WASHINGTON, DC – The Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Science will sponsor the participation of 922 undergraduate students and 64 faculty members in three STEM-focused workforce development programs at 17 DOE national laboratories and facilities during Summer 2022. Awardees represent academic institutions from across America—including community colleges and historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and other Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), and institutions in jurisdictions that are part of the Establishing Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR)—highlighting DOE’s commitment to supporting a highly skilled, diverse workforce that is equipped to tackle the science, energy, environmental, and national security challenges of today and tomorrow.
“We need all hands on deck to address the climate crisis, and that means investing in a science workforce that reflects the diversity of the nation,” said Under Secretary of Science and Innovation Geraldine Richmond.
The $12.5 million in awards from DOE’s Office of Science will fund the following opportunities:
- STEM internships for undergraduate and community college students—824 undergraduate students and 73 community college students will work directly with National Lab scientists and engineers this summer on research and technology projects that support DOE’s missions. About 17.5% of the students are from MSIs and 9.1% from EPSCoR jurisdictions. These awards are administered through the Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI) and Community College Internships (CCI) programs through DOE’s Office of Science.
- Research opportunities for faculty at institutions historically underrepresented in the research community—64 college and university faculty members and 25 students representing 53 institutions, including 20 MSIs, will collaborate with national lab research staff this summer on projects of mutual interest. Of the faculty members, 25% are from 10 HBCUs. These awards are administered through the Visiting Faculty Program (VFP) through DOE’s Office of Science.
The SULI, CCI, and VFP programs are managed by the Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS) in the Office of Science.