School of Engineering Community Applied Research and Engineering Scholars (SoE CARES) Program
Engineering Real-World Change
At Rutgers School of Engineering, we believe the best engineering solves real problems for real people. The SoE CARES Program transforms that belief into action—giving students the structure, the support, and the platform to turn community needs into tangible, technical solutions. This isn't volunteerism; it's rigorous, standards-based engineering with a social ROI.
For Students: Build Your Portfolio
You came to Rutgers to design, build, and innovate. SoE CARES gives you the projects that prove you can do it in the real world.
Earn Verified Credentials
Tackle live client projects and earn a digital micro-badge that signals technical proficiency and community leadership to future employers—right on your LinkedIn and resume.
Own the Engineering Cycle
Move beyond textbook problems. You’ll define requirements, run simulations, prototype, test against safety/accessibility standards, and deliver professionally documented solutions that partners actually use.
Lead with Impact
Propose your own project or join an existing one. Either way, you graduate with a real-world engineering narrative that sets you apart.
What You Can Expect
- ≥ 50 hours of engineering work per student: hands-on design, analysis, modeling, prototyping, and testing
- ≥ 10 hours of direct community partner engagement: collaborating with your partner to define needs, gather feedback, and refine solutions
- Regularly scheduled team meetings to coordinate tasks, troubleshoot challenges, and track progress
- Three formal design reviews—kickoff, midpoint, and final—where you present your work to faculty advisors and stakeholders, just like in industry
Your move: Partner with a verified community organization (nonprofit, school, civic, or government) to co-define a pressing engineering problem—and design a solution they can implement. You lead the technical work; they benefit directly from the outcome.
For Community Orgs: Define the Need. Drive the Solution.
You need solutions and SoE CARES delivers.
Access Top Engineering Talent
Get fresh, faculty-overseen engineering minds working on your specific technical challenge. From modeling and simulation to prototyping and testing, our students bring rigor that consultants charge for.
Co-Define the Outcome
You sit at the table from day one, defining the problem and guiding the design so the final deliverable is genuinely usable, sustainable, and tailored to your organization.
No-Cost R&D
As a verified nonprofit, school, civic body, or government agency, you get high-quality engineering deliverables with no overhead—just a commitment to reciprocity and collaboration.
Your move: Submit your community-defined engineering problem today. Let’s build the solution, together.
Ready to get involved?
Have questions, ideas, or want to volunteer? Contact Dr. Cook Chennault to learn more about SOE Cares and how you can help build a more caring and connected engineering community.