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Student-Faculty Programs

Welcome to the world of undergraduate research at Caltech!  Research has always been a big part of the undergraduate experience at Caltech. In fact, today it is one of the main reasons why students choose to come to Caltech.  The low student-faculty ratio (3:1) provides undergraduates with many opportunities to be involved in cutting-edge scientific research. Considering the Caltech professorial faculty and the postdoctoral population, there is at least one Ph.D.-level researcher for every undergraduate!

The Student-Faculty Programs office provides support to students wishing to participate in undergraduate research. We administer several summer undergraduate research programs, including the SURF, Amgen Scholars, and WAVE Fellows programs.SURF, (Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships) is our flagship program! Since 1979, over 6,734 students have participated in SURF.

Application procedures and selection criteria vary among the programs, but the programs have similar elements:

  • Students collaborate with mentors
  • Students write research proposals or project plans
  • Selected participants do their projects over a ten-week period in the summer
  • Students submit technical papers and give oral presentations at the conclusion of the summer

During the summer, SFP coordinates faculty seminars, academic and professional development workshops, and social activities open to participants in all programs. Our goal is to provide a vibrant, scholarly summer community on campus.  We hope you join us!

 

Caltech is committed to equal opportunity for all persons without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy or perceived pregnancy, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, protected veteran status or any other characteristic or condition protected by the state and federal law. It is the policy of Caltech to provide a work and academic environment free of discrimination as required by federal and state law, including Title IX which prohibits discrimination based on sex in Caltech’s educational programs and activities. Caltech will take all reasonable steps to eliminate discrimination, harassment, and sexual violence in its work and academic environment. Inquiries concerning the application of Title IX may be referred to Caltech’s Title IX Coordinator who can be reached at TitleIXCoordinator@caltech.edu.