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Upstate News

For first time ever, key SUNY Upstate summer science research program has all-female class

SYRACUSE, N.Y.- For the first time in its seven-year history, SUNY Upstate Medical University’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program features an all women class, with an average GPA of 3.71. The highly competitive program that partners college juniors with world class scientists on real-life scientific studies attracted 96 applications worldwide; 65 from women. Nine women were selected to participate in the program.

The program began June 5, and runs through Aug. 11 at SUNY Upstate.

“It is certainly encouraging to see women so involved in science education and research, but what I think is more encouraging is that these young people are committed to scientific discovery, and are devoting most of their summer to research,” said Mark Schmitt, Ph.D., associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biology and director of the SURF program.

During the ten-week program, students will be assigned a lab and may find themselves studying how brain circuits control cognitive function in Parkinson’s disease and schizophrenia, spinal cord injury or retinal regeneration.

Students live on campus and receive a $3,000 stipend. Before the session is over, they will have written a research paper, presented their work and attended research seminars.

Students participating this year representing a variety of universities, including SUNY Geneseo, SUNY Stonybrook, SUNY Plattsburg, Clarkson, LeMoyne, Utah State, Syracuse, and Baskir State University in Cameron.