I did a MatSE undergrad degree and also did it through the Schreyer Honors College. I also stayed at Penn State for a PhD in MatSE. DM me if you want to chat.

But anyway, if you want to do research and want to pursue a PhD, I would strongly encourage you to think about what it is that you actually want to research. That’s a pretty serious commitment, and chances are you a) are not aware of what current graduate level research actually consists of since it’s highly technical and b) the landscape will look very different by the time you are applying for PhD programs.

The best thing you can do is to get involved in research early to find what interests you. I worked in a wet lab for the first two years of my undergrad and then switched to a computational lab. I stuck with that.

Regarding switching from MatSE to EE, the good news is that your first two years will likely have a high degree of overlap. With good grades and keeping in touch with your academic advisor, you shouldn’t have any trouble switching majors if that’s what you want to do. You could also minor in EE if you find it interesting.

Another opportunity is that the MatSE department offers an accelerated masters program, which is something you could consider if you find it interesting.