Student Research Engagement

The Center for Supply Chain Research provides supporters with unique opportunities to engage with students through research projects.

 

The Penn State Center for Supply Chain Research (CSCR) offers corporate supporters a valuable opportunity to engage with top-performing students through collaborative research projects. These projects serve as a powerful complement to internships and co-ops, helping students gain real-world experience while tackling meaningful supply chain challenges.

By submitting a research proposal, companies can work directly with high-achieving Supply Chain and Information Systems (SCIS) students, fostering innovation, building brand awareness, and developing future talent in the process.

Information for Students

Visit the Student Information page to learn more about the student side of the research engagement process. Students interested in participating in a research project should email Tracie Shannon, CSCR Administrative Director, for more information.  

Information for Companies

With the help of supporting companies, Penn State supply chain students tackle real-world business challenges and apply their knowledge and skills to help solve firms' emergent problems. CSCR is pleased to offer this unique learning opportunity for students while also providing our supporters high-quality research with tangible results. 

Project Overview

Project Categories

Schreyer Honors Option
Third-year undergraduate students in the Schreyer Honors College transform a non-honors course into an “honors option” by completing a research project that complements the course material. Projects align with coursework in SCM 404, 405, or 406.

Schreyer Honors Thesis
Fourth-year undergraduate students in the Schreyer Honors College undertake a 9-month, individual research project as their honors thesis. This capstone project allows students to explore a supply chain topic in depth under faculty supervision.

Sigma Chi Mu Tau (SCMT) - Supply Chain Management 496
Members and prospective members of Sigma Chi Mu Tau, the national supply chain honors society, complete a research project as part of SCM 496. Projects are conducted during the fall and spring semesters and focus on supply chain-related issues.

Nittany Lion Consulting Group
Graduate and undergraduate students participate in capstone consulting projects through the management and organizational development curriculum. Teams consist of MBA students or students in the Sapphire Leadership Academic Program, a competitive honors program for high-achieving undergraduates. MBA projects run from October through February; Sapphire projects are offered in the fall and spring semesters.

PhD Student Projects
Smeal SCIS faculty and PhD students collaborate with corporate supporters on long-term research engagements. These projects tackle complex supply chain challenges that do not have straightforward, off-the-shelf solutions and often require innovative academic insight.

High School Project
A research project selected and overseen by Tracie Shannon, CSCR Administrative Director, in collaboration with a group of high school students for whom this project serves as a stretch assignment. Students who opt into a supply chain course are selected by a designated teacher from a local high school. The project introduces students to foundational supply chain concepts through a structured, guided experience.

 

Student Project Proposal Process

The project proposal process begins 10 weeks before the spring and fall semesters. Here's how it works:

  • 10 Weeks Before: Call for project proposals via email.
  • 2-4 Weeks Before: Reminder emails sent.
  • 2 Weeks Before Semester: Proposals are collected and classified (e.g., Schreyer, Honors Option, SCM 496).
  • 1 Week Before Semester: Supporters contacted for clarifications and NDA initiation if necessary.
  • 1-2 Weeks Into Semester: Students assigned to projects based on background, interests, and advisor assessments.

Acceptable Projects

Best-In-Class Practices
This type of research project addresses best-in-class practices for a particular process. The methodology usually focuses on research already publicly available, and the student will synthesize the existing literature to identify the best practices in a particular area.

The student might also interview executives in other companies to determine how they are performing a particular process. If this methodology is used, we require the student to deliver a summary of results to not only the company submitting the project but also to the pool of executives interviewed. All responses remain anonymous and we do not permit students to interview executives to ask for data or metrics. An example might be what other companies are doing with corporate social responsibility practices.

Company Specific – Data Intensive
This type of research project is focused on a specific problem experienced by a company and requires the company to provide data to the student for analysis. An example of this type of project might be an analysis to determine optimal shipping policies to a firm’s customers.

Company Specific – Process Intensive
This type of project is focused on a specific problem experienced by a company but is process, not data, specific. An example might be an analysis of how to eliminate congestion on the receiving dock of a distribution center.

Company Specific – Data and Process Intensive
This type of project requires an in-depth analysis by the student since it incorporates both data and process aspects. An example might be redesigning the picking area of a distribution center based on order profiles and shipping schedules.

Current Topics
These projects cover all of the remaining types of projects that might be submitted. Generally, these types of projects can involve publicly accessible data or publicly available best practices. Although not specific to your organization, these topics have some impact on how you conduct business.

Groundwork for Success

Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)
If your firm requires a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) for the research, PENN STATE WILL NOT ACCEPT A COMPANY NDA. A Penn State approved NDA designed for research projects will be made available. You may preview the NDA template below. If you have questions regarding Penn State’s NDA or getting one prepared, please email SmealCSCR@smeal.psu.edu.

A Schreyer thesis project will be made publicly available. However, if confidentiality is an issue, the student can request that a two-year hold be placed on the thesis so it will not be available to the public for that two-year term. Any research project that is not a Schreyer thesis will not be made publicly available and will remain the property of the submitting company.

Stay Engaged
Engagement with students throughout the entire process enhances both the quality of the project and the overall student experience. When a corporate champion provides clear context and direction, students are better equipped to produce high-quality deliverables.

Resources

Need more information?

If you have further questions or want to discuss a student research engagement opportunity, please email SmealCSCR@smeal.psu.edu.