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SRIM: How it Works

Summer Research in Maths (SRIM): How it Works

The steps below are intended to streamline the process of students applying for support from the bursary fund. With the exception of the last step (Register your project) they are not mandated for projects funded by other sources, but supervisors of such projects are welcome to make use of them (e.g. listing projects, using the common response date) if desired.

A summary of the dates and deadlines involved can be found here.

 

1. Proposing a Project & Appearing on the List of Pre-approved Supervisors

University Teaching Officers (UTOs) and College Teaching Officers (CTOs)

UTOs and CTOs are by default “Pre-Approved” as supervisors for undergraduate summer research projects and will appear on the list of potential supervisors unless you opt out via this webform. You will have the option to opt out until further notice or opt out just for summer 2025.

Appearing on the list of potential supervisors does not oblige you to supervise a project, or even to have a project in mind, but you should be willing to reply to students who contact you about the possibility. 

The list of potential supervisors is organised by research area (as best we can determine). 

As well as appearing on the list of potential supervisors we also welcome and encourage you to submit project proposals for listing on the website. Projects descriptions can either be quite specific and well defined or a general outline depending on your needs / preferences.

To propose a specific project, a general outline for a possible project, or just potential topics / research areas for possible projects, please use the project proposal webform.

All other statuses

All other statuses (postdoctoral researchers, independent researchers, JRFs, Emeritus professors etc.) must submit a project proposal (via this webform) in order to participate.  

The project proposal is subject to approval by the programme directors and Heads of Department.

Before submitting the project proposal form: 

  • Postdoctoral researchers and independent researchers should discuss their planned project with their PI or host / Faculty mentor and secure their approval before submitting the project proposal form.  
  • Postdoctoral researchers and independent researchers who are new to supervising undergraduate research projects will need to secure a backstop supervisor who is a current UTO in the subject area (e.g. your PI or Faculty mentor / host).
  • Emeritus professors will need to secure a backstop supervisor who is a current UTO in the subject area. This is to ensure that the research area is still active. 

PhD student involvement

PhD students are more than welcome to be involved in undergraduate summer research projects, but not in the capacity of primary supervisor. 

We encourage every project supervisor to engage a PhD student as a “project partner”: an additional point of contact with whom the summer student can discuss the project and who can also help to integrate the summer student into the appropriate research group / pavilion.

Group Projects Pilot *Continues in 2025*

Mathematics is an extremely collaborative subject and we believe that group projects where 2-3 students work together collaboratively on one problem more accurately reflects the experience they might have during a PhD in mathematics.  Furthermore, feedback has shown that working together in a group is more enjoyable for summer students.  Following three successful group projects in summer 2024, we are once again committed to offering four specific group projects that students can apply to participate in.  Funding has already been set aside for these projects so a bursary application will not be necessary for the students selected.  If you are interested in more information about SRIM supported group projects, please contact Dhruv Ranganathan (SRIM Director). 

 

2. Speak with interested students

After potential supervisors and projects are listed, students interested in doing a summer project will contact supervisors directly to discuss possibilities / apply for advertised projects.

Following discussion with potential supervisors, students should then submit the Expression of Interest form by Friday 28 February 2025 nominating a first and second choice supervisor, so please do try to respond to students with this deadline in mind.

You may also hear from external students planning to apply for one of our internship programmes that are open to students not currently studying at Cambridge. These programmes are aimed at widening participation in mathematical research amongst groups traditionally underrepresented in the field.  Applicants are required to submit an ‘Expression of Interest’ form ahead of Friday 21 February 2025, so they may reach out to you to ask if they may nominate you as a potential supervisor.  Agreeing that they can nominate you does not commit you to definitely supervise them: only to consider their application alongside those of any other students who nominate you.

 

3. Decide who (if anyone) you would like to supervise

For reasons of fairness, we ask that supervisors refrain from committing to a specific student until after Friday 28 February 2025 so that all students have an equal chance to put themselves forward. It’s fine to say no a student before this, e.g. if their background is insufficient for the project you have in mind.

After the 28 February 2025 has passed and with it the deadline for students to submit the Expression of Interest form, you will be contacted by the Internships Coordinator with a list of students (and internship applicants if applicable) that have nominated you. You will be asked to confirm which student (if any) you would like to work with by Friday 14 March 2025.

 

4. If necessary, apply for funding

It is university policy that students undertaking summer projects / internships must be taken on as temporary workers and paid the National Living Wage (plus holiday pay).  National Living Wage will increase to £12.21 per hour in April 2025.

The estimated cost for an 8-week project in summer 2025 is therefore between £3850 and £4300 depending on exact working hours and the specific student (employer National Insurance Contributions will be applied for students aged 21 and over). 

We have a small fund dedicated to supporting summer research projects, however, the increase to the National Living Wage coupled with the concurrent changes to employer National Insurance contributions coming in April 2025 mean that our resources will be more stretched than ever and we must anticipate receiving more bursary applications than we have the means to fund.

We ask all academics in the CMS wishing to host a project to make an effort to find funds from grants and other sources to help cover the cost of the project. We also ask that students apply to their colleges for support (where available) and subsidised accommodation.

If support from the bursary fund is required, students must submit the bursary application form by Monday 24 March 2025. The application will require a description of the project as well as a supporting statement from you.

For more information on how to support a student in a bursary application including what we will consider when making decisions, please see the bursary webpages 

 

5. Register the Project

Once you and a student have agreed on doing a project and have set the dates that the project will take place, the project will need to be registered. The student should submit the Project Registration Form. This ensures that your student will:

  • have continued access to support facilities from the University (IT, library etc.);
  • can be set up with access to any maths computing resources that are necessary for their project (access request will need to be made);
  • receive information about events and social activities;
  • be invited to give a talk about their project at the Summer Research Festival in October.

It is important that the faculty have a complete list of all student summer projects taking place in the CMS, so please make sure the project is registered even if your project is not funded by the bursary fund.

 

6. Supervise your Project!

Projects take place for up to 8 weeks between June and September.  The project dates can be agreed between student and supervisor based on individual needs and availability, however, we suggest Monday 7 July to Friday 29 August 2025 as events will be scheduled around these dates.

 

7. Submit Feedback

In September, we will write to you to ask for your feedback on your experience with the programme. Your feedback is very important to us and plays an important role in the future development of the programme. 

 

8. Summer Research Festival - Monday 13 October 2025

The Summer Research Festival is the annual showcase of the projects that have taken place in the Faculty of Mathematics over the summer.

Students are invited to give short 20-minute talks to share what they’ve been working on and what they have learned. All students who have worked on a project are invited to sign up and those in receipt of CMS bursary funding are expected to present.

Please encourage your student to give a talk and help them to prepare it! 

 

9. After your project

We love to hear about the ongoing impacts or benefits of successful SRIM projects! Perhaps the project will lead to a publication or to that student starting a PhD in the area in the future.  Do get in touch to let us know via SRIM@maths.cam.ac.uk.

 

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