SURF requires two written progress reports, an abstract, a final technical paper, and a final oral presentation. These reports help students develop good communication skills, focus on progress toward their research goals, and synthesize the work done over the ten-week period.
Progress Reports
Follow these progress report writing requirements. The deadline for these reports
is 5:00 pm on July 9 and August 2. These must be signed by your mentor.
Abstracts
Abstracts are compiled in an abstract book for each of the scheduled seminar days. Please
follow these abstract writing requirements. The deadline for the abstract is
5:00 pm on August 2.
Final Technical Paper
Follow these final report writing requirements. Please read and follow them carefully.
Deadline is the fourth Friday in September.
Final Oral or Poster Presentation
All SURF students are required to give an oral or poster presentation on one of the regularly scheduled seminar days. However, some students may arrange to give their presentations at other times.
The SURF Talk Book provides assistance in the preparation of the oral presentation. The purpose of the book is not a speech textbook providing useful information for all types of speaking presentations, rather its focus is for undergraduate students presenting highly technical information to a general audience. For guidelines, access the SURF Talk Book.
SURF Seminar Day in October is the first round of the Doris S.
Perpall SURF Speaking Competition. Presentations by Caltech students will be
evaluated, and the students giving the best talks in each session will advance
to a semi final round. Judging criteria for the Perpall competition may be
found here (pdf).
SURF Seminar Day in October also serves as the first round of the Gee Family Poster Competition. Posters by Caltech students will be
evaluated, and the students giving the best presentations in the poster session will advance
to a final round. Judging criteria for the Gee competition may be
found here (pdf).
Failure to complete all of these requirements by the deadline will jeopardize
future applications, recommendations, and, for Caltech students, the posting of SURF on a transcript.
