May 23 – August 1, 2026
The SURF program entails a 10-week Summer Undergraduate Research experience at the University of Florida strictly for students 1) considering Ph.D. enrollment to UF and/or 2) participating in a UF Engineering REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) in one of our engineering departments. The Summer 2026 SURF model will only be supporting students from REU programs. This includes our engineering departments, faculty, and PIs who have already received a REU grant for a small cohort of students, or REU supplements for individual students. SURF-REU support provides the opportunity to work with a premier faculty adviser and a senior Ph.D. student mentor or Postdoc mentor. Students will engage in research and spend in-depth time furthering their career path, which may include applying and enrolling in a Ph.D. program at the University of Florida. All costs for SURF-REU support are paid by UF, which typically include a $5,000 – $7,000 summer stipend, UF Residence Hall housing, potential meal plans, summer workshops, social events/activities, etc.
SURF-REU 2025 Student Spotlight
Christian Cardenas Draws from Sociology and Statistics to Research Autonomous Vehicle Safety
Christian Cardenas is spending his summer with the University of Florida’s Secure, Accessible, and Sustainable Transportation program – a paid internship sponsored by the National Science Foundation supporting talented undergraduate students involved in high-impact research exploring autonomous transportation challenges. See here to read more.