MACON, Ga. — Mercer University sophomore Isaac Monteiro has been selected for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Summer Research Program (MSRP). The program is a competitive initiative designed to promote the value of graduate education, broaden participation in research and prepare exceptional undergraduate students for graduate study.
This summer, Monteiro, an electrical engineering and mathematics double-major from Lawrenceville, will conduct research under the guidance of MIT faculty members, postdoctoral fellows and advanced graduate students.
At Mercer, Monteiro is a Stamps Scholar, in the Engineering Honors Program, a member of the Mercer Robotics Club, a research intern at Georgia Tech Research Institute and a member of the Catholic Campus Ministry. He also conducts research in the Cyber-Physical Systems and Control Lab at Mercer under the direction of Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Dr. Makhin Thitsa.
“Isaac is an outstanding researcher who consistently demonstrates initiative and intellectual curiosity,” said Dr. Thitsa. “He is unafraid to teach himself concepts beyond the traditional engineering curriculum when they are necessary to solve complex research problems. Despite carrying a demanding course load, he makes significant contributions to the projects in my lab.”
After graduating, Monteiro plans to pursue a Ph.D. in engineering with a focus on autonomous systems and work at a national lab.
“I am extremely excited and thankful for the opportunity to participate in MIT’s Summer Research Program,” Monteiro said. “I am especially grateful to my research advisor, Dr. Makhin Thitsa, for all of the time and patience she has invested, and the encouragement and generosity she has shown me. I would also like to thank my academic advisor, Dr. Kevin Barnett, for his endless support, as well as Dr. Susan Codone and Professor Hannah Nabi for their help with my application.”
Monteiro is the third Mercer student accepted into the MSRP program. The first two students were Maison Clouatre, a 2020-21 Goldwater Scholar who is currently a Ph.D. candidate at MIT; and Ebonye Smith, a 2021-22 Goldwater Scholar who is currently a Ph.D. candidate at UC Berkeley.
