The US Department of Energy (DOE) is awarding $17.3 million in college internships and research opportunities for talented science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) students and faculty.
The funding will go to academic institutions across the US — including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). Awardees will also be granted access to world-class resources at DOE’s national laboratories.
We are committed to bringing a variety of viewpoints to America’s research and development efforts. And that starts with supporting STEM at HBCUs and other Minority Serving Institutions, so they can nurture the diverse clean energy workforce we need. https://t.co/wnBp2DZtHS
— U.S. Department of Energy (@ENERGY) May 3, 2021
The multi-million dollar investment highlights “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.”
“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,” Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm said.
Different Opportunities
The investment will bolster opportunities for underrepresented students and further the Biden administration’s efforts to increase diversity in STEM fields.
The money will go toward creating STEM internships for undergraduate and community college students. The DOE has already identified over 800 undergraduates and 90 community college students — 20 percent of whom are from MSIs. These students will work directly with National Laboratory scientists and engineers this summer.
In addition, the award will also create research opportunities for faculty at historically underrepresented institutions.
Finally, the DOE has identified 11 universities from states such as North Dakota, Ohio, and Pennsylvania that will receive federal funding for research projects in critical areas like hydrogen production, improving water consumption, and 5G wireless solutions.
“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,” Granholm said.