Program Description and Requirements | Eligibility Requirements |
Application Information
Please read all sections of this page before you begin the application
process!
Applications are encouraged from students who wish to work in
a modern academic research laboratory under the guidance of experienced scientists
and engineers. The program will expose students to the excitement and opportunities
of a research career. This experience will provide excellent preparation for
students interested
in subsequently pursuing a Ph.D or M.D./Ph.D.
Students apply for MURF by submitting an online application. They must also
request three letters of recommendation from faculty in relevant disciplines
or former research mentors. Students must also upload an unofficial transcript.
Applications will be evaluated by a faculty committee, which will select prospective
fellows from the applicant pool. Selected students will be matched with a mentor.
Fellowships will be offered when the match has been confirmed.
Students awarded a MURF fellowship will be required to submit a project plan
after consultation and collaboration with the mentor. The submission of the
project plan and fellowship forms by the deadline will constitute acceptance
of the award.
All documents will be submitted directly to the SFP online
system. The application includes:
- An online application
- Three confidential letters of recommendation from faculty (at least two
in the relevant discipline)
- The applicant’s unofficial transcript.
Recommendations are completed online with the application
form. The online application will request recommender contact information
from the student. The recommender will then be emailed directly and asked
to submit his or her recommendation into the online system. Students
are required to submit three letters of recommendation. At least two
must be from faculty in the relevant fields at the student’s
college or university. The third may be from a former employer or faculty
member
outside the field.
Students are required to submit an unofficial transcript through the online
application form.
Applications are judged on the following criteria:
- Student has sufficient academic preparation to undertake a research project
at Caltech
- Application provides a clear description of
the student’s
research interests, what the student has done to foster his/her interests,
student’s academic and career goals
- References are supportive
- Student’s research interests are aligned with
those of a mentor at Caltech or JPL
To be eligible for MURF, you must:
- Be current sophomore, junior or non-graduating senior
- Have a cumulative
GPA of at least 3.0/4.0
- Complete the second semester or third quarter at your
college or university
- Not be under any disciplinary sanction
- Be a US citizen or Permanent
Resident
Awards will be offered starting February 9. Students will receive e-mail
notification of the outcome of their applications.
A vital part of the MURF process is the interaction between student
and mentor. MURF students are required to consult and collaborate
with their mentors immediately after the award has been offered to
discuss the project on which the student will work over the summer.
Students must submit a Project Plan outlining the project, what he/she
will do, and provide a timeline for accomplishing project goals.
This is the best time to find information about the project, the laboratory,
and the student’s role in the group. During the discussion, MURF
students should develop their expectations of what it will be like to
work in this group as well as the nature of their research projects. Guidelines
for consultation may be accessed here.
MURF is not "just a summer job"; a project should have significant
intellectual and creative content and the student should demonstrate
that he/she has taken intellectual ownership of the project.
Students receiving a MURF award will be required to write a project plan
after collaboration with their mentors. The project plan ensures communication
between you and your mentor and/or your co-mentor prior to the start
of your project. If well done, it shows that you have an understanding
of what you will do and why the work is necessary or desirable. It outlines
the approach you will take to carry out your task. It provides a schedule
or timeline for accomplishing the individual steps and overall goals
of your project, and it encourages your mentor and his or her staff to
make the arrangements necessary to accommodate you and your needs before
your arrival.
See Guidelines for the Project Plan here.
Apply Here! --> The application for 2010 will be available no later than December 1st, 2009.
