The California Institute of Technology
(Caltech) and the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK)
exchange began in 2006. Currently, up to three students from each
university can participate annually.
Caltech will nominate up to three students to participate in the
exchange. Preference will be given to those who are not Indian students
or students of Indian descent seeking to spend the summer at home.
Interested students will complete an application
and write a detailed personal statement stating their research
interests. Students
should spend time looking at the research of the IITK faculty and,
if possible, suggest several projects/labs that are of interest.
After selection, the office of the Dean at IITK
will match Caltech students with mentors whose research best matches
the students’ interests.
Caltech students will collaborate with the mentor to
define and develop the project. The student must write a project
plan which is due May 15, 2009, or prior to beginning the project,
if earlier. See project plan guidelines at www.murf.caltech.edu/fellows/guidelines.html
Students will conduct their projects for ten
weeks. Projects must be completed by the Friday prior to the start
of Caltech’s
fall term.
At the conclusion of the summer, students will submit a written
technical report to their mentor before leaving for home. Students
will also need to follow additional final report procedures as communicated
by the SFP office.
Students will also give an oral presentation at SURF Seminar Day
in October.
IITK will pay an award equivalent to US$3,000 for Caltech students
going to IITK for the ten-week period.
Students will incur all travel costs.
IITK will provide room and board for Caltech students.
Caltech students will need to ensure that they have appropriate
travel documents for entering India.
Students must provide proof of health insurance valid in India,
life insurance, and a policy that covers repatriation of remains.
Students are nominated during the fall term. All
nominations are made by the Dean RPG. Please contact the Dean RPG
for more information on the nomination process.
Nominated students will submit an application
that includes a detailed personal statement. The personal statement
should include specific information about the student’s research
interests.
Nominated students must also submit a letter of recommendation from
the Dean RPG (or from a faculty member of IITK nominated by Dean
RPG for this purpose) as well as an official transcript.
After selection, the Student-Faculty Programs
office at Caltech will identify mentors whose research best matches
the students’ stated
interests.
IITK students will collaborate with the mentor to define
and develop the project. The student must write a project plan which
is due May 15, 2009, or prior to beginning the project, if earlier.
See project plan guidelines at www.murf.caltech.edu/fellows/guidelines.html
Students will conduct their projects during ten weeks in the summer.
The SURF program formally begins Tuesday, June 16, 2009. To accommodate
different academic schedules between Caltech and IITK, IITK students
may begin work earlier, but not before May 15, 2009 (with agreement
of the mentor).
At the conclusion of the summer, students will
give an oral presentation. In view of differing academic schedules,
the SFP office at Caltech will schedule presentations before students
return to Kanpur. Students
will also submit a written technical report, which is due the last
Friday in September.
Caltech will pay the award for the ten-week period in US dollars
for each IITK student selected to participate in this Exchange. The
2009 award is US$6,000.
Students may live in campus dormitories. Students will
pay housing costs of approximately $800 per month (exact charges
will be determined in April 2009).
Students will provide their own meals and arrange their own travel.
Caltech does not pay travel costs.
IITK students will be required to show proof of health insurance
valid in the United States for the duration of the program.
IITK students are required to obtain a US visa
after acceptance into the program. Caltech’s International
Student Programs (ISP) Office will assist with this process.
Contacts
Sanjeev K. Aggarwal
Dean, Resource Planning and Generation
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
Kanpur 208016
India
Phone: +91 (512) 2597834, 2597635
FAX: +91 (512) 2590353
E-mail: drpg@iitk.ac.in
Anamika Dixit
Coordinator, SURGE
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
Kanpur 208016
India
E-mail: surge@iitk.ac.in
Phone: +91-512-259 6070
Candace Rypisi
Director, Student-Faculty Programs
Caltech
MC 08-31
Pasadena, CA 91125
E-mail: candacer@caltech.edu
Phone: 626-395-2885
