For the past 10 years undergraduate students who are taking Chemical Engineering degree programmes have had the opportunity to undertake a summer research project as part of the SURF scheme. This eight week project introduces students to the world of research proposals, data collection and analysis, and how to present research findings. Over the past 10 years, the scheme has allowed over 60 students to get a taste of research, many of whom have decided to proceed further with research to PhD level. A fellow from one of the first SURF cohorts is now completing his PhD in Cambridge and preparing to continue postdoctoral research in the US! Other SURF alumni have embarked on PhDs in Sheffield, and few of them are now mentors for SURF fellows, coming full circle.
Students interested in taking part in SURF undergo a competitive selection process. They have to submit an application and undertake an interview. At the end of the project students give an oral and poster presentation at the SURF conference day, a mini-symposium modelled on a professional research meeting. At the symposium there are awards for the top three presentations and best poster, the prizes are sponsored by industry.
Professor Wong said: "Founding the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship at the University of Sheffield has been a surreal journey. Twenty-four years ago, I undertook my own SURF at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) under the mentorship of Prof. Frances H. Arnold, who was later awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2018 for her pioneering work in protein evolution. I am immensely proud to have initiated the SURF programme and even more so when I see the remarkable achievements of our SURF alumni as they advance in their careers. A special thanks to Dr. Eleni Routoula for taking the baton and continuing to lead this initiative forward."
This year Professor Wong also arranged for three students to join us from Thailand who were from Chulalongkorn University (CU) and King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT). The School already has close links with these institutions and it was after a recent visit the invitation to attend SURF was extended to their students.
Dr Routoula who will be leading the SURF project in the future said: "I'm excited to take on the role of director for the SURF scheme. This program offers an invaluable opportunity for students to explore the world of research and develop essential skills for their future careers, in research or elsewhere. Over the last few years I have seen SURF grow and I'm excited to build upon the scheme's success and expand its reach to an even more diverse cohort of students and research areas, since we became part of the School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering"
A key outcome of the scheme is to enable students to develop skills they can use in their future careers.
Alex is an undergraduate student studying Chemical Engineering.
“I have enjoyed researching deep into a specific field and using the contextual knowledge I’ve gained to make my own interpretations of results from the lab. After this experience I’m much more interested in doing more research projects in the future, possibly continuing my work on alkali activated slag cements or even undertaking a PhD in the future.”
Jakarin travelled from King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, to The University of Sheffield to take part in SURF
“This experience has significantly shaped my career goals by providing hands-on experience with cutting-edge biotechnological techniques, which is invaluable for a future career.
“Conducting detailed experiments, analysing data, and drawing conclusions has strengthened my research skills, preparing me for potential roles in academic or industrial research settings.”