Ph.D. advisor
  • Assistance with preparation of applications to Ph.D. programs (Cornell or other)
  • $6,300 stipend, $500 of travel support, on-campus housing, meal plan, and local transport included
  • Social events and trips

Sibley School Ph.D. Program

  • Waived GREs
  • Waived application fee to Sibley School Ph.D. program
  • Direct match into Ph.D. lab if desired
  • $1,250 towards professional development (e.g., laptop, professional clothes) available after matriculating

Eligibility

Applicants should be:

  • Ambitious and hard-working
  • Have two semesters remaining in their undergraduate education at the start of the summer program
  • Majoring in a STEM discipline
  • In good academic standing
  • A U.S. citizen, permanent resident, Indigenous person of Canada eligible to register as U.S. domestic students under the Jay Treaty, or students holding DACA, TPS, refugee, or asylee status

Application Materials

Academic and Research Statement of Interest

Describe in no more than 500 words the following:

  • Motivation for applying to FLAME
  • The areas of research in mechanical and/or aerospace engineering of greatest interest
  • Prior research and/or related academic or professional experiences and achievements
  • How participation in FLAME would help advance your educational and career goals
  • Include the names of any of our faculty whose research interests you.

Personal Statement

In a maximum of three pages, address the following: 

  • Your plan to pursue an advanced degree (e.g., Ph.D.)
  • Discuss your lived experiences and how it will contribute to FLAME’s diverse scholarly community. Some topics to consider may include (but are not limited to):
    1. Having experienced situations or conditions that impacted your advancement or ability to advance in a STEM field;
    2. Having demonstrated a commitment to addressing the barriers that prevent participation of historically underrepresented groups in graduate STEM programs;
    3. Having demonstrated leadership potential to address issues of domestic minorities in STEM fields.
  • Content in the Personal Statement should complement rather than duplicate the content contained within the Academic and Research Statement of Interest. Your personal statement should reflect your unique perspective and experiences while illustrating how they have shaped your potential to contribute meaningfully to Cornell’s academic and community life.

Transcript

You will need to upload a .pdf copy of your current unofficial transcript. If you have attended multiple institutions, please combine all transcripts into one document.

Resume/CV

You will need to upload a .pdf copy of your current résumé or CV (curriculum vitae). There are no requirements or restrictions for the content of this document.

Letters of Recommendation

We require two letters of recommendation. You will not need to upload these into your application yourself. Recommenders will be contacted through an automated email as soon as you submit your application. They will be contacted from flame@cornell.edu – please be sure to notify your recommenders as soon as you submit your application in case the automated email goes to spam. Letters of recommendation are due by Monday, April 20.