Chem-SURF

Preparing for the Chem-SURF Program

After being accepted as a Chem-SURF Fellow, we will contact you to coordinate your housing, transportation and other program details. Based on your interests, you will also be advised of the research project on which you will participate. Your faculty mentor will contact you to discuss the project further, address any questions you may have, and recommend literature to prepare for your upcoming involvement.


What will a typical day be like in the Chem-SURF Program?

Your typical day will start around 8:00 a.m. and end around 5:30 p.m. or later, with an hour break for lunch. Each day will be unique, and may include a variety of activities such as seminars and workshops, tours and fieldtrips. You will also spend time working under the guidance of your faculty mentor and graduate students on your research project. Social activities throughout the program will give you a chance to get to know other students, faculty, and administrators.

After 5:30 p.m., your time is free to explore on and around campus. Several weekend activities, planned with your fellow Chem-SURF students or by the Program, will give you the chance to make the most of your experience in Southern California.


Program Components

Each week will provide a variety of unique academic and social experiences to further develop your knowledge and skills and enhance your experience within the program. To enhance your access to research materials, you will receive a UCI library card and network ID. Program components include:

Orientation Weekend You will arrive on the UCI campus on Saturday and spend the day exploring the campus and settling into your housing. On Sunday, a Kick-Off Barbecue will be hosted for all the Chem-SURF participants to get acquainted and gear up for the first week of the program.

Seminars In the first week of the program, students will build knowledge of current research and applications in chemistry through a daily series of faculty-led lectures and discussions. Post-lecture labs will provide the opportunity to apply this knowledge. In the following weeks, participants will meet as a group each week for faculty-led seminars to discuss research and career development. You may also hear presentations from outside speakers. Additional seminars will focus on relevant chemistry topics and the ethical practice and implications of research.

Workshops UCI faculty and outside professionals will make a series of presentations geared towards helping you prepare for graduate school opportunities, explore career options in the field of chemistry, and develop your writing and presentation skills.

Mentoring You will meet at least once a week with your faculty mentor to discuss progress. Faculty and graduate students will also continue to guide you toward further developing your communication skills and provide support regarding your goals, including graduate school and career options. You will also have the opportunity to meet several times with the program’s Principal Investigator, Co-Principal Investigator, and Managing Director to discuss your experience.

Tours You will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of field trips and tours. A trip to Allergan will provide the chance to explore a local pharmaceutical company. Students will also tour UCI’s state-of-the-art faculty research labs. UCI’s Science Library will provide in-depth tours and workshops on how to conduct literature searches.

Research Projects Under the guidance of their faculty and graduate student mentors, you will be fully immersed in you assigned research project. You will gain hands-on experience and will be responsible for carrying out your assigned research roles and responsibilities.

Project Presentations & Research Symposium You will use the first week to develop your research project plan and present it to your mentor and fellow students. Halfway through the program, you will present a formal project update and abstract. The program concludes with a Research Symposium where you will have the opportunity to present the results of the work you accomplished over the course of the program. All students will deliver a formal 15-minute oral PowerPoint presentation to program participants, faculty mentors, and on- and off-campus guests.

Social Activities Each week, you will have several opportunities for social interactions with faculty mentors, fellow student participants, and senior administrators. Planned with fellow Chem-SURF students or by the Program, several weekend activities will give you the chance to make the most of your experience in Southern California. These include weekly coffee hours to discuss the program, as well as a series of weekend excursions, including:

Corona Del Mar Beach: Just minutes from campus, enjoy a sunny day at Corona Del Mar Beach with faculty and fellow students. Coronal Del Mar is a ½ mile stretch of sandy beach, framed by cliffs and a rock jetty, making it extremely popular with surfers and divers. Students will enjoy a team barbecue, followed by a bonfire into the evening.

Disneyland: Join fellow Chem-SURF participants for a trip to “The Happiest Place on Earth,” Disneyland and California Adventure (www.disneyland.com). Both parks feature thrill rides, shopping, and unique entertainment experiences. Next door is a lively entertainment district, Downtown Disney, filled with shops, restaurants, live entertainment, and the famous concert hall, House of Blues.

Six Flags Magic Mountain: With more than 46 rides to choose from, Magic Mountain (www.sixflags.com/parks/magicmountain) is famous for its roller coasters and unique thrill rides.

Sea World San Diego: Join us for a trip south of campus to Sea World (www.seaworld.com/seaworld/ca). Located on beautiful Mission Bay in San Diego, Sea World is a 190 acre, premier marine life park, famous for its amazing interactive shows, marine life exhibits, and theme rides.

Note: For Theme Park excursions, transportation will be provided, but participants will be responsible for paying a discounted entry fee.

What happens after the program?

After the program, you will be encouraged to continue your research efforts under a faculty mentor at your home university. Additionally, you will continue to receive e-mail updates and will be encouraged to present your research findings at undergraduate research conferences, as well as other conferences highlighting chemistry research and applications.

Within the year following the program, you will be eligible to request travel funding to present at a local undergraduate research conference. You will work with a faculty mentor at your home university, and submit a final paper representing your research, including an itemized budget of projected expenses and needs, evidence of an abstract or paper accepted by the sponsoring conference, and a description of the conference and its benefits.