2019 Research Fellowship

2019 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program

About the Program

Friends of Taiwan Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (FOT-SURF) program supports undergraduate students to participate in research projects conducted by prestige scholars in Taiwan. Research areas include ecology and conservation, cancer biology, tropical agriculture and aquatic immunology, environmental microbiology and epidemiology, and chemistry. All participating investigators have active ongoing research projects and outstanding publication records. FOT-SURF promotes active participation in intellectual and culture exchanges. Through the program, we encourage cross-culture interaction and academic collaboration among young scientists. Other activities also include travel, culture-related visits and fellowship among students from different cultures. Host institutions have outstanding research accomplishments, vibrant campus life and the rich culture of surrounding areas to provide students rich experience of advanced research and the understanding of local cultures.

Duration of the 2019 program: June1 to Aug 10, 2019. Participants will gather in Chicago for a pre-trip orientation on June 1, before departure to Taiwan from O’Hare International Airport on June 2.

Financial Support and Opportunities: Financial support is provided by the program to cover insurance, VISA application fee, round-trip ticket, room and board throughout the program. Host institutions will also provide culture exchange opportunities such as dialog, local visits and travel within Taiwan.

About Taiwan:  Taiwan is a small country situated in the heart of Asia, in between north and south east Asia, by the west edge of the Pacific Rim. Taiwan has a population of 23 million. Many still observe traditional culture and speak regional dialects in addition to Mandarin. Taiwan is a fast-growing country known its development in economy, information technologies and modern medicine. Taiwan is also famous of its unique and yet diverse ecosystems.

The unique location also allows Taiwan to inherit many different cultures including Chinese, Japanese, Austronesian, and early European cultures. Taiwan's geographical and historical uniqueness has given rise to a diversity of ethnic groups, cultures, and languages. There are 380,000 people who belong to twelve officially recognized indigenous tribes, each with their own social structure, language, and cultural traditions.

People in Taiwan enjoy a free, democratic, and safe society International students usually find that it is easy to live and study in Taiwan. Taiwanese pride themselves on their hospitality and are committed to creating a friendly and convenient living environment for others to study Mandarin and experience cultures of Taiwan.

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