Every spring, the Center for Undergraduate Excellence (CUE) reviews applicants for the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF). SURF awards motivated individuals to seek out research and creative activity with a faculty mentor while receiving a $4,000 fellowship, in addition to room and board. Fellows can either work with a faculty mentor to continue the mentor’s current research or create a project independently. We are excited to announce that the SURF program for 2022 will be in an in-person format for the first time since the summer of 2019!

SURF fellows must spend a minimum of 30 hours per week conducting research or creative activity, attending weekly cohort meetings and social events, and presenting their culmination of work at the Summer Research Showcase in front of friends, family, and faculty during their last week. Albeit the long hours, many students appreciate the opportunity to advance their research. 

Kellie Omori (’22)

2022 SURF Fellow Kellie Omori (‘22) says, “I am extremely grateful for this amazing opportunity to participate in SURF this summer. I only recently got involved in research in Fall 2021 at the start of my senior year, and I was encouraged to apply for SURF with the support of Dr. Owens. This past year, I have been mainly working on the preliminary steps in my project, and so this summer, I am really looking forward to progressing my research further and carrying out the project’s main goals. I also hope to grow as an independent researcher, and I know that SURF will prepare me for Ph.D. programs I might be applying to in the near future”

The SURF program is not limited to any major; students of all disciplines are encouraged to apply. Each year, there is a wide variety of students who are pursuing different research interests. Projects for this summer range from “Student Body Presidents’ Perceptions of Campus Free Expression” to studies on “Targeting flexible regions on chlorogenic acid esterases to engineer highly active enzymes and reduce greening in sunflower products.” Since the fellows are not bound to any specific topic for their projects, the SURF program welcomes diverse groups of research and creative activity.

Philip Goodrich (’22)

History and Political Science double major, Philip Goodrich mentioned, “I have been doing research since my sophomore year at Chapman when I joined a research team in the Attallah College of Educational Studies. Since then, I have developed a passion for research, and I look forward to furthering this passion during the SURF Program. During the program, I hope to grow my research skills, collaborate with other disciplines, and produce a quality research project that contributes to society.”

The CUE is excited to announce the 2022 SURF Fellows:

  • Amy Whitmarsh / Health Sciences 
    • Faculty Mentor: Dr. Aaron Schurger 
    • Project: Decoding Action Selection from Preceding Neural Activity 
  • Audrey Bichelmeir / Computer Science 
    • Faculty Mentor: Dr. Franceli Cibrian
    • Project: A smartwatch to assess processing 
  • Clarissa Tadros / Psychology 
    • Faculty Mentor: Dr. Tara Gruenewald 
    • Project: Nonverbal Communication in Collaborative Contexts 
  • Cristina Molina / Communication Studies 
    • Faculty Mentor: Dr. Sara LaBelle 
    • Project: Assessing Latinx Young Adults With ADHD: Late Diagnosis and Its Effects 
  • Daniel Dinh / Software Engineering 
    • Faculty Mentor: Dr. Maryam Etezadbrojerdi 
    • Project: Tracking Student Attentiveness using FMCW Radar 
  • Delilah Schuerman / Biological Sciences 
    • Faculty Mentor: Dr. Patricia Lopes 
    • Project: Determining brain regions activated during parental care 
  • Helen Lee / Psychology 
    • Faculty Mentor: Dr. Brooke Jenkins 
    • Project: The Implications of Affect Variability on Cortisol and Sleep 
  • Jonathan Vergonio / Pre-Pharmacy Freshman Early Assurance Program 
    • Faculty Mentor: Dr. Rakesh Tiwari 
    • Project: siRNA Delivery using Fatty Acylated Cell-Penetrating Peptides
  • Kellie Omori / Health Sciences; Biological Sciences
    • Faculty Mentor: Dr. Cedric Owens 
    • Project: Targeting flexible regions on chlorogenic acid esterases to engineer highly active enzymes and reduce greening in sunflower products
  • Kevan Parang / Computer Science 
    • Faculty Mentor: Dr. LouAnne Boyd 
    • Project: Exploring Global Processing Via Virtual Reality and Video Games 
  • Kevin Nguyen / Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 
    • Faculty Mentor: Dr. Hagop Atamian 
    • Project: The Effect of Carbon Monoxide on the Mutualistic Interaction Between Alfalfa and Rhizobia 
  • Madeleine Chang / Applied Human Physiology; University Honors Program 
    • Faculty Mentor: Dr. Patricia Lopes
    • Project: The Effect of Sociality on the Production of Major Urinary Protein in Wild Mice 
  • Micah Gonchar / Psychology 
    • Faculty Mentor: Dr. Julia Boehm 
    • Project: Motivational Properties of Music in Exercise 
  • Philip Goodrich / Political Science and History (Secondary Education minor)
    • Faculty Mentor: Kris De Pedro 
    • Project: Student Body Presidents’ Perceptions of Campus Free Expression 
  • Samuel Bernsen / Computer Engineering 
    • Faculty Mentor: Dr. Maryam Etezadbrojerdi 
    • Project: Measuring Attentiveness of Students Using Radar and Machine Learning 
  • Sarah Connoly / Chemistry 
    • Faculty Mentor: Dr. Christopher Kim 
    • Project: Effect of Particle Size on Arsenic Concentration and Bioaccessibility 
  • Shree Murthy / Computer Science 
    • Faculty Mentor: Dr. Yuxin Wen 
    • Project: Patient Length of Stay Prediction Based on Clinical Data 
  • Stephanie Yanes / Psychology and Political Science Double Major 
    • Faculty Mentor: Dr. David Frederick 
    • Project: Imposter Syndrome and its Link to Perfectionism and Psychological Distress, in an Era of Constant Social Comparison 
  • Vanessa Alarcon / Health Sciences 
    • Faculty Mentor: Dr. Rosalee Hellberg 
    • Project: The disinfection of enterotoxigenic Escherichia Coli (ETEC) on surfaces using the Contamination Sanitization Inspection and Disinfection (CSI-D) system. 

Interested in applying for other future fellowship, scholarship, and grant opportunities? Follow us on facebook and instagram for updates and more information.  View or website or email us at cue@chapman.edu