Columbia University Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Program
SURE is a unique academic-industry collaboration created to foster career exploration at the frontiers of engineering research. This 10-week summer research program in New York City is designed to introduce talented undergraduate students, with a demonstrated commitment to advancing the needs of historically marginalized groups in STEM, to research in this field. A two-time recipient of the INSIGHT Into Diversity Magazine Inspiring Programs in STEM Award, SURE has a reputation for helping students jumpstart their careers as researchers and industry leaders.
2022 SURE Cohort (photo by Jane Nisselson)
SURE at a Glance
Participate in a unique academic-industry collaboration and engage in cutting-edge research at Columbia University. You’ll have the opportunity to be mentored by faculty, researchers, and STEM professionals from academia and industry.
But that’s not all…
- Develop a better understanding of how scientific discoveries transform into solutions and products.
- Expand your professional network to open doors to new career opportunities and innovative research ideas.
- Participate in enriching personal and professional development programming designed to enrich learning as you navigate the next steps of your career.
- Explore New York City through fun, interactive activities across the city with unparalleled opportunities for discovery, innovation, and growth.
- Celebrate your achievements in a Summer Research Symposium and showcase your research efforts to peers, faculty, researchers, and industry professionals
SURE Program Eligibility
- Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- Non-Columbia rising juniors and rising seniors from any U.S. based college of university in any STEM major
- Should be in strong academic standing, particularly in STEM coursework
- Must not already have a Bachelors degree or be slated for graduate May 2024 or Summer 2024
- Women, underrepresented minorities, as well as students with community college experience or those attending institutions with limited opportunities for undergraduate research, are encouraged to apply (See National Science Foundation definition of under-represented minority)
- Interested in attending graduate school
- Prior research experience not required, but a strong curiosity in research is recommended
Apply Now
Any questions related to the Columbia SURE Program can be directed to cusure@columbia.edu.
SURE Impact
SURE Alumni Profiles
Faculty Mentors
You are welcome to visit the websites of faculty members listed below to explore possible research projects in their groups. This is not an exhaustive list of faculty with whom SURE fellows will be able to work this summer.
Applied Physics and Mathematics
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Simon Billinge Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics |
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Kyle T. Mandli Associate Professor of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics |
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Kui Ren Professor of Applied Mathematics |
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Latha Venkataraman Vice Provost For Faculty Affairs; Lawrence Gussman Professor of Applied Physics and Professor of Chemistry |
Biomedical Engineering
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Tal Danino Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Principal Investigator of The Synthetic Biological Systems Laboratory |
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Henry Hess Professor of Biomedical Engineering |
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Clark Hung Professor of Biomedical Engineering & Orthopedic Sciences |
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Elisa Konofagou Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Radiology (Physics) |
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Helen H. Lu Percy K. and Vida L. W. Hudson Professor of Biomedical Engineering |
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Ken Shepard Lau Family Professor of Electrical Engineering; Professor of Biomedical Engineering |
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Samuel Sia Professor of Biomedical Engineering |
Chemical Engineering
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Chris Boyce Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering |
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Sanat Kumar Bykhovsky Professor of Chemical Engineering |
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Mijo Simunovic Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering |
Civil Engineering
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Marco Giometto Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics |
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Feniosky A. Pena-Mora Edwin Howard Armstrong Professor of Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics | Professor of Earth and Environmental Engineering | Professor of Computer Science |
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Huiming Yin Associate Professor of Civil Engineering and of Engineering Mechanics |
Computer Science
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Luca Carloni Professor of Computer Science |
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Augustin Chaintreau Associate Professor of Computer Science |
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Xi Chen Associate Professor of Computer Science |
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Steve Feiner Professor of Computer Science |
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Itsik Pe'er Associate Professor of Computer Science |
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Dan Rubenstein Professor of Computer Science |
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Henning Schulzrinne Julian Clarence Levi Professor of Mathematical Methods and Computer Science and Professor of Electrical Engineering |
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Brian Smith Assistant Professor of Computer Science |
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Carl Vondrick Assistant Professor of Computer Science |
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Eugene Wu Associate Professor of Computer Science |
Earth and Environmental Engineering
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Athanasios Bourtsalas Lecturer in Earth and Environmental Engineering |
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Upmanu Lall Alan & Carol Silberstein Professor of Earth & Environmental Engineering, and Civil Engineering & Engineering Mechanics; Director Columbia Water Center; Chair of Earth and Environmental Engineering |
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Renata Wentzcovitch Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, and Earth and Environmental Science |
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Bolun Xu Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Engineering |
Electrical Engineering
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Asaf Cidon Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering |
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Christine P. Hendon Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering |
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Xiaofan (Fred) Jiang Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering |
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Dion Khodagholy Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering |
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Ioannis (John) Kymissis Kenneth Brayer Professor of Electrical Engineering |
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Matthias Preindl Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering |
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Ken Shepard Lau Family Professor of Electrical Engineering; Professor of Biomedical Engineering |
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John Wright Associate Professor of Applied Mathematics | Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering |
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Gil Zussman Professor of Electrical Engineering |
Industrial Engineering and Operations Research
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Eric Balkanski Assistant Professor of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research |
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Garud N. Iyengar Tang Family Professor Of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research |
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Hardeep Johar Senior Lecturer Of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research |
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Christian Kroer Assistant Professor of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research |
Mechanical Engineering
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Sunil Agrawal Professor of Mechanical Engineering and of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine |
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James Hone Wang Fong-Jen Professor of Mechanical Engineering | MRSEC Director |
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Vijay Modi Professor of Mechanical Engineering |
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Kristin Myers Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering |
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Huiming Yin Associate Professor of Civil Engineering and of Engineering Mechanics |
SURE News
SURE in the News
IMPORTANT DATES
Application Opens:
October 30, 2023
Information Sessions:
Wednesday, November 15, 2023 at 7:00 PM ET (Register Here)
Thursday, January 4, 2024 at 7:00 PM ET (Register Here)
Tentative Program Dates:
May 29,2024 - August 3rd 2024
Application Deadline:
January 12, 2024 -- Early application is encouraged.
Selection Notifications:
Late February 2024
WHAT’S INCLUDED
- 10 weeks of Laboratory Research
- Graduate student and faculty mentoring
- Room and Board
- Summer Stipend
- Weekly professional development and graduate school preparation seminars
- Industry visits
- Social activities across NYC
SURE Program FAQs
Visit our FAQs to learn more about the Columbia University Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Program, or contact us at cusure@columbia.edu