Caltech Celebrates 47 Years of Undergraduate Research With Campus Event

Caltech feted nearly five decades of undergraduate research on Friday with an anniversary event honoring the school’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF) program.

The celebration will take place from noon to 1:30 p.m. on San Pasqual Walk, featuring popsicles, gratitude cards and exclusive merchandise from the Student-Faculty Programs Office.

The SURF program has remained as one of the “crown jewels” of Caltech, said the institute in an announcement.

The celebration is part of Undergraduate Research Week, recognized nationally by institutions affiliated with the Council on Undergraduate Research. The week highlights the importance of student research opportunities across American universities.

The anniversary celebration marks nearly five decades of a program that has become a cornerstone of Caltech’s undergraduate experience, preparing students for careers in scientific research and innovation.

Since its founding in 1979, Caltech’s SURF program has provided students with opportunities to conduct research under experienced mentors working at the cutting edge of their fields. The program follows a professional grant-seeking model where students collaborate with mentors to develop projects, write research proposals, and present their findings at symposia modeled after professional technical meetings.

For 2025, SURF Fellows will receive $7,950 awards for their 10-week summer research periods.

To learn more about SURF, visit https://sfp.caltech.edu/undergraduate-research/programs/surf.