Summer Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program 2013
Program Outline
The Summer Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (SUROP) at Kansas State University
(KSU) gives undergraduates from under-represented groups a first-hand experience with
the research process. This experience is designed to help students prepare for graduate
school and other advanced study. Participation in a program such as SUROP provides
a first-hand look at the process and excitement of discovery through research and
such experience is viewed favorably by the admissions committees for graduate and
professional schools.
Students participating in the SUROP will spend nine weeks during the summer at K-State working closely with faculty members as part of their research teams. Faculty members have on-going scholarly programs that continue through the summer. Students are expected to spend about 40 hours per week working with their research teams and to be contributing members of this group. By the end of the 9-week period, students should have produced tangible results from experimental research and will report the results in a special research forum.
Participants will also attend weekly seminars to learn more about the graduate school experience and are strongly encouraged to attend other events and activities organized by the SUROP coordinators.
The program for summer 2013 begins on Wednesday, May 29, 2013 and concludes on Friday, July 26, 2013. To be eligible to participate, applicants must be available for the entire time period of the program. Selected participants are expected to arrive to Kansas State University on Tuesday, May 28, 2013.
Stipend and Financial Support
The KSU Graduate School provides participants with a stipend of $3,000 paid in three
installments. In addition, the program pays travel expenses (up to $300) and residence
hall room and board. The student is expected to pay for personal expenses from the
stipend amount.
Participating Departments for Summer 2013 this list may be updated throughout the Fall 2012 semester
Electrical and Computer Engineering (Biomedical Engineering, Medical Devices)
Horticulture, Forestry & Recreation Services
Hospitality Management & Dietetics
Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering
Psychology (Cognitive, Behavioral/Animal, Social, Industrial/Organizational)
See a list of previous participants and mentors.
Eligibility
First-generation college students, members of ethnic minority groups, females in STEM
disciplines, and other under-represented groups are invited to apply for the KSU SUROP.
Applicants must be American citizens. Applicants should have an undergraduate cumulative
GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale, be majoring in a field listed above or a related
field, and have a career goal that includes graduate-level education of at least two
years beyond the B.S. or B.A. degree. Students should have at least sophomore standing
and must be enrolled in at least one semester of undergraduate study upon completion
of participating in SUROP. Non-KSU applicants will be given prior consideration.
Application Procedure
Early applications will be reviewed on a continuous basis beginning November 1, 2012. Completed applications must be postmarked no later than February 15, 2013.
To apply for participation in SUROP:
- Submit a completed SUROP application form (Word) (PDF).
- Submit a brief statement of purpose that includes academic and career goals, research interests, and a reason for desire to participate in SUROP. It is also beneficial to identify K-State faculty with whom you would be interested in working and explain why you would like to work with them.
- Submit a current official transcript of your undergraduate work that includes grades for Fall 2012.
- Have TWO faculty members at your home institution submit a letter of recommendation and complete the SUROP recommendation form. The form and recommendation letter can be faxed to 785-532-2983 or sent as an email attachment to gdschgra@ksu.edu.
- Send application materials to:
- The Graduate School - SUROP
Kansas State University
103 Fairchild Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506-1103
e-mail:gdschgra@ksu.edu
*To avoid a delay in application processing, please be sure to include SUROP in the address when sending any materials.*
Kansas State University
Kansas State is the land-grant university in the state of Kansas. During the academic
year, approximately 23,500 students enroll at KSU, including approximately 4,000 graduate
students. Manhattan, Kansas (population 51,000), is located in the rolling Flint Hills
of Northeast Kansas, just south of Tuttle Creek Reservoir. Manhattan is two hours
west of Kansas City and about 50 minutes west of the capital city of Kansas, Topeka.
The Graduate School - SUROP
Kansas State University
103 Fairchild Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506-1103
phone: 785-532-6191
toll-free: 1-800-651-1816
email: gdschgra@k-state.edu