As the end of the 2023-2024 school year draws near, the Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURF) application opens for Chapman students of any major interested in participating.

SURF is a paid program offered by Chapman’s Center for Undergraduate Excellence (CUE). Students who would like to participate in research or the construction of a creative project in their area of interest are encouraged to apply. 

The student funding package for SURF includes a $4,000 fellowship, free on-campus housing for the summer, social networking opportunities and events, weekly professional development meetings and faculty seminars.

SURF takes place over the course of eight weeks, from June 10 to Aug. 2., for 30 hours a week. In addition, students will then present their findings at the Summer Research Showcase in August after all their research is complete.

CUE Director Julye Bidmead explained more about what is required for the program’s application.

“Students fill out an application, which includes a three-page research proposal outlining their project and the benefits of conducting their research or creative activity,” Bidmead told The Panther. “They must also include a letter of support from a faculty member.”

Interested students can fill out this survey to begin their application. The application deadline is March 1, 2024, at 4 p.m. 

Applicants can be expected to receive award notifications in early April. 

Bahar Babagoli, a junior psychology major who participated in the program during the summer of 2023, shared some advice for students who are considering applying to the program.

During her time in SURF, Babagoli researched volition and free will in the area of neuroscience. Covering these topics, she was able to gain more knowledge and understanding in these areas of psychology. 

Uri Maoz is an assistant professor of computational neuroscience and psychology at Chapman and assists in the university’s Institute for Interdisciplinary Brain and Behavioral Sciences. During the summer of 2023, he was a mentor for Babagoli as she was completing research regarding behavioral sciences. 

Maoz had a great understanding of what Babagoli was interested in researching and was able to guide her in the studies. He suggests that students think in advance about reaching out to faculty they would be interested in working with for the program.

“My general advice for students interested in research is to contact a faculty member early and participate in research in their lab,” Moaz said. “SURF is a serious commitment and a competitive process. So, an application is much more likely to be successful if the faculty member has been working with the student for a while.”

Babagoli also explained how this program was essential to her experience at Chapman and how she would recommend the program to other students.

“(SURF) is a good experience to devote a lot of time to a specific study that you are very passionate about,” Babagoli told The Panther. “It gives you exposure to what research is like on a long-term period and whether it is something to consider pursuing in the future.”