Call for SURF-IT Proposals
By Anna Lynn Spitzer
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This summer Calit2 and the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program will again offer UCI faculty members an opportunity to have undergraduate researchers in mentored projects. The projects may be in any discipline, but they should have a substantial IT component. Projects on the use of IT for health care, energy, and the environment are especially encouraged. Information about previous SURF-IT projects may be found on the UROP web site and on posters in the Calit2 building.
The SURF-IT program (Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships in Information Technologies) will award several UCI students a $3,000 stipend for 10 weeks of work on their projects. As in past years, the students will be expected to put in a full-time effort. The SURF-IT program only provides the undergraduate salary, so the proposed work should be part of a larger effort for which you can provide any other needed expenses. Faculty mentors will be expected to provide mentoring for the students and will be encouraged to present a short seminar about their work to the students.
We invite you to submit proposals for projects that can productively engage undergraduates in doing research and for which you are willing to spend time on mentoring. In past years most of the proposals have been accepted for presentation to the student applicants. Each proposal should contain the following:
a) Project Title
b) Project Description: A one-to-two paragraph summary of the research questions being addressed or the goals of the creative activity. The project should involve a substantial IT component, and preference will be given to interdisciplinary projects. The SURF-IT program only provides the undergraduate salary, so the proposed work should be part of a larger effort for which you can provide any other needed expenses.
c) Student’s Involvement and Expected Outcomes: Please indicate the kinds of activities intended for the student and the expected outcomes, and specific skills that the undergraduate will develop as a result of this involvement. The student should be engaged in solving a research question, not merely providing labor assistance.
d) Student Eligibility: You may specify preferences or requirements for the student’s prior coursework or special skills. The program targets students who have junior or senior standing, but that is not a strict requirement. There is no minimum GPA standard, although GPA will be a factor in the selection process.
e) Recommended Readings & Publications: Please provide a list of reference materials students may review to learn more about the topic and the proposed activities.
For further information, you can click on 2010 SURF-IT fact sheet.
Please submit your project proposals by Wednesday, February 24 to Stuart Ross, Calit2 Assistant Director for Research Development, by e-mail: stuross@calit2.uci.edu. He may also be contacted at 824-9602.