Who May Serve as a Mentor?
Faculty at universities in the US and abroad may serve as mentors to Caltech SURF students.
The Role and Responsibilities of the Mentor
The primary role of the mentor is to serve as the senior partner in a collaboration with the student. It is important that the student be offered—and eventually accept—intellectual responsibility for his/her own project, but for most students the project will be the first research experience, so the mentor has also to be a teacher and a coach as well as a partner.
The primary responsibilities of the mentor are to prepare for the student’s arrival and to help the student meet all of the requirements of the program under which the student is registered; however, there are a number of specific responsibilities that each mentor will have in preparing for the project and in guiding the student through it during the summer:
- Consult with the student on the planning of the project and review a draft of the student's proposal. Note that the proposal should be the student’s product; the mentor may not write it, but may and should provide advice and guidance during its preparation.
- Complete the online Mentor Recommendation Form by the March
1 deadline. Mentors will be prompted by the SFP Online system to complete the
evaluation when the student has submitted his/her application. Contact
the SFPO at 626.395.2885 or via email if
you have questions or need further information.
- Students will be required to have a Caltech faculty member serve as Associate
Mentor.
- Mentor must be aware of the date of the student’s arrival and ensure preparations have been made, including a place for the student to sit, a computer, and a telephone.
- Mentor must be sure that the student receives relevant safety training following the institution’s requirements for students working in laboratories.
- During the summer, oversee the student's work on the project and consult at regular and appropriate intervals. If the mentor will be away, he or she should designate a co-mentor or colleague to supervise the student.
- Sign the progress reports and abstract which the student must submit throughout the summer. Mentors must authorize someone to sign the reports in their absence. Mentors should use the progress reports as an opportunity to discuss research progress, problems, etc. Students should use the reports to practice technical writing skills.
- Collaborate with the student in writing the abstract and final
report. The paper must be submitted electronically by the fourth Friday in
September. Mentors will receive a prompt from the SFP Online system to approve
the paper online. November 1 is the deadline for approved final reports.
- If a SURF student continues work on the project during the academic year, he or she must still submit an interim report by the deadline. A final draft describing additional work or results may be submitted later for the SURF archives.
- Help the student prepare for the oral presentation, normally
given during the third week in August or on the third Saturday in October.
An oral report is a requirement for all the students in SFP-sponsored programs.
- Contact the Student-Faculty Programs Office [Email us at sfp@caltech.edu or call 626.395.2885] if administrative problems arise..
SURF Compensation
SURF students receive $600/week. Non-Caltech/JPL mentors normally pay at least
half the amount. They may arrange to pay students directly or send
funds to Caltech for payment to the student; terms will be agreed to in the
Memorandum of Understanding.
Vacation Requests
Students may take vacation time during the summer with the approval of the mentor; however, students must complete all 10 weeks of the program before the beginning of instruction in the fall term at Caltech.
