UTICA, NY – More than 40 students at SUNY Polytechnic Institute’s (SUNY Poly) Albany and Utica campuses this summer are working with professors on a variety of hands-on research topics as part of the SUNY Poly Undergraduate Research Program (SURP), providing advanced opportunities for students to be immersed in exciting, wide-ranging areas of research.

The program began Monday, May 28, as 30 faculty paired with undergraduate students to focus on topics ranging from green building certification documentation to mathematical modeling of blood flow of the eye’s retina. 

“I think the students who are taking part in this inspiring program certainly develop an independence they wouldn’t necessarily have if they hadn’t gone through this experience,” said SUNY Poly Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering Carolyn Rodak. “They also acquire expertise in the area that they’re working, which is really great for preparing them for in-demand careers that will serve them well.”

SURP was limited to SUNY Poly students in 2018, but has expanded to welcome external students this summer. SUNY Poly Professor of Nanoscience Dr. Robert Brainard, who serves on the SURP Committee with Dr. Rodak, said 10 external students are participating in the program at SUNY Poly’s Albany campus and five external students were accepted to SURP at the Utica campus. 

“The idea to advertise externally this year was to spread the good news about who we are, allowing these students to engage in cutting-edge research that can provide a strong foundation for a lifetime of learning,” said Dr. Brainard. 

All students are paid a stipend - either through SUNY Poly or grants obtained through faculty - and fit into three different categories: 

• Scholarship Research – Open only to SUNY Poly students who are participating in SURP for the first time. 
• Inter-Campus Research – This option is for a student who participated in one SURP program and is interested in another. If the student has demonstrated excellent research capabilities, they may be accepted to participate in another SURP program at a different campus than the one where they did their first internship. This program is selective as students are typically only allowed to participate in one SURP program.
• Visiting Undergraduate Research – Open to non-SUNY Poly students. 

The 10-week program will conclude Friday, August 2, with a poster session on Thursday, August 1, in Utica, and Friday, August 2 in Albany. Both poster sessions are open to the public and will be held 1-3 p.m.

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About SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly)

SUNY Poly is New York’s globally recognized, high-tech educational ecosystem. SUNY Poly offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in the emerging disciplines of nanoscience and nanoengineering, as well as cutting-edge nanobioscience and nanoeconomics programs at its Albany campus, and undergraduate and graduate degrees in technology, including engineering, cybersecurity, computer science, and the engineering technologies; professional studies, including business, communication, and nursing; and arts and sciences, including natural sciences, mathematics, humanities, and social sciences at its Utica/Rome campus; thriving athletic, recreational, and cultural programs, events, and activities complement the campus experience. As the world’s most advanced, university-driven research enterprise, SUNY Poly boasts billions of dollars in high-tech investments and hundreds of corporate partners since its inception. For information visit www.sunypoly.edu.