Faculty and students work together in SURE

Alec Slovenec

Kent State’s Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) is an eight-week program where students work closely with faculty on research in their respective area of study.

Students of all majors from all Kent State campuses are able to join the program. Participants will receive a $2,800 stipend for their participation. Those who need housing may live in Korb Hall with fellow researchers from SURE and other summer programs.

The program was created last year, with 34 student participating. It offers an opportunity for students and faculty to work together one-on-one on their research topic.

Anna Gosky, director of the Office of Student Research, facilitates the program. She said that SURE helps students make career decisions for the future.

According to Gosky, participants are diverse; People from all backgrounds and majors work and live together.

“What stands out about the program is that we have students in marketing who are working with physicists,” Gosky said. “It’s interdisciplinary.”

Unlike most undergraduate education programs, students have the opportunity to teach their professors as well.

“The experience not only benefits the student — they’re delving deeper into their academic areas of study — but it also benefits the faculty member (with) help with their research,” Gosky said, “potentially in publications (and) those kinds of things.”

The deadline to apply for this year’s program ended on March 1. Faculty will soon begin sorting through applications. Entrance into the program, according to Gosky, is a competitive process.

The program will run from June 12 to Aug. 4. While it is too late to apply for this summer, those interested in undergraduate research can start thinking about participating next year.

Alec Slovenec is the university diversity reporter, contact him at [email protected].