Advancing sustainable engineering education through undergraduate research projects
Muhammad TAHIR, Reem BARHUMI, Haya MOHAMMED
Abstract. Universities are not only centers for earning degrees and achieving a high GPA but also platforms that prepare the next generation to address global sustainability challenges. This work demonstrates the role of undergraduate students in integrating sustainability into curriculum and research by contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). Participation in research projects strengthens undergraduates’ problem-solving ability and self-efficacy, equipping students with the skills needed to contribute effectively to climate action and circular economy. By implanting concepts such as resource efficiency, renewable energy, and circular practices into research and learning, universities advance national strategies for sustainability development in research fields. This can be achieved by the students researching on photocatalysts, which can play a significant role in advancing the circular economy by transforming waste resources such as carbon dioxide (CO₂) into valuable products, thus demonstrating how waste valorization can contribute to sustainability. This approach reflects how research-based learning enhances academic and professional growth while simultaneously generating knowledge that supports sustainable innovation. Universities are investing and encouraging the students not only to gain experience in such fields, but also resilience, teamwork, independence, and a global perspective on engineering challenges. Ultimately, linking education, governance, and sustainability initiatives highlights the importance of universities that enable long-term change for students’ attitude towards sustainability not only through acknowledgement but also apply it in the industry. The outcomes of this work show that integrating research and education is not only an investment in students but also a contribution to wider societal transformation toward sustainability.
Keywords
Sustainable Engineering Education, Undergraduate Research, Constructivist Learning, SDGs, UAEU
Published online 6/20/2026, 4 pages
Copyright © 2026 by the author(s)
Published under license by Materials Research Forum LLC., Millersville PA, USA
Citation: Muhammad TAHIR, Reem BARHUMI, Haya MOHAMMED, Advancing sustainable engineering education through undergraduate research projects, Materials Research Proceedings, Vol. 67, pp 990-993, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21741/9781644904176-134
The article was published as article 134 of the book Climate Action and Sustainability
Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.
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