Two dozen of the University of Colorado at Boulder's top incoming freshmen are getting an early start on college by spending a month this summer working with faculty members on individual research and creative projects.
The 24 students are part of the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience, or SURE, program which provides each participant with a $1,000 stipend and free room-and-board to work with faculty on various research and scholarly projects, said Joan Gabriele, director of Special Undergraduate Enrichment Programs. The program began July 9 and runs until Aug. 4.
This year's SURE participants are involved with faculty in departments ranging from aerospace engineering, history and molecular, cellular and developmental biology to theater and dance, classics and journalism, said Gabriele. Research projects range from helping to measure atmospheric aerosols and studying ancient classic texts to researching the neurophysiology of movement.
At the end of the four weeks, the students formally present the results of their work to their SURE peers, faculty mentors and invited guests, Gabriele said.
"These students are talking to each other every day about their fields of study and their goals, which makes their experiences here richer," she said. "I think the relationships these students develop with each other is one of the biggest benefits of the program."
The students are mentored by former SURE students, who serve as resident advisers in Crosman Hall where the students stay during the summer campus program, said Gabriele.
Each year, the top applicants of the incoming CU-Boulder freshman class --
those with a grade-point-average of 3.75 or higher and a combined SAT score of 1350 -- are invited to apply for the SURE program, she said.
Gabriele said nine of the 16 Boettcher Scholars entering CU-Boulder this fall are participating in the SURE Program. Boettcher Scholarships are the most prestigious merit-based scholarships available to Colorado high school seniors attending in-state colleges and include tuition, fees, books and a living stipend for four years. About 40 Boettcher Scholarships are awarded in Colorado annually.
Gabriele also directs the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, or UROP, which has provided more than $5 million to roughly 6,000 undergraduates for research and creative work with faculty since the program was begun in 1986.