program

Summer Research Program for CSULB BUILD Students

program

UC Irvine’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program offers undergraduate and master’s California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) BUILD students an opportunity to work closely with faculty mentors on research projects and provides an intensive series of graduate preparation workshops. The program, which is designed for students who plan to pursue a Ph.D. and enter academic careers, provides the tools needed to support application, admission, and enrollment to graduate school. The SURF program is open to virtually all academic fields at UC Irvine. Qualified students with an interest in pursuing their graduate studies at UC Irvine are especially encouraged to apply.

Programs Components

Research Mentorship Experience

Scholars secure summer mentorship with UC Irvine faculty members whose expertise and research interests align with the student’s academic and career goals. Faculty serve as advisors and mentors and assist scholars in developing and completing a research action plan.

Graduate School Preparation

Scholars participate in a graduate preparation component designed to provide specialized training in areas critical to academic success. This includes workshops and sessions on:

  • Successfully applying to graduate school
  • Successfully applying for fellowships
  • Academic writing
  • Preparing academic presentations
  • Academic career planning

 

Summer Research Program Symposium

SURF culminates in the Summer Research Program Symposium. All summer participants will present either an oral or poster presentation on their research. Preparation focuses on building effective oral communication skills for diverse audiences and strengthening public speaking abilities.

Networking Opportunities

Throughout the Summer Research Program, BUILD participants will have opportunities to engage with participants from other diversity programs, including UC LEADS, the California Pre-Doctoral Program, and SURF. Each participant is also assigned a graduate student mentor who serves as a peer mentor and point of contact, helping to facilitate program participation and provide insight into graduate student life at UC Irvine.

Expectations of Student Participants
  • Scholars must attend and participate in all program activities.
  • Scholars must commit to full-time research in their assigned labs (35–40 hours per week) for the full eight-week program.
  • Scholars will have individual academic and research responsibilities with their faculty mentor/advisor.
  • Scholars are expected to meet with their research mentor at least once per week, or more frequently depending on the project and mentor arrangement.
  • Scholars must meet with the program coordinator during scheduled meetings to review research progress.
  • Scholars are required to submit weekly assignments, including program evaluations.
  • Scholars must present their research at the UC Irvine Summer Research Program Symposium.
  • Students are responsible for commuting to UC Irvine; housing is not provided.
Interested in Applying?

Application is now open! Apply Now.

Contact
Mariela Menendez
Recruitment Manager
Email: ucigradprospect@uci.edu