Supporting Undergraduate Research Experiences in Environmental Health (SURE-EH)

Paid research opportunity for UW undergraduates

"If you want to learn about the health of a population, look at the air they breathe, the water they drink, and the places where they live." 

- Hippocrates

Everyday faculty and researchers in DEOHS explore the health risks associated with air pollution; how toxins and pathogens in water affect people and animals; how to safeguard the environment and workplaces while improving the health and safety of workers in the food and agricultural industries. They also investigate environmental justice, One Health, and the effects of climate change, natural disasters, built environments and environmental policy on population health. 

The Supporting Undergraduate Research Experiences in Environmental Health (SURE-EH) program provides research opportunities to UW undergrads, including those from groups underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences, with a meaningful opportunity to work with experienced faculty on a research project addressing the relationship between environmental exposures and human health.

With funds provided by a NIEHS grant, SURE-EH trainees work as paid student researchers for up to 2 years: 20 to 30 hours per week during summer and part-time (up to 13 hours per week) during the academic year.  SURE-EH trainees will also be asked to present their research every spring at the UW Undergraduate Research Symposium and attend program sponsored events and courses throughout their appointment.
 

  • Read about the projects current trainees are working on here.
  • You can read about former trainees here.
     

Participant eligibility

SURE-EH trainees are selected on a competitive basis.

Students may apply any time during the second half of their sophomore year through the beginning of their senior year. (It is possible that some research projects will give priority to students who will remain at UW for two more years.)

This program in open to students in all majors. Students who are a good fit for available projects will be the most competitive.

To be eligible for competitive consideration, an applicant must:

  1. Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
  2. Be currently enrolled as an undergraduate at the University of Washington, or be a transfer applicant.
    1. Transfer students can apply to SURE-EH while their general application to UW is under review.
  3. Has at least 1 full year of undergraduate studies left before graduation (i.e. will NOT graduate before Spring 2026).

Apart from US citizenship / permanent resident status (which is required), we strongly encourage applications from students who fall into at least one (1) of the three (3) categories below:

  • Meet at least two (2) of the NIH criteria that define an individual as having a disadvantaged background.  (Link to NIH criteria)
  • Have a disability defined as those with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, as described in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended. (Link to ADA National Network Fact Sheet)
  • Be a member of a group that is underrepresented in graduate education: African American, American Indian, Alaskan Native, Hispanic/Latino or Native Hawaiian, Native Pacific Islander


Apply now

The application process for four (4) spots in the 2025-2026 cohort will open on Monday, April 7, 2025 and close on Friday, April 25, 2025. 

Information/description about the available position and the link to application form are available HERE.

Questions? Please contact: sure@uw.edu


SURE-EH is funded by The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), whose research uses state-of-the-art science and technology to investigate the interplay between environmental exposures, human biology, genetics, and common diseases to help prevent disease and improve human health.