Winter Bootcamps: SURG Proposal Writing

Our Bootcamps are an intensive, multi-week series of workshops that support Northwestern Undergraduates across all disciplines in developing competitive applications for the Summer Undergraduate Research Grant (SURG). There are two separate bootcamps depending on the field of research: lab-based and project-based. SURGs provide a $4000 stipend to cover living expenses for eight weeks conducting an independent research project.  An SURG application require a research proposal – a piece of writing in its own genre – which is a 2-pg, single-spaced persuasive piece that articulates a feasible research endeavor.

The majority of SURG applicants spend at minimum 15 hours working towards a strong project and complementary proposal. This is a significant time commitment, requiring students to reprioritize full-time coursework and other obligations. Yet, Bootcamp participants succeed at getting SURGs at a rate better than the average student.

The proposal writing bootcamp is intentionally structured to meet this need by embedding accountability and research project development strategies into an effective quarter-long program. Undergrads all disciplines and research experience levels (yes, even if research is a  completely new world to you! ) are eligible to participate, particularly students who have never written a research proposal before.

Capacity is limited, so click on the tabs below to learn more about our field-differentiated bootcamps as well as how to register for a spot!

 Registration is now officially open! Click the “Register Now!” tab below to sign-up!

DEADLINES

Register for a spot in the bootcamp by Winter Quarter 2025. Use the registration form below in the “Register Now!” tab when it opens in November.

Attend a Winter Bootcamp Info Session to learn more and ask questions to the instructors who run them (Sign-Up at our Workshop & Info Session page)

  • Tuesday, Nov. 12th 3-4pm CST (in-person)
  • Thursday, Nov. 14th 5-6pm CST (virtual)

Eligibility

First-year, sophomore, and junior undergraduate students who are interested in non-lab research fields. These fields include, but are not limited to, creative arts, humanities, social sciences, and journalism. Seniors are eligible if they will still be enrolled in courses the fall quarter after summer.

You DO NOT have to have a research idea or have experienced research before to be eligible to participate. Due to capacity limitations, this year we will only be able to take 18 students.

What Is It?

The Bootcamp for arts, humanities, and social sciences aims to address the specific needs of refining a research project within less-structured environments.

Independent research looks very different depending on the field but is often an opportunity for students to create engaging and fulfilling experiences they wouldn’t have in coursework. While many bootcamp participants don’t necessarily create a project “from the ground up,” they are the intellectual drivers of their research and work with faculty and/or organizational experts to develop meaningful, feasible, and novel research endeavors.

While exciting, refining an appropriate project while simultaneously translating it into a research proposal is an undertaking that creates unique challenges. Common obstacles students encounter include:

  • Communicating with faculty and external partnerships to ensure access to relevant archives/interview populations/data
  • Synthesizing jargon heavy background articles for use in a literature review
  • Creating an informed research protocol to write an achievable methodology.

Each week of the bootcamp focuses on these common obstacles and more, with content provided by advisors who have worked with hundreds of students in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. Moreover, each participant is given a Peer Mentor (PM) – a fellow undergraduate who has both experienced the bootcamp and successfully been awarded an SURG. PMs provide additional support through leveraging their personal experience navigating the same process. You can expect to rely on your PMs expertise for both short- and long-term research goals (ie, how to make research align post-grad aspirations).

When Is It?

Often, students only have a general idea of what their research could be prior to working on a SURG application. The nature of arts, humanities, and social science fields is that a successful project demands time to develop. In acknowledgement of this, the bootcamp begins at the top of winter quarter to create space for intentional project refinement.

  • Weekly sessions are IN PERSON on Thursdays, from 4:30-6pm CST
  • Project-Based Bootcamp dates are January 16th – March 13th

Due to the intensive nature of the bootcamp, you are only allowed 1 unexcused absence. If you can not guarantee your schedule aligns with these expectations, please consider utilizing other resources for developing an SURG application!

Eligibility

First-year, sophomore, and junior undergraduate students who are interested in lab-based research fields. This includes, but is not limited to, computer science, psychology, biology, and engineering. Senior students are eligible if they will still be enrolled in courses the fall quarter after summer.

Pre-Requisite: You MUST be accepted into a lab or research group by first session of the bootcamp. Due to capacity limitations, this year we will be able to take 18 students.

If you don’t yet have a lab, consider participating in our “Finding a Lab Support Group” pipeline program linked here.

What Is It?

The Bootcamp for lab-based students aims to address the specific needs of refining a research project that is centered in a lab or group setting.

Independent research in a group looks very different depending on the field, but most often involves the lab carving out a smaller, undergraduate-friendly endeavor within the larger scope of projects. Many lab-based students in the bootcamp don’t create a project “from the ground up,” but rather work with their lab supervisor to better understand an already existing research aim.

While this is a more feasible undertaking, acclimating to this lab while simultaneously translating the project in a research proposal can create unique challenges. Common obstacles students encounter include:

  • Communicating with lab members to ensure the proposal accurately represents the aims of the lab
  • Synthesizing jargon heavy background articles for use in a literature review
  • Understanding newly demonstrated lab protocols/techniques to effectively describe them in a methodology

Each week of the bootcamp focuses on these common obstacles and more, with content provided by advisors who have worked with hundreds of lab-based students. Moreover, each participant is given a Peer Mentor (PM) – a fellow undergraduate who has both experienced the bootcamp and successfully been awarded an SURG. PMs provide additional support through leveraging their personal experience navigating the same process. You can expect to rely on your PMs expertise for both short- and long-term research lab goals (ie, how to make research align with medical school).

When Is It?

Often, students spend ample time searching for and securing a lab, many times resulting in them being unprepared to begin project development until the middle of winter quarter. In acknowledgement, the lab-based bootcamp begins in the middle of winter quarter – meaning it’s not too late to register for a spot!

  • Weekly sessions are IN PERSON on Tuesdays, from 4:30-6pm CST
  • Lab-based Bootcamp dates are February 11th – March 11th

Due to the intensive nature of the bootcamp, you are only allowed 1 unexcused absence. If you can not guarantee your schedule aligns with these expectations, please consider utilizing other resources for developing an SURG application!

Winter Bootcamp Registration Form!

The registration form is NOW OPEN! It will take you about 5 minutes.

If the registration form is not appearing below, please navigate to it through this URL linked here.

Interested in the Lab-Based track but… don’t have a lab yet? Consider participating in our “Finding a Lab Support Group” pipeline program linked here.

Are the bootcamps a course/class?

The bootcamps are not classes. They are a optional workshop series. However, it is best to treat this commitment like a class. Successful research projects are ones where students are able to commit the time to refine their project ideas, however, developing a project often happens alongside students’ full-time coursework and other obligations. This will be the most beneficial for students who understood the commitment needed to create a research project and endeavored to engage within and outside each session.

What is the time commitment throughout the quarter?

The workshops are 90 minutes long each week. The project-based bootcamp runs for 9 weeks while the lab-based workshop runs for 5 weeks. There will also be assignments during the course of the bootcamp that are intended to help you through the research development process. The majority of SURG applicants spend at minimum 15 hours working towards a strong project and complementary proposal. This is a significant time commitment, requiring students to put in work to refining your project outside of the weekly sessions.

This sounds amazing – have the bootcamps always been around?

In previous years, we have had the winter series workshops aimed at helping students apply to an SURG. These workshops were called Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (AHSS) and Science Research Workshop (SRW). The Winter Bootcamps are a restructuring of these older workshops; they keep the goal of developing a SURG proposal with an intensive focus to drive steady progress throughout the quarter.

I’m not yet in a lab. What should I do?

If the research that you want to conduct does not need to take place in a lab, you can consider applying for the project-based bootcamp. You can only participate in the lab-based bootcamp if you will be in a lab by the first session. If you are still searching for a lab, you can get assistance through the other resources offered by our office. You can register for our Finding a Lab Support Group, attend our weekly Finding a Research Mentor Workshops, or make an individual advising appointment with our advisors!

Can I register for both bootcamps to increase my chances of getting in?

No. To maximize the support offered to students, students are only able to participate in one bootcamp each quarter.

I registered – what happens next?

Thank you for registering. Please keep an eye out for future correspondence confirming your spot as well as being added to the formal Canvas page. If the workshop is at capacity, you will be automatically added to the waitlist and offered a spot when if it becomes available. If you are no longer able to participate, please contact our Education Program Manager immediately so we can prioritize remaining students on the waitlist.

I was unable to make it off the waitlist. Does this mean I can’t submit a SURG?

You absolutely can still receive support for creating an SURG proposal! You can attend any of our info sessions and/or schedule an Advising Appointment with our Advisors.

How can I be a Peer Mentor for the bootcamps?

Please refer to our Peer Mentor page to learn more about serving in a leadership position for our bootcamps.

How can I learn whether the bootcamp is the right fit for me?

If you have any additional questions about the bootcamps, please reach out to or make an appointment with our Education Program Manager.