January 30, 2008
To: All CCS Biology, Chemistry/Biochemistry, Computer Science, Math and Physics Majors

From: Bruce H. Tiffney, Dean
College of Creative Studies

Re: CCS SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS (S.U.R.F.)
APPLICATION DEADLINE: APRIL 10, 2008.

The CCS Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program is aimed at providing a stipend to support CCS students in summer research projects that will provide them with actual research experience in a faculty-led research group at UCSB. This experience is perhaps the most effective means of training students in the sciences. It serves as a means by which students can see just what graduate research is like and give them the experience often needed to be competitive in graduate admissions and graduate fellowship awards. Such research experience normally is most effective after the sophomore or junior years and preference for SURF awards will be given to such students who are in good academic standing.

Students should have a summer research project or research area in mind and should have talked with one or more potential Research Directors before applying. The letters of recommendation (minimum of two) should normally include one from the Research Director. Award payments for students working full time on research projects for fewer than 12 weeks will have the award pro-rated to the duration of the research. Usually there is not enough available funding within the S.U.R.F. budget to fully fund all worthy projects. Under such circumstances, Research Directors can be asked to contribute further funding. Please have your Director fill in the information requested in your SURF application (click here to download)

Shorter periods of time, or part-time research might be arranged individually in some instances. The research work is expected to be full-time and not to overlap in time with any other work, internships classes or fellowships. Research Directors need not be on the CCS faculty. Projects are designed in consultation with the Research Director usually related to other work going on in his/her laboratory.

To apply for a SURF for the Summer of 2008 please return the application form (click here to download) to Emily Parsons in the CCS office (Bldg. 494 – Rm. 102). Please also arrange to have the letters of recommendation sent to Emily Parsons at the Creative Studies Office by April 10, 2008. You may also send them via email to: .