A done shot over SURF with fog in the vallies and the sun shining on the Ross and Yates shafts that are poking above the fog

Who we are

The SURF Mission and Vision

The mission of Sanford Underground Research Facility is to advance world class science and inspire learning across generations.

SDSTA Strategic Plan

The Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) is America’s underground lab, with a mission to advance world-class science and inspire learning across generations. The Facility is managed by the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority.

SURF hosts cutting-edge research across multiple disciplines, including physics, geology, biology, and engineering. The facility hosts more than 30 experiments that are contributing to the fundamental understanding of our universe, advancing our nation’s energy independence, exploring life in extreme environments, and providing basic research that is the foundation for ongoing technological advancement around the world.

SURF’s collaborators include over 2,000 scientists from over 200 institutions and universities worldwide. SURF also plays a vital role in inspiring the next generation of STEM professionals with a robust education and outreach program that reaches 20,000 students and 400 teachers annually. SURF is generating a two-billion-dollar economic impact on South Dakota this decade, with ongoing and future experiments that will continue to inspire and push the boundaries of human knowledge for decades to come. 


Committees


EEOC Statement

The South Dakota Science and Technology Authority (SDSTA) is an equal opportunity employer committed to the development of a diverse workforce. We foster a work community where every individual feels welcomed, valued, respected and heard and discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, ancestry, national origin, age, disability, genetic information or political affiliation is prohibited.