Join Us | IDEAS Lab at University of Michigan

Postdoctoral Research Opportunities

Sun, 14 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The previously advertised postdoctoral research fellow position in the IDEAS Lab has been filled.

Researchers whose work aligns closely with the IDEAS Lab are welcome to contact Prof. Gökçin Çınar about possible future postdoctoral opportunities. Please email Prof. Çınar at cinar [at] umich [dot] edu with the subject line Postdoc Application - [Your Name] and include the following materials:

CV
Research statement
Notable publications or representative research artifacts
A brief note on whether you have secured, pending, or potential external funding support

The lab is not currently reviewing applications for a specific open postdoctoral call. Outside a formal search, prospective postdoctoral researchers with secured or well-defined external fellowship support are generally easier to consider, subject to research fit, available mentorship capacity, and project alignment.

Prospective PhD Students

Sun, 14 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Prospective PhD students interested in joining the IDEAS Lab should apply through the official University of Michigan admissions process. For Aerospace Engineering applicants, please follow the current instructions and deadlines on the Michigan Aerospace Engineering application process page and the Rackham Graduate School Applying to UM-Ann Arbor page.

In your application, please list Prof. Gökçin Çınar among your faculty of interest. You are also welcome to send a concise inquiry email to Prof. Çınar at cinar [at] umich [dot] edu, but please note that PhD openings can be difficult to predict far in advance and may change after the admissions cycle has closed.

Strong applicants typically have a strong academic background, prior research experience, and, when available, publications or other representative research artifacts in relevant areas.

If you contact Prof. Çınar, please use the subject line Prospective PhD Student - [Your Name] and include the following materials:

CV
Unofficial transcript
Research statement
Notable publications or representative research artifacts
A brief note on whether you have secured, pending, or potential external funding support

Funding availability and advising capacity vary from year to year. Prospective students with secured or well-defined external fellowship or funding support may be easier to consider, especially outside an existing funded project opening, subject to research fit, mentorship capacity, and the official admissions process.

Research Opportunities for Current U-M Students

Sun, 14 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Current University of Michigan undergraduate and Master’s students who are interested in research with the IDEAS Lab are welcome to inquire about possible opportunities.

Depending on research fit, project needs, and available mentorship capacity, opportunities may be available through course credit or voluntary research. The lab generally looks for long-term, serious commitments, typically at least one year of active, substantial research involvement.

Strong candidates usually have a strong engineering background in relevant fields and a clear interest in the lab’s research areas. We typically prefer working with advanced junior or senior undergraduate students, although exceptionally strong sophomore students may be considered under special circumstances.

If you would like to inquire, please email Prof. Çınar at cinar [at] umich [dot] edu with the subject line IDEAS Lab Student Research Inquiry - [Your Name] and include the following materials:

CV
Unofficial transcript
Short research statement
Representative research artifacts, if available, such as GitHub repositories, papers, reports, design projects, or other relevant work