Expectations | Project Plan | Reporting
Requirements | Progress Reports | Abstract | Final Technical Paper
The Honor Code
MURF operates under the Caltech
Honor Code. Please be sure to review the Honor Code prior to the start
of MURF.
Meet all requirements – on time
Requirements for MURF applicants and fellows are few but extremely important:
- Meet the eligibility requirements
- Students awarded a fellowship should expect to work hard on
the project during the ten-week summer period
- Students must submit two progress reports
- They must write and submit an abstract for publication in
the annual abstract book
- They must give an oral presentation on one of the scheduled
seminar days (or another time mutually agreed upon with mentor and Student-Faculty
Programs office).
- Participants are required to submit a technical paper by the
stated deadline
Future applications or recommendations could be jeopardized by
not completing all requirements.
Get help!
The friendly, helpful staff of the Student-Faculty Programs office is here
to assist you with questions or problems that arise during the summer. If
you need help, please do not hesitate to contact us or come in. The summer
passes very quickly, so it is better to address issues sooner than later!
You get out of MURF what you put into it
Like most any opportunity, students will get out of MURF what they put into
it. Those who work hard on their projects, ask questions, delve into the
subject and reflect on what they are doing and why they are doing it, will
learn a great deal. They will gain self-insight about what they like (or
don’t like) to do. They may get strong recommendations from their mentors
for graduate school or jobs. Participants can develop good communication
skills, which will benefit them throughout their careers. Mentors and co-mentors
expect students will commit themselves fully to the research.
MURF is not just a summer job!
MURF is designed to be an educational and professional research experience.
Students should devote full effort to the project during the ten-week period
and are discouraged from holding jobs, taking classes, etc. Students should
have their own small projects that are part of the ongoing research in the
mentor’s lab. Students should become colleagues with other members
of the group.
Laboratory relations
Students are expected to participate fully in the life of the research group,
respect the work of all members of the laboratory, and attend and participate
in laboratory meetings or other gatherings. MURF students should work as
much and as long as other members of the group work. Often students work
directly with a co-mentor, a graduate student or postdoctoral scholar or
a member of the technical staff at JPL, who will have day-to-day supervision.
The co-mentor’s responsibility is to guide and assist the student,
provide expertise, and answer questions.
Communicate!
Ask questions! For most students, MURF is an introduction to research. It is
a chance to learn a lot, and it is important to ask questions about things
you don’t understand. Participants should also communicate their expectations
to their mentors and/or co-mentors, just as mentors/co-mentors should discuss
expectations with students. Most problems that arise during a MURF come from
misaligned expectations.
Compensation
MURF students receive $600/week paid in equal installments on the first business
day of July and August. Students also receive a housing allowance and travel
reimbursement.
