SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH PROGRAM
Timeline
General Program Dates:
In-Person at UCLA. 10-Week Program
Start: Monday, June 24, 2024
End: Friday, August 30, 2024
Final Poster Symposium: Friday, August 30, 2024
- (required for all SURP participants regardless of track)
About
The UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science offers first-in-class research opportunities that lead to undergraduates who are well-informed about engineering career opportunities in both academic and corporate settings. UCLA Samueli offers elite undergraduate engineering students a valuable academic research experience. Our program is designed for students who are interested in understanding the impact of engineering research and learning more about the graduate school experience.
The Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) is an umbrella organization that administers and scaffolds summer undergraduate research opportunities within UCLA Samueli. We currently coordinate several programs, including the Future of Semiconductors, Functional Nanomaterials, Engineering Faculty Lab REU Supplement, and the Electrical & Computer Engineering Fast Track to Success Summer Scholars Program. The program is now fully in-person.
UCLA Samueli faculty will select their scholars based on project needs, skills, and interest. Interns will be invited to work on a project that contributes to the momentum of their assigned lab.
Faculty members who have secured funding and wish to support their undergraduate research scholars participating in SURP are required to submit a Lab Funding Form. Once the funding is confirmed and approved, students will be invited to complete the SURP registration packet.
Benefits of Participating
- Conduct research in a cutting-edge field at a world-renown research institution.
- Mentoring from an UCLA Samueli faculty member and graduate student daily lab supervisor.
- Learn how you can impact your community as an engineer.
- Interact with a national community of peers.
- Discover pathways to graduate school.
- Acquire skills that can translate to industry.
- Gain a competitive advantage on your peers.
- Engage the ultimate academic challenge.
- Have fun!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I take a summer course while participating in the SURP program?
No, the SURP program requires a full-time commitment that does not allow time for additional summer course work.
2. Can I have a part-time job while participating in the SURP program?
No, the SURP program requires a full-time commitment that does not allow time for having a part-time job.
3. How much time do I need to commit to SURP?
The time spent in the lab varies depending on the specific project; nevertheless, we anticipate your full participation in the program (both research lab and SURP events) on a full-time basis, equivalent to 40 hours per week.
4. Is it a paid research position?
Certainly, students engaged in SURP will receive compensation at the campus student worker’s minimum wage for a commitment of 40 hours per week.
** It is mandatory for all faculty members to secure funding to ensure a minimum stipend for students. Regrettably, SURP itself does not possess funding, so the research stipends for students are directly funded by our SURP faculty.
5. Am I allowed to skip any SURP events?
No, attendance at all program activities is mandatory.
6. What is the most significant outcome of participating in the program?
The key achievement is the publication of your research in our SURP Journal.
7. If you’re a UCLA student without a research lab but want to join SURP, follow these steps:
- Schedule a meeting with a faculty advisor. If you encounter challenges in locating a research lab, feel free to book an appointment with one of our peer advisors for assistance.
- Actively seek a research lab position on campus.
- Inquire with a faculty advisor about the availability of support funding for SURP.
2024 Applications
Unfortunately, SURP 2024 will not be accepting non-UCLA applicants this year due to a lack of funding.
Past Journals
Questions, Comments, Concerns?
For general inquiries, please email surp@seas.ucla.edu.
Program Components
Industry Tech Talks
Scholars will have an opportunity to hear presentations from our industry partners. Past Tech Talk series have included presentations from Disney’s Imagineering, Two Bit Circus, Broadcom, and Northrop Grumman.
Academic Research
Scholars can expect to work independently or on small teams, alongside other undergraduate and graduate students, in a UCLA Samueli faculty’s lab. Each intern will be provided a research mentor who will help to identify a research topic or question that can be accomplished in the short 8 weeks. Participants should use this opportunity to challenge themselves to contribute new knowledge to the academic community.
Weekly Progress Reports
Scholars will hone their presentation skills and prepare for fielding questions at the Final Poster Symposium by presenting a bi-monthly progress report on their research. Participants will generate a slide set and present it to the mentors and other interns about their progress and next steps. A short question-and-answer session should generate dialog about the project after the presentation.
Faculty Talks
Participants will have an opportunity to hear from UCLA Samueli faculty about research conducted at our world-renown institution. Scholars are invited to ask questions and network with our speakers. Past speakers have included:
Professional Development Workshops
Scholars will have an opportunity to participate in workshops designed to aid in their educational and professional pathways.
Research Pathways
- Getting acclimated to research
- Pathways to graduate school
- Statement of purpose workshop
-
Preparing an academic research poster workshop
Career Pathways
- Effective presentation & communication skills
- Engineering Design Process
Final Poster Symposium
All participants are expected to present the final results of the work at the Final Poster Symposium. Scholars are encouraged to demonstrate prototypes and/or systems. Scholars, mentors, family, and friends are encouraged to attend. RSVP required.
Our Programs
Samueli Research Scholars
The Samueli Research Scholars program is directed by Associate Dean Veronica Santos and aims to increase the diversity of students doing research in engineering. Past scholars have researched skin tone bias in deep learning, liquefaction and sea level rise risks to California’s coastal communities, and the effects of microplastics on microbial methane production.
To find out more about what other students did and what you could work on as part of this program, check out the 2021 SURP Samueli Research Scholars Journal!
Functional Nanomaterials
Functional Nanomaterials is an REU directed by Dr. Chee Wei Wong. As a part of this program, students have conducted research on several topics, including “Millimeter Scale Magnetic Shielding” and “Ultrafast Real-Time Dynamics of Frequency Microcomb Transitions.” To find out what other students did and what you could work on as part of this program, check out the 2021 SURP Functional Nanomaterials Journal!
Engineering Faculty Lab REU Supplement
The engineering faculty lab REU supplement is for UCLA students who are planning to do research at UCLA over the summer with a faculty member. We do not match UCLA students with faculty members, so UCLA students must independently find faculty members to do research with during the summer.
For the students doing the engineering faculty lab REU supplement, the SURP application will merely be a formality.
ECE Fast Track
The Electrical and Computer Engineering Department’s Fast Track to Success program recruits a pool of highly talented high school students and provides them with a supportive environment and opportunities so that they can challenge themselves to succeed in their future careers as engineers in industry, academia and entrepreneurship.
The students are expected to maintain an accumulated GPA of at least 3.3 and take at least 30 units worth of honors/advanced standing classes during their four years at UCLA. These students will also be considered for summer internships, starting in their freshman year, with faculty members in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department and present their work in a special forum at the end of the summer.