DOE Funds STEM Internships, Research Opportunities

The Department of Energy has announced funding for college internships, research opportunities and research projects aimed at connecting students with government resources and developing the energy sector workforce.

The $17.3 million in funding will allow select science, technology, engineering and math students and faculty to access resources at national laboratories, DOE said.

According to DOE, the funding will support a diverse selection of academic institutions, including historically black colleges and universities and other minority-serving institutions.

“By investing in STEM students and faculty from diverse backgrounds, we can ignite the most creative and innovative ideas to solve our biggest problems and maximize our competitiveness,” said Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm.

DOE earmarked funding for internship opportunities for 804 undergraduate students and 90 community college students, a fifth of whom are from minority-serving institutions. The interns will work with national laboratory scientists and engineers in the coming summer.

DOE’s national laboratories tackle modern scientific challenges such as combating climate change and discovering the origins of the universe. They offer unique instruments and facilities not found anywhere else, according to the department.

The funding will also open up research opportunities for 66 colleges and university faculty members and 30 students representing 67 institutions. They will work with national laboratory research staff on projects of mutual interest, DOE said.

Eleven universities, including two historically black institutions, will receive funding for research projects related to hydrogen production, improving water consumption, supply chain challenges for high-temperature materials and 5G wireless solutions. 

The DOE’s Office of Science contributed $11.7 million while the Office of Fossil Energy added $5.6 million.