Full Time Undergraduate Research Summer Program (SURP)

Full Time Undergraduate Research is available to students during the summer months. This program offers students the opportunity to become immersed in a research topic full-time for a ten-week period.  Awardees will receive a $5,000 stipend. 

Undergraduate students are still permitted to work in research labs during the summer months.

 

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Eligibility

The Full Time Undergraduate Research Summer Program is open to all Rensselaer undergraduates who are planning to conduct research on campus with a faculty advisor.  Students may not be on academic probation and must be planning to enroll at Rensselaer the following term. Graduating seniors and incoming first year students are not eligible.  Students from all fields may apply.  If you have questions about eligibility, please contact the Office of Undergraduate Education at 518-276-2244.

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Matching Funds

The matching funds are competitively based on proposals submitted by students. The stipend is intended to cover ten weeks of full-time research (40 hours per week, $14.20 /hour). Recipients are responsible for their housing expenses.

For Full Time Summer experiences, the faculty advisor supplies 1/4 of the funding.  For Full Time Spring and Fall experiences, the faculty advisor supplies 1/2 of the funding.

 

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Review Process

  • Proposals are read and rated by a selection committee of Rensselaer faculty members.
  • Proposals will be read by at least one faculty member within the student's school, and will also be read by faculty who are not trained in the student's academic field. For this reason, we advise students to write their proposals in a way that an educated reader outside their field of study can understand the research question and the significance of the proposed research.
  • All students and their advisors will be notified by email with the results of the evaluations
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Apply

Proposal Application Process

  1. Identify an advisor and a project.
  2. Proposal must follow the Guidelines to Writing a Successful Proposal (Documents & Resources). It is recommended that students meet with their faculty researcher at least once prior to submission of a proposal to review a draft.
  3. Complete the online Full Time Application available at:  Full Time Summer Undergraduate Research - SURP  Include a brief abstract, final proposal (no more than three pages), and a signed letter of recommendation from the faculty member willing to advise the project.  (Note: Advisors need to commit to the items listed on the application form in the letter of recommendation).