Co-Operative Program
Introduction
Located at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center (Cleveland, Ohio), the Advanced Platform Technology (APT) Center is a national VA Rehabilitation Research and Development Research Center created to capture innovations at the forefront of microelectronics and materials science and apply them to the clinical needs of disabled veterans. Along these lines, the core research activities of the center are concentrated in the following four major areas:
- Prosthetics and Orthotics
- Neural Interfaces
- Health Monitoring and Maintenance
- Activity-Based Neurorehabilitation
A distinctive feature of the APT Center is a focus on developing key enabling technologies for clinically-relevant applications. This approach leverages the technical expertise and world-class reputation of its collaborative partner, Case Western Reserve University, and makes the APT Center unique among the VA’s Research Centers.
About the Program
The APT Center's Co-Operative Program offers undergraduate students an opportunity to spend a substantial amount of time working on VA research projects prior to their graduation. Candidates dedicate 40 hours per week for up to 8 months working on various projects under the direction of APT Center engineers, primarily in early prototype design, fabrication, and testing at Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University. The Program typically consists of Spring/Summer (Jan-Aug) or Summer/Fall (May-Dec) employment in the fields of Mechanical, Electrical, Computer, or Biomedical Engineering. Recruitment for these co-op periods typically begin 2-3 months prior.
Eligibility
- Students must have completed their sophomore year (4 semesters or 6 quarters) of undergraduate study in an engineering degree program with a minimum 3.0 GPA. APT Center will consider students prior to their junior year, but the student should have adequate and relevant lab/work experience.
- Students must plan to be current undergraduates or starting a graduate program.
- Students must be either a student at Case Western Reserve University OR a US Citizen at another university.
Students interested in a Co-Operative Program position should contact Frank Zitko to discuss their interests, qualifications, and skills.
