Thank you for your interest in the American Society for Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET) Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program at the University of Florida. The UF ASPET SURF Program is designed to give students an immersive research and professional development experience. This mentored 10-week program (5/27/25 to 8/1/25) includes independent research, course work, and professional development events. Students from all across the USA are welcome to apply. See our SURF alumni here!
Undergraduate students accepted into the SURF Program will perform cutting-edge research in Pharmacology & Therapeutics. Each SURF fellow will work in the laboratory of a given professor. The program includes weekly discussion sessions with faculty members and current Pharmacology graduate students on selected topics in Pharmacology & Therapeutics and brownbag lunch discussions featuring guest speakers. Fellows will also participate in our Pharmacology Immersion Program (PIP), which consists of a four-day immersive lecture, discussion, and laboratory methods program and is held during the early part of the program.. It is designed to accomplish three overall goals: 1) render a general knowledge base of fundamental concepts in Pharmacology; 2) provide hands-on experience with methods commonly used within the multiple disciplines and experimental approaches within Pharmacology; and 3) facilitate engagement of students with primary faculty and other graduate students and post-doctoral trainees in the Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics.
Accepted applicants will gain experience in basic biomedical research, be introduced to the disciplines of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, and have the opportunity to present data in a typical graduate student seminar setting. Each SURF fellow will receive a $4,000 stipend and furnished housing will be provided.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Applicants must be full-time, registered students at a College or University at the time of application submission and applicants must not be eligible to graduate prior to beginning the SURF Program.
- Each applicant must have completed at least 1 year of coursework at the undergraduate level and must have maintained a minimum overall grade point average of at least 3.0.
- Applicants must be able to devote 10 complete weeks of full-time laboratory research during the summer program period. From 5/27/25 to 8/1/25.
How to Apply:
All applicants must complete the online application and upload all required documents listed below via the online application portal. All required documents must be loaded as PDF formatted documents. Required documents include:
- A statement expressing applicant’s interest in the UF SURF Program.
- A statement describing any current or previous research experience the applicant may have had.
- A current copy of transcript from each college or university the applicant has attended to date (unofficial copies are acceptable).
- The names and contact information of three professional references who will provide letters of recommendation, if selected.
- A résumé including employment, education, research experience, awards, honors, and publications/abstract presentations as applicable is required.
Please make sure that you have all required documents ready to upload when completing the on-line application. Applications will not be considered complete until all required information and documents have been received via the online portal. The UF ASPET SURF Program Selection Committee will review all applications that have been completed by the deadline.
Selection criteria will be based on the applicant’s overall application. While previous research experience is not a requirement, preference will be given to applicants who have had experience in a basic research lab. Particular attention will be paid to the types of basic sciences courses an applicant has taken, grades received in these courses, an applicant’s research interest statement, and if the applicant has expressed the goal of obtaining a PhD in any of the basic sciences.
If you have any questions, please contact:
Amber Beers
ASPET SURF Program Coordinator, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics – UF College of Medicine. Phone: (352)-294-5351 | Email: amber.beers@ufl.edu
