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Summer Undergraduate Research Exchange (SURE)

Summer Undergraduate Research Exchange (SURE)

Introduction

The Summer Undergraduate Research Exchange (SURE) Program is supported by generous donations from friends and alumni of Physics Department, The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

What is it?

A chance for our students to take up summer research projects in leading institutes overseas, so that they can gain invaluable experience and exposure to forefront research.

Who are eligible to apply?

If you are an undergraduate student majoring in PHYS in the year after you return from SURE, you are eligible to apply. Past participants of SURE are not eligible. You should also have a good academic record and good command of English. We look for motivated students who have a solid physics or materials science background, who are independent, creative, and get along well with collaborators.

How about stipend and airfare?

Successful applicants will be offered financial support for the summer*. Participants will have to arrange and pay for all travel and other expenses.

*If the project is conducted online and no travel expense is incurred, the financial support will be capped at HK$10,000.

Schedule

Early October Announcement of topics and supervisors
December 09, 2024 Deadline of application
Late December, 2024 Interview with short-listed applicants
Late December, 2024 Successful applicants will be informed
Early January, 2025 Successful applicants will be confirmed
February – Mid-May, 2025 Preparation and Coaching program
June, 2025 Start working on the project

Tentative List of projects for Summer 2025

**

CERN Experiments (2 projects, for Year-3 students only)
https://home.cern/students-educators/summer-student-programme
CERN Summer Program CERN (Switzerland)
Projects in black hole astrophysics and machine learning
https://astro.arizona.edu/person/chi-kwan-ck-chan
Dr. Chi-Kwan Chan University of Arizona (USA)

Quantum Matter Research

https://www.physik.uzh.ch/groups/chang/index.php 

Prof. Johan Chang University of Zurich (Switzerland)
Research projects at the intersection of gravitational lensing and gravitational waves*
https://www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/our-people/our-staff/thomas-collett
Prof. Tom Collett University of Portsmouth (UK)
Research projects at the intersection of gravitational lensing and gravitational waves*
https://www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/our-people/our-staff/ian-harry
https://www.port.ac.uk/research/research-groups-and-centres/institute-of-cosmology-and-gravitation
Prof. Ian Harry University of Portsmouth (UK)

Polymathic AI (multiple projects):
Building large-scale deep learning models (such as those behind ChatGPT or Claude) for science.
The team has concentrated its initial efforts on astronomical data and fluid dynamics data.

https://polymathic-ai.org/
https://www.simonsfoundation.org/people/shirley-ho/

Prof. Shirley Ho Flatiron Institute (USA)
Accelerator-based nuclear physics
https://www.riken.jp/en/research/labs/rnc/rad_isot/index.html
Dr. Tadaaki Isobe RIKEN (Japan)
Topics in theoretical quantum optics and quantum information science (for Year-3 students only)
https://www.sfu.ca/physics/people/faculty/hoikwanl.html
Prof. Hoi-Kwan Lau Simon Fraser University (Canada)

Magnetic Field Study with the enhanced Q-band Receiver (MageQ) at Nobeyama Radio Observatory 45M telescope

Dr. Sheng-Yuan Liu (ASIAA)
and Fumitaka Nakamura (NAOJ)
ASIAA (Taiwan)
Charting the growth of galaxy evolution
https://phas.ubc.ca/users/allison-man
Prof. Allison Man University of British Columbia (Canada)
Topological superconductor platform towards topological quantum computation (for Year-3 students only)
https://uwaterloo.ca/electrical-computer-engineering/profile/g2miao
Prof. Guo-Xing Miao IQC & ECE, University of Waterloo (Canada)

Machine Learning Analysis of the Hyper-Kamiokande Neutrino Experiment

https://db.ipmu.jp/member/personal/2843en.html

Prof.  Patrick De Perio IPMU, University of Tokyo
  1. Neutrino physics with SNO+ and Hyper-Kamiokande
  2. Supernova neutrinos with SNEWS

http://www-pnp.physics.ox.ac.uk/~tseng/
https://snoplus.phy.queensu.ca/index.html

Prof. Jeff Tseng Oxford University (UK)

 

 

* To be confirmed

Briefing session

Briefing sessions will be held on October 9 (W) and 10 (Th), 2024, at 5:30 pm in SC G25.

Presentation

SURE and OPUS presentations will be held right after the briefing sessions.

Participants’ responsibilities

  1. Successful applicants have to complete a coaching program before departing from Hong Kong. Poor performance in the program may lead to his/her disqualification.
  2. After returning to Hong Kong, each student has to give both an oral and a written report on his/her research project.
  3. A successful applicant has to apply for an entry VISA by himself/herself.

Application Form

Download: Word Format

FAQ

Can a participant still do a final-year project?

This is up to your potential final-year project supervisor. It is your responsibility to tell your potential supervisor that you plan to go overseas in the summer. You may have to make a choice between going overseas and a final-year project.

What is the coaching program about?

A successful applicant has to read papers, which provide a general background of his/her summer project. If necessary, training in using lab equipment and/or computers will also be provided.

Can I take summer courses if I take up an on-line project?

No. You are expected to commit full-time to your project.

Inquiry

Leung Po Kin, 3943-4078, pkleung@cuhk.edu.hk, Chu Ming-chung, 3943-6364, mcchu@phy.cuhk.edu.hk