Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF)

One award is designated as the SURF Humanities Award co-sponsored by the Oregon Humanities Center.

Application and Recommendation Letter Deadline: March 13, 2025 (no later than 5:00 pm PST)

Funding Amount: 

  • $5,000 for student
  • $1,000 for faculty mentor

Eligibility Details
CURE supports all students. Applicants are eligible to apply regardless of their immigration and FAFSA eligibility status.

  • Minimum 3.0 GPA, and in good academic standing.
  • Full-time enrollment as an undergraduate student at UO in a degree-granting program.
    • Students not enrolled full-time at the time of application may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
    • Enrollment during the summer term is not required.
  • Preference will be given to those undergraduate students who are not in their final year of study, with plans to return to UO in fall term.
  • UO faculty member who has agreed to serve as the mentor for the research/creative work.
    • The faculty mentor must have an appointment as a tenure-related or career faculty of .50FTE or above.
    • If research/creative work will be performed at another institution the UO faculty mentor will remain the primary supervisor/mentor.
  • The applicant may not receive funds to conduct the same research supported through other internal UO research funding programs, during the same fellowship time period.
    • Funds are intended to directly support the recipient while engaging in full-time research or creative work for 8-10 weeks during the summer, which may include housing, food, travel, equipment, materials.
  • The award will be provided only once during the student's academic career at the University of Oregon.
  • The funds must be used during Summer 2025.

Professional and Career Development Resources and Support
Throughout the summer, CURE will hold academic and professional development gatherings designed to support reflection, strengthen skills and encourage community building among the SURF cohort. Resume building, maximizing use of LinkedIN, exploring distinguished scholarships, and continued research experience development, are a few examples of discussion topics.

The opportunity for an immersive research or creative work experience can prove transformative for students. It not only promotes intellectual growth, but also strengthens mentorship ties with faculty and career exploration. Award recipients are also welcome to meet individually with a CURE team member for any advising and guidance needed. 

SURF Commitments and Responsibilities
Fellows are expected to:                                        

  • Commit full-time (30-40 hours weekly) on their research or creative work for a minimum of eight weeks during summer.
  • Participate in a brief pre-summer welcome orientation meeting.
  • At the conclusion of summer, the award recipient will create a brief 10 to 12 minute video presentation that highlights the key points of their project that will be archived on the Undergraduate Research Symposium YouTube channel.
  • Submit a post-fellowship reflection and assessment survey within one month after the conclusion of fellowship.
  • Present at the Undergraduate Research Symposium the spring term following their summer research/creative work.
  • Apprise CURE of any publications, conference presentations, or public performance/exhibits that are associated with the research/creative work.
  • Acknowledge CURE and the Division of Undergraduate Education and Student Success in all work resulting from research and creative work during the fellowship.
    • For recipients of the SURF Humanities Award, acknowledgement should also include the Oregon Humanities Center in addition to CURE and UESS.
  • Adhere to the highest ethical standards of proposing and conducting research, as outlined by UO's Office of Research Compliance Services, to meet university, state and federal compliance standards.

Research Project Types

  • Independent, student-led projects under the mentorship of a UO faculty member.
  • Faculty-led projects where the undergraduate student contributes to the project developed by a UO faculty member as a research assistant.

Application and Recommendation Letter Deadline: March 13, 2025 (no later than 5:00 pm PST)

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