Research and Learning Opportunities for Students and Faculty from Federal Agencies

At ATE Central, part of our goal is to connect ATE faculty and students to relevant, helpful information and meaningful opportunities. Below are brief overviews of five such opportunities, including a really exciting competition from the National Science Foundation (NSF), several internships from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and an online learning opportunity from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Please share this information with students and colleagues in your network and let us know about other programs, events, and opportunities you think would be helpful for others in ATE to learn about. We will be happy to post them on the ATE Events Calendar, cover them in a blog post, or promote them here in the ATE Central Connection newsletter. Please send comments and suggestions to [email protected].

The National Science Foundation invites teams of community college students to identify key problems and propose innovative solutions in the areas of big data, broadening participation in STEM, sustainability, improving STEM education, and infrastructure security in their Community College Innovation Challenge (CCIC). CCIC Finalists will be invited to an Innovation Boot Camp and compete to win cash prizes. Deadline to submit: January 15, 2015, via the challenge website.

The Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) program encourages undergraduate students to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers by providing research experiences, under the guidance of laboratory/facility staff scientists or engineers, on projects supporting the Department of Energy mission. Selected students will participate as interns appointed as one of 17 participating DOE laboratories/facilities. More information about SULI and access to the online application can be found at the DOE Office of Science website. Applications for the 2015 Summer Term are due January 9, 2015 at 5:00pm ET.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS) supports workforce-training programs designed to motivate students and educators in the pursuit of science-related careers. Each year the WDTS offers numerous internship opportunities for students, including the Community College Internship (CCI) Program. Through technical training experiences at one of 15 participating DOE laboratories, the CCI encourages community college students to enter technical careers relevant to the Department’s mission. Interns will work on a variety of projects under the guidance of laboratory staff scientists and engineers. Instructions for applying and access to the online application can be found on the DOE Office of Science website and the deadline to apply is January 9, 2015 at 5:00pm ET.

The Visiting Faculty Program seeks to increase the research competitiveness of faculty members and their students at institutions historically underrepresented in the research community. In this program, selected university/college faculty members collaborate with DOE laboratory research staff on a research project of mutual interest. Faculty member participants may invite up to two students (one of which may be a graduate student) to participate in the research project. Applicants establish their collaborations with laboratory research staff in advance of applying and must submit a co-developed research proposal as part of the application. Students apply separately at the invitation of the faculty member. More information about the VFP and access to the online application can be found at the DOE Office of Science website. The deadline to apply for the VFP is January 9, 2015 at 5:00pm ET.

The NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS) program is currently seeking applications from community college STEM majors for Spring 2015. As an interactive learning opportunity, NCAS participants are engaged in a rich STEM learning experience through interactions with NASA scientists and engineers, web-based activities and a three-day onsite experience at a regional NASA Center. Community college students from across the nation are chosen to participate through a competitive process. Selected students are U.S. citizens currently pursuing their initial undergraduate degrees at a community college who have an interest and aptitude for mathematics, science, engineering or computer science. Application materials and criteria can be found on the NCAS website and applications must be submitted by December 15, 2014 at 11:59pm.