CAMPUS RESOURCES
Fall 2003

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More Than Getting Your Feet Wet: SURF, the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program
by Carolyn Ash

This summer Caltech’s SURF program celebrated its 25th birthday! Even the original founders of the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships had no idea of the phenomenal success the program was going to enjoy. Founded in 1979 by then-professor of chemical engineering Fred Shair, with 18 students and 17 faculty, SURF has served over 3,440 students and has become a model for similar programs at universities throughout this country and abroad. This summer 440 students, including 192 from other institutions, participated in SURF. Today, 48% of all living Caltech alumni who received their bachelor’s degree from the Institute since 1980 have done SURF projects. Close to 20% of SURF students become co-authors of peerreviewed articles, present at conferences, or contribute to significant technical reports.

Modeled on the grant-seeking process, the SURF program introduces undergraduate students to research under the guidance of seasoned mentors. Students experience the process of research as a creative intellectual activity and gain a more realistic view of the opportunities and demands of a professional research career. After collaboration with potential mentors, students write research proposals. A faculty committee reviews the proposals and awards are made on the basis of reviewer recommendation. Students awarded SURFs carry out their projects during ten weeks in the summer. At the conclusion of the summer, participants submit technical papers and give oral presentations at SURF Seminar Day, a symposium patterned after professional technical meetings. As with any fellowship, students receive a stipend; the stipend in 2003 was $5,000 for the ten-week period.

President Baltimore writes, “Iam proud of this program, which isone of the jewels in Caltech’scrown. SURF helps to makeCaltech a world leader in researchand education.” Through SURF,students join the community ofresearchers and scholars. They have the unparalleled opportunity toprobe nature’s secrets or to createnew devices or processes.

Participants begin to learn the languageand concepts of their disciplines.Their research roots developin the environment of inquiry,analysis, and scientific ethics. Thejoys and struggles of solving new problems deepen their understandingof the process of science andengineering. Through their resentations
on SURF Seminar Day, studentsare introduced to the importanceand value of communicatingtheir work.

SURF founder Fred Shair says, “SURF allows students to growpersonally as well as professionally.An important aspect of SURF isthe encouragement of each studentto believe that she or he canaccomplish tasks that others havenot. SURF has strengthened theCaltech and JPL learning community,which is centered aroundbright and enthusiastic studentsbeing coached by mentors, graduatestudents and postdoctoral scholars,and alumni.”

It has been noted that science and engineering not communicated are essentially science and engineering not done. The SURF communicationrequirements help studentsdevelop their oral and writtenpresentation skills. Two donors tothe SURF program endowed prizesto provide an incentive for studentsto prepare outstanding researchreports. Ten years ago, Robert C.Perpall (BS ’52 ME, MS ’56 ME),endowed a prize in memory of hislate wife, Doris S. Perpall, as anincentive for Caltech SURF studentsto give excellent oral presentations.Cash prizes of $500, firstplace; $300, second place; and $200, third place are awarded followinga three-round event.Marcella Bonsall endowed theMarcella and Joel Bonsall prize fortechnical writing to encourage studentsto develop strong writingskills. Each year up to eight awardsare made following a rigorous facultyreview of SURF final reportsnominated for the prize by SURFmentors. Students are giving muchstronger presentations as a result ofthe competition established bythese prizes.

To enhance the research experience,SURF students have theopportunity to attend many educational,professional, and social and cultural events.Weekly seminarsgiven by Caltech faculty and JPLtechnical staff provide SURF studentswith an overview of researchpursued on campus and at JPL. Aseries of professional development workshops addresses issues relatedto career options and preparationfor graduate school. These workshopsaim to help students developtheir short-term career decisions inthe context of long-term life andcareer goals.Weekly suppers atlocal restaurants allow faculty andstudents to interact informally.Each summer, students can attendthe “behind the scenes” tour at theHuntington Library, ArtCollections, and BotanicalGardens.

The essence of SURF is thementor-protégé interaction.Serving as a mentor to a young scientistis an important role. Students are welcomed into thecommunity of researchers andscholars as colleagues. Mentors passon the nature and culture of scienceto the next generation and play asignificant role in providing intellectualstimulation for their students.Mentors provide advice,make observations, and give feedback,often helping students todevelop a career focus. Sometimesthe relationships formed throughscholarly collaboration last longafter the student completes his orher degree and ultimately developinto strong professional interactions.

Mentors also benefit. Theygain personal satisfaction fromworking with students. They oftenenjoy training the next generation,watching students mature intellectually,and knowing that theyplayed an integral part in that process. Students can bring a freshperspective to the work becausethey have not developed biasesabout what should or should nothappen, and they might ask thesimple questions that are oftenoverlooked when one has beenimmersed in the research for along time.

Caltech alumni play manyimportant roles in helping SURFto thrive. Aside from making donationslarge and small, alumni attendSURF Seminar Day (the thirdSaturday in October), and someeven serve as session chairs forSURF Seminar Day. Alumni mayattend informal suppers with SURF students arranged by the AlumniAssociation during the summer.They participate on the SURFBoard and SURF AdministrativeCommittee, and some make presentationsat SURF’s professionaldevelopment workshops. Alumnihelp judge student oral presentations.We welcome alumni participationin all forms, and encourageyou to contact us if you’d like to getinvolved.

The author, Carolyn Ash, is the Director of Student-Faculty
Programs, which includes the SURF and MURF programs.

For more information visit these websites:
www.surf.caltech.edu
www.murf.caltech.edu
www.sfp.caltech.edu