The Cooper Union Research Foundation (CURF) was established in 1976 as a nonprofit organization supporting basic and applied research by faculty and students at Cooper Union. Over more than two decades of service to the school and the community, it has continued to fulfill its mission of encouraging faculty and students who undertake applied research to confront an array of urban and societal challenges. Tucked in a corner on the first floor of the Albert Nerken School of Engineering, CURF's offices look out on the Cooper Union campus and surrounding neighborhood, areas that reflect the services CURF provides to both the school and society. CURF's mission has remained essentially unchanged since its inception. Research that is conducted in the foundation allows the student to work on real-life problems, giving them the opportunity to gain work-related experience before they graduate. The faculty, with their outside experience, guides students throughout the research projects. The research department allows faculty to conduct research that interest them as well benefiting the community outside Cooper Union.