Resources to Support Applying to SURF
Info Sessions
Fall & Spring info sessions will be held online via Zoom.
The dates for 2022-2023 information sessions are as follows:
- Fri Jan 12: 12–1 PM | Zoom registration link
- T Jan 17: 12-1 PM | Zoom registration link
- Th Jan 19: 12-1 PM | Zoom registration link
You may access the slides from the information session here.
Research Proposal Workshops
Applicants are strongly encouraged to attend a research proposal workshop in the spring semester. This presentation helps orient students to the SURF application, reviewing the different sections of the SURF research proposal, the strategies that make for an effective proposal, and describes how the research proposal is assessed.
- Th, Feb 2: 12-1 PM | Zoom registration link
- Fri, Feb 3: 2-3 PM | Zoom registration link
- Mon, Feb 6: 12-1 PM | Zoom registration link
- Wed, Feb 8: 9-10 AM | Zoom registration link
- Wed, Feb 8: 2-3 PM | Zoom registration link
- Fri, Feb 10: 10-11 AM | Zoom registration link
- Fri, Feb 10: 12-1 PM | Zoom registration link
- Th, Feb 16: 12-1 PM | Zoom registration link
Writing a SURF Research Proposal
Your research proposal is the heart of your application. Start early so that you have time to incorporate feedback from faculty, fellow students, and others. Here are slides from the 2022 research proposal workshops.
Draft Workshops
The SURF Draft Workshops offer valuable opportunities for students to get advise and feedback about their SURF research proposals. To get the most out of these sessions it is important to come prepared, not only with specific ideas about the research project you are proposing, but also some rough (or not-so-rough) drafts of the key sections of the research proposal. SURF Graduate Student Mentors lead each session, so students may attend multiple sessions and receive different feedback.
- Wed, Feb 8: 4:30-5:30 PM | Zoom registration link
- Th, Feb 9: 2-3 PM | Zoom registration link
- Mon, Feb 13: 1-2 PM | Zoom registration link
- Mon, Feb 13: 2-3 PM | Zoom registration link
- Wed, Feb 15: 12-1 PM | Zoom registration link
- Wed, Feb 15: 2-3 PM | Zoom registration link
- Wed, Feb 15: 2-3 PM | Zoom registration link
- Wed, Feb 15: 4:30-5:30 PM | Zoom registration link
- Th, Feb 16: 2-3 PM | Zoom registration link
- Fri, Feb 17: 10-11 AM | Zoom registration link
- Wed, Feb 22: 1-2 PM | Zoom registration link
- Wed, Feb 22: 4:30-5:30 PM | Zoom registration link
- Th, Feb 23: 2-3 PM | Zoom registration link
- Fri, Feb 24: 10-11 AM | Zoom registration link
- Mon, Feb 27: 1-2 PM | Zoom registration link
Research Consultations
After attending a research proposal workshop, you may request a research consultation with SURF staff or an OURS Peer Advisor. You may schedule an appointment during their regularly scheduled office hours once you have a full draft of your application and need input about how to revise your essays and application materials.
If you have not yet made substantial progress on your application materials, you should first consult with either an OURS Peer Advisor or a UROC Peer Mentor.
Previously Successful SURF Proposals
Note: The following proposals will be listed by Major, Fellow, and Title of Project. To access the files, you must be logged into a valid UC Berkeley email address.
- Bioengineering, Joanna Veres, A Novel Computational Model For Bovine Intervertebral Disc Joint Level Mechanics
- Classical Languages, Phee Marcial, Catullan Journeys: Mapping Gender-fluidity in Trans*lation
- English, Mathematics, Mallen Clifton, Beyond the Screen: Examining Spatial Structure in Hypertext Fiction
- Geology, Yueyi Che, Comparison of Glacier Vertical Thinning and Horizontal Retreat in Yosemite During the Last Glacial Maximum
- History, Annabella Long, Marguerite Dice and Anti-communist Clubwomen
- Molecular and Cell Biology, William Lin, Identifying and Characterizing a Genetic Modifier for Cataracts
- Molecular Environmental Biology, Geography, Heidi Yang, Investigating the Role of Transposable Elements in the Adaptive Radiation of Hawaiian Tetragnatha Spiders
- Physics, Mathematics, Orion Ning, Compactification of a Nonlocal 6D Quantum Field Theory Toward Exploring Anomalies
- Rhetoric, Molecular and Cell Biology, Jonathan Kuo, Historicizing the Personal Belief Exemption to Vaccination in American History