Undergraduate students from colleges and universities around the country spent the last 10 weeks conducting cutting-edge oceanographic research through the University of Rhode Island’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships in Oceanography (SURFO) program.The students were assigned to research projects led by faculty and graduate students at the URI Graduate School of Oceanography to gain an appreciation for the interdisciplinary character of marine science research.“This program allows us to share our enthusiasm for oceanography with undergraduate students and make them aware that training in the basic sciences or engineering is both applicable and necessary for the complex challenges facing oceanographic researchers,” said Kathleen Donohue, associate professor of oceanography and co-coordinator of the program.The URI SURFO program began in 1984 and has been funded by the Office of Naval Research, the Department of Defense and the National Science Foundation. More than 200 students have participated in the program through the years, and 75 percent have gone on to attend graduate school in a science, math or engineering discipline.2012 SURFOSCindy Cesar: Rhode Island College (RI)MENTORS:  Ted Durbin and Alison ClearyLydia Curliss: Oberlin College (OH)MENTOR:  Rob PockalnyMargo Davis: Colorado College (CO)MENTORS:  Ted Smayda and David BorkmanNikiforos Delatolas: Cornell University (NY)MENTORS: Jason Dahl, John MontgomeryKayla Flynn: Lyndon State College (VT)MENTORS:  John Merrill and Kelly KnorrJosephine Fong: University of California at Berkeley (CA)MENTORS:  Brice Loose, Ann LovelyMaureen Haynes: Manhattan College (NY)MENTORS:  Rainer Lohmann, Zoe RugeRachel Hickcox: Worcester Polytechnic Institute (MA)MENTORS:  Susanne Menden-Deuer, Liz HarveyMichelle Jenssen: University of Massachusetts Amherst (MA)MENTORS:  Tatiana Rynearson, Gang ChenSamantha Maness: Pfeiffer University (NC)MENTORS:  Bethany Jenkins, Dreux ChappellJonathan Rempel: Binghamton University (NY)MENTORS:  Jan Rines, Malcolm McFarlandJulie Warner: American University (DC)MENTORS: Peter Cornillon, Dan IwanskiFor more information, see the SURFO website at http://surfo.gso.uri.edu/~surfo/    and the related press release at https://www.uri.edu/news/releases/?id=6340