Undergraduate Research at Elon University

Elon University - Transformative Learning

Spring Undergraduate Research Forum

An intecgral part of CELEBRATE!, an annual, weeklong celebration of student achievements in academics and the arts, Elon's Spring Undergraduate Research Forum (SURF) showcases student research and provides students the opportunity to present their research to a faculty and student audience. Student projects presented at SURF collaborations with mentors as part of faculty scholarship or course-based work through which students are introduced firsthand to the scholarly enterprise as participating contributors.

SURF also showcases faculty research and includes faculty panels on various topics.

View the program and abstract book for SURF 2009.

The SURF review process

Each year, a group of 20-25 faculty members review all abstracts submitted for SURF. Typically, this group includes members of the Undergraduate Research Program Advisory Committee, but 15-20 members of the faculty at large also are involved in the process. Each abstract is read by at least three reviewers, who provide feedback to help the advisory committee, SURF chair and director of undergraduate research in making decisions as to which abstracts will be accepted for presentation.

To be accepted to SURF, evidence of approval from the Institutional Review Board must be provided. View the IRB Web site for additional information.

It is extremely important that students and mentors understand that the only evidence the reviewers, SURF chair and director have available for making such decisions is the abstract. It is essential that the abstract be well-written and in language understandable by representatives of any discipline across campus. Discipline-specific jargon should be avoided, and if necessary should be clearly defined. The abstract must provide clear evidence that the student has undertaken a project that involves research at a level beyond the normal classroom experience.

A sample reviewer response form has been provided to offer a sense of what reviewers will be considering when they read your abstract and make recommendations.