Three Fulton Engineering students have been chosen to participate in the NIST SURF program, a nationally competitive undergraduate research opportunity.
Co-sponsored by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program began in 1993. Students apply through the university research center and are chosen based on each site’s requirements. Approximately 130 students participate each summer.
William Bowman, a junior in materials science and engineering, plans to further research on ceramic solid oxide fuel cells he has done through the FURI program. His goal is to better understand the effect of the micro-structure and composition of co-doped ceria on fuel cell performance.
Alena Matusevich, a junior in materials science and engineering, plans to continue her studies and pursue a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering. Through the NIST program, her goal is to gain additional research experience that will guide her graduate studies and help prepare her for a career in education.
Varun Patel, a freshman in biomedical engineering, was inspired by a high school research opportunity where he was introduced to new treatments being developed for chronic cardiovascular diseases. He has continued to participate in research and hopes to build on this experience and gain more knowledge about bioscience and health-related research.
SURF students will work for 11 weeks, contributing to an ongoing research project under the guidance of a NIST scientist or engineer. SURFers also gain exposure to a diverse range of research topics through the program’s summer lecture series.
One goal of the program is to provide opportunities for the next generation of scientists and engineers to engage in world-class scientific research, especially in ground-breaking areas of emerging technology. This carries with it the hope of motivating individuals to pursue a Ph.D. in physics, chemistry, biology, materials science, nanotechnology, neutron research, engineering, mathematics, or computer science, and to consider research careers.
