The Summer Undergraduate Research Experience is an opportunity for students to be paired with a faculty member for one-on-one mentoring during the summer. S.U.R.E. participants will spend 10 to 12 on-campus hours per week with a mentor over five to 10 weeks learning how to conduct a research study. Students will attend several seminars with other participants to broaden their knowledge of various topics and will create and present a poster at the conclusion of S.U.R.E. and at a Showcase SFA event.
Program Guidelines & Stipends
Formal S.U.R.E. activities will be scheduled during the second summer term, but work on individual projects may start as early as the spring semester or first summer term.
Faculty members will lead discussions for at least one of the weekly meetings (if applicable) and will receive a maximum $2,500 stipend regardless of the number of students involved in the project.
Students will receive a $1,000 scholarship applied to their fall tuition bill. Students must enroll as a major in the College of Sciences and Mathematics in the fall semester following their S.U.R.E. project to receive the scholarship.
Up to $500 is available for supplies. Recipients are encouraged to request matching funds from their department.
Application Information
Summer 2025 Application:
The online application is due by Wednesday, March 5, 2025. The target date for award notifications is Monday, March 31, 2025.
Students should be involved in the development of the application as part of the mentoring process.
2024 Posters
Explore the presentations below from our 2024 S.U.R.E. participants. Click on a poster to read the abstract and watch the poster pitch.
Raqeeb Anjum


Raqeeb Anjum

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Pioneering UAV Autonomy: Advancing 3D Modeling
Department of Computer Science
Student: Raqeeb Anjum
Faculty mentor: Eddie Ironsmith

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Philip Baker


Philip Baker

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Chlorinated Wastewater and its Potency to form Microbial Biofilm
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Student: Philip Baker
Faculty mentor: Drs. Bidisha Sengupta and Robert Friedfeld

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Irvin Barona


Irvin Barona

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Department of Physics, Engineering and Astronomy
Student: Irvin Barona
Faculty mentors: Dr. Dan Bruton, Dr. Hector Ochoa and Collin Timmons

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Becky Beyer


Becky Beyer

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Searching for the K-Pg Iridium Anomaly in Central Arkansas
Department of Earth Sciences and Geologic Resources
Student: Becky Beyer
Faculty mentor: Dr. Mindy Faulkner

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Kevin Claypool


Kevin Claypool

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Department of Physics, Engineering and Astronomy
Student: Kevin Claypool
Faculty mentors: Dr. Dan Bruton, Dr. Hector Ochoa and Collin Timmons

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Kathryn Clevenger


Kathryn Clevenger

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Occurrence of Microplastics in Biosolids in Wastewater Treatment Plants in Deep East Texas
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Student: Kathryn Clevenger
Faculty mentor: Dr. Kefa Onchoke

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Thanh Tien Dao


Thanh Tien Dao

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Synergistic Interaction of Important Phytochemicals With Human Serum Albumin (HSA)
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Student: Thanh Tien Dao
Faculty mentor: Dr. Bidisha Sengupta

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Crystal Davis


Crystal Davis

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Analysis of East Texas landfowl and waterfowl eggshells
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Student: Crystal Davis
Faculty mentors: Drs. Alyx Frantzen and Franta Majs

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Dustin Judson


Dustin Judson

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Department of Physics, Engineering and Astronomy
Student: Dustin Judson
Faculty mentors: Dr. Dan Bruton, Dr. Hector Ochoa and Collin Timmons

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Michael Andrew Knights


Michael Andrew Knights

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Department of Physics, Engineering and Astronomy
Student: Michael Andrew Knights
Faculty mentor: Dr. James Adams

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Callie Lynn


Callie Lynn

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Passive Health Assessment of Sea Mammals (PHASM)
Department of Biology
Student: Callie Lynn
Faculty mentor: Dr. Jason Bruck

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Jake Swallow


Jake Swallow

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Study of Microplastics in Wastewater Treatment Plants in Deep East Texas
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Student: Jake Swallow
Faculty mentors: Drs. Kefa Onchoke and Robert Friedfeld

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Oscar Vazquez


Oscar Vazquez

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JackBot: Developing a Chatbot Using Google's Generative AI Technology
Department of Computer Science
Student: Oscar Vazquez
Faculty mentor: Dr. Jianjun "Jeffery" Zheng

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Marlene Zepeta Rodriguez


Marlene Zepeta Rodriguez

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Urea-bis(Coumarin-enamine) Chemosensor for Relay Recognition of Anion and Cation
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Student: Marlene Zepeta Rodriguez
Faculty mentor: Dr. Rashid Mia

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