Columbia University and Amazon Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Program

SURE is a unique academic-industry collaboration created to foster career exploration at the frontiers of engineering research. This 10-week summer research program in New York City is designed to support under-represented minorities and female-identifying students in STEM on their pathways into graduate school in engineering and science. A recent recipient of the INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine Inspiring Programs in STEM Award, SURE has a reputation for helping students jumpstart their careers as researchers and academics.

2022 SURE Cohort (photo by Jane Nisselson)

SURE at a Glance

Participate in a unique academic-industry collaboration and engage in cutting-edge research at Columbia University. You’ll have the opportunity to be mentored by faculty, researchers, and STEM professionals from academia and industry.

But that’s not all…

  • Develop a better understanding of how scientific discoveries transform into solutions and products.
  • Expand your professional network to open doors to new career opportunities and innovative research ideas.
  • Participate in enriching personal and professional development programming designed to enrich learning as you navigate the next steps of your career.
  • Explore New York City through fun, interactive activities across the city with unparalleled opportunities for discovery, innovation, and growth.
  • Celebrate your achievements in a Summer Research Symposium and showcase your research efforts to peers, faculty, researchers, and industry professionals
SURE Program Fellows in a lab at Columbia University.

SURE Program Eligibility

  • Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
  • Rising juniors and rising seniors from any U.S. based college of university in any STEM major
  • Should be in strong academic standing, particularly in STEM coursework
  • Must not already have a Bachelors degree or be slated for graduate May 2023 or Summer 2023)
  • Women, underrepresented minorities, as well as students with community college experience or those attending institutions with limited opportunities for undergraduate research, are encouraged to apply (See National Science Foundation definition of under-represented minority)
  • Interested in attending graduate school
  • Prior research experience but not required but a strong curiosity in research is recommended

Apply Now

Any questions related to the Columbia-Amazon SURE Program can be directed to [email protected].

SURE Impact

SURE Alumni Profiles

Faculty Mentors

You are welcome to visit the websites of faculty members listed below to explore possible research projects in their groups. This is not an exhaustive list of faculty with whom SURE fellows will be able to work this summer.

Sunil Agrawal
Professor of Mechanical Engineering and of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine
Eric Balkanski
Assistant Professor of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research 
Simon Billinge
Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics
Athanasios Bourtsalas
Lecturer in Earth and Environmental Engineering
Chris Boyce
Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering
Luca Carloni
Professor of Computer Science
Augustin Chaintreau
Associate Professor of Computer Science
Siu-Wai Chan
Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
Shih-Fu Chang
Senior Executive Vice Dean, SEAS, Richard Dicker Professor
Xi Chen
Associate Professor of Computer Science
Asaf Cidon
Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering
Tal Danino
Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Principal Investigator of The Synthetic Biological Systems Laboratory
Steve Feiner
Professor of Computer Science
Marco Giometto
Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics
Christine P. Hendon
Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering
Henry Hess
Professor of Biomedical Engineering
James Hone
Wang Fong-Jen Professor of Mechanical Engineering | MRSEC Director
Clark Hung
Professor of Biomedical Engineering & Orthopedic Sciences
Garud N. Iyengar
Tang Family Professor Of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research
Xiaofan (Fred) Jiang
Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering
Hardeep Johar
Senior Lecturer Of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research
Dion Khodagholy
Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering
Elisa Konofagou
Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Radiology (Physics)
Christian Kroer
Assistant Professor of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research
Sanat Kumar
Bykhovsky Professor of Chemical Engineering
Ioannis (John) Kymissis
Kenneth Brayer Professor of Electrical Engineering
Upmanu Lall
Alan & Carol Silberstein Professor of Earth & Environmental Engineering, and Civil Engineering & Engineering Mechanics; Director Columbia Water Center; Chair of Earth and Environmental Engineering
Helen H. Lu
Percy K. and Vida L. W. Hudson Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Kyle T. Mandli
Associate Professor of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics
Vijay Modi
Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Kristin Myers
Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Itsik Pe'er
Associate Professor of Computer Science
Feniosky A. Pena-Mora
Edwin Howard Armstrong Professor of Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics | Professor of Earth and Environmental Engineering | Professor of Computer Science
Matthias Preindl
Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering
Kui Ren
Professor of Applied Mathematics
Dan Rubenstein
Professor of Computer Science
Henning Schulzrinne
Julian Clarence Levi Professor of Mathematical Methods and Computer Science and Professor of Electrical Engineering
Ken Shepard
Lau Family Professor of Electrical Engineering; Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Samuel Sia
Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Mijo Simunovic
Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering
Brian Smith
Assistant Professor of Computer Science
J. Thomas "Tommy" Vaughan, Jr.
Professor of Biomedical Engineering & Radiology; Director, The Columbia Magnetic Resonance Research Center; Principal Investigator, Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute
Latha Venkataraman
Vice Provost For Faculty Affairs; Lawrence Gussman Professor of Applied Physics and Professor of Chemistry
Carl Vondrick
Assistant Professor of Computer Science
Renata Wentzcovitch
Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, and Earth and Environmental Science
John Wright
Associate Professor of Applied Mathematics | Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering
Eugene Wu
Associate Professor of Computer Science
Bolun Xu
Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Engineering
Huiming Yin
Associate Professor of Civil Engineering and of Engineering Mechanics
Gil Zussman
Professor of Electrical Engineering

SURE in the News

Amazon MS Fellowship

The Amazon MS Fellowship at Columbia Engineering is designed to increase the participation of students from underrepresented groups in graduate programs in STEM disciplines. 

The Amazon MS Fellowship includes: 

  • Tuition support for completing MS degree program requirements in Columbia Engineering 
  • A chance to participate in an internship at Amazon during academic semesters and the summer 
  • Supervision from industry professionals and a chance to be considered for career opportunities at Amazon after completing MS studies

Learn More

IMPORTANT DATES

Application Opens: Early November 2022

Information Sessions: Thursday, November 17, 2022 at 7 PM ET (Register Here) Thursday, January 9, 2023 at 4 PM ET (Register Here)

Tentative Program Dates: May 31 - August 4th 2023

Application Deadline: January 22, 2023 “Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until all spots are filled. Early application is encouraged.

Selection Notifications: Early April 2023

WHAT’S INCLUDED

  • 10 weeks of Laboratory Research
  • Graduate student and faculty mentoring
  • Room and Board
  • Basic Health Care
  • Summer Stipend
  • Weekly professional development and graduate school preparation seminars
  • Industry visits
  • Social activities across NYC

SURE Program FAQs

Visit our FAQs to learn more about the Columbia University and Amazon Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Program or contact us at [email protected]