Program Description
The SURE program is a fellowship program funded by the state of West Virginia, to encourage promising young researchers in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. The program provides support in the form of a $4000 stipend for a ten-week period for students to continue their research uninterrupted by summer classes. The program also seeks to encourage students who intend to pursue Graduate degrees in the above fields.
Qualifications
Currently enrolled Marshall Students with a track record of research are eligible to apply. This program is targeted toward students with research experience, and is designed to support your research and to enhance your written and verbal presentation skills. The Summer Research Experience is meant to be immersive; therefore enrollment in classes other than research during the supported 10 week period is not allowed.
Preference will be given to applicants with one or more semesters of research experience but who have not been previously supported by SURE. Preference will also be given to students in their junior year of study. The major application document is a research proposal based on your prior research. The quality of the proposal, as evaluated by a panel of reviewers, will be used to rank all applicants. Therefore, informal, unsupported research experience will receive the same consideration as research supported through State or Federal programs at Marshall which support entry level research, including NASA, NSF, NSF-EPSCoR, WV-RCF, NIH or any other funding agency.
High level student research requires considerable co-operation and collaboration with faculty researchers. Full participation of your faculty mentor in all phases of preparation of your application is required and encouraged. The proposed research should be well aligned with faculty research priorities.
How to Apply (Application Procedures)
1. Download the word file: SUREapp2024
Application should be single spaced
2. Type/cut and paste text and images into the document in order to generate your proposal.
3. E-mail your single, complete and final application, in word document format, as an email attachment to norton@marshall.edu with filename SUREappyourname, Example: SUREappMichaelNorton, by 5pm on March 10th.
4. Download the letter of recommendation form SURELetRec-2024
5. Change the filename to NameSUREMentor (where the mentor’s last name is substituted for ‘Mentor,’ and your last name is substituted for ‘Name,’) Example: StaffordSURELetNorton and send the blank file to your mentor and arrange to have your mentor fill out the mentor letter of recommendation and email the completed form to norton@marshall.edu by 5pm on the due date (March 10th).
SURE Contract
The contract for SURE participants is available via the link below.
Selection Process
Below is a listing of some aspects considered in evaluation of your proposal:
The candidate / proposal combination is evaluated, components considered include:
- Suitability/preparation of the candidate for project
- Scientific merit (contribution to the field, probability of obtaining results suitable for inclusion in publication(s))
- Local impact (how does the funding of this proposal contribute to the growth of science at Marshall and in West Virginia)
- Value to candidate (is the project consistent with the stated career objectives of the student)
- Realistic objectives and reasonableness of goals (are goals achievable in 10 weeks clearly communicated in the proposal)
Proposals will be evaluated by a panel of researchers
Benefits
Being part of the SURE program is not only educational but fun. You get to meet new people and work with people who are in different fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. There are also fun things to do during the ten week program like retreats, camping and movies. Above all, the SURE program prepares you in terms of research which is a major aspect of science. You can even get some of your work published in major scientific journals.
Helpful Contacts
For guidance, you may also contact your SURE Departmental Representative listed below:
| Subject | Name | |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | Dr. Jagan Valluri | valluri@marshall.edu |
| Chemistry | Dr. Michael Norton | norton@marshall.edu |
| Mathematics | Dr. JiYoon Jung | jungj@marshall.edu |
| Physics | Dr. Huong Nguyen | nguyenh@marshall.edu |
| Psychology | Dr. Jonathan Day-Brown | daybrown@marshall.edu |
| Engineering | Dr. Nasim Nosoudi | nosoudi@marshall.edu |