Columbia University’s Department of Biological Sciences offers a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF) program for motivated students who will benefit from the opportunity for hands-on biology-related research on the Morningside campus or in the biomedical labs at Columbia’s Health Sciences Center. Fellows work full-time for ten weeks on independent projects under the guidance of a research scientist, make an oral presentation about their work, write an original research article at the end of the summer, and present a poster of their work at a SURF Symposium during the following spring.
SURF Fellows receive a stipend for the summer. They participate in an orientation program at the beginning of the summer and periodic research seminars with Columbia scientists.
This year the Annual SURF Symposium is scheduled to take place on Friday March 29th, 2024.
Selection Criteria
Awards are ultimately based on grades, letters of recommendation, and personal meetings with prospective laboratory directors. Applicants for this SURF program will also be considered for the Amgen Scholars Summer Research Program.
Eligibility
Current first-year students, sophomores, and juniors in Columbia College, Columbia Engineering, and the School of General Studies are eligible to apply. No previous research experience is required, nor do students need to be biology majors. The program requires a full-time commitment and is not compatible with summer school, working at another job, or significant volunteer activities.