LIGO SURF
The LIGO SURF program offers undergraduates hands-on summer research in gravitational-wave science, astrophysics, and engineering at Caltech and LIGO observatories.
Funder: California Institute of Technology
Due Dates (Anticipated): November 2026 (applications open, projected) | January 2027 (application deadline, projected)
Funding Amounts: Summer stipend plus potential travel support; duration is typically 10 weeks (with possible extension by arrangement).
Summary: Intensive summer research program for undergraduate students to participate in LIGO's scientific and engineering research at Caltech and LIGO observatory sites.
Key Information: This is a forecasted opportunity—dates and details may change; check the program page for the latest updates.
Description
The LIGO Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF) program offers undergraduate students the opportunity to engage in hands-on research and development with the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) team. Participants work alongside leading faculty, scientists, and engineers in fields such as gravitational physics, astrophysics, metrology, optics, lasers, mechanical systems, controls, electronics, and data analysis. Research activities are conducted at Caltech and at LIGO observatory sites in Hanford, Washington, and Livingston, Louisiana. The program emphasizes mentorship, integration into the LIGO research community, and contributions to cutting-edge science.
