I encourage those of you who are interested in "seeing what's out there" to consider applying or an internship through the Community College Institute program through the Office of Science of the US Department of Energy. To do so, please do the following:
Visit the URL: http://www.scied.science.doe.gov/scied/CCI/about.html. Here you will find information on:
- Eligibility. In most cases, you must be a US citizen.
- Choosing a lab. Some of these labs are relatively local, like the NREL in Colorado and Los Alamos in New Mexico. Working at some of the other labs will give you the opportunity to travel to other locations in the US.
- Financial Info. The pay is actually not bad at $425 per week for your ten-week visit. This is a rate of $22,500 per year. Travel to and from the lab is reimbursed.
- Key Dates. Online applications open on October 1, 2010 and close February 1, 2011.
- How to Apply. As you can see, a good academic standing and a good recommendation letter are key to acceptance.
If you would like to work together with me to put together a strong application, please let me know by the end of Fall 2010 semester. However, I would recommend that you begin to work on this with the goal of a mid-October submission. I would also be happy to contact personnel at the lab of your choice on your behalf.
Good luck!
Brad Layton
Energy Technology Program Directorbradley.layton@umontana.edu