The SMURF internship program is a collaboration between graduate students, UCSC and Cal State Monterey Bay undergraduates, the UCSC Natural History Museum, and the UC Natural Reserve System that monitors long term small mammal population dynamics in the UCSC Forest Ecology Research Plot. SMURF supports undergraduates interested in conducting independent research projects (e.g. senior theses) pertaining to small mammals. The year-long internship program is strongly based in conducting fieldwork and data collection (3-day intensive capture-release trapping sessions once a quarter), but will also provide structure for developing, conducting, and producing independent research projects investigating small mammal ecology, physiology, etc.