Monday, Feb. 4 at 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. in Acad IV-A 114

Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in Acad IV-A 114

The Mickey Leland Energy Fellowship (MLEF), sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Fossil Energy, is a 10-week summer internship program that provides opportunities to students who are pursuing degrees in science, technology (IT), engineering, or mathematics (STEM majors). The goal of the program is to improve opportunities for minority and female students in these fields, but all eligible candidates are encouraged to apply. Candidates who are selected will have the opportunity to work on focused research projects consistent with the mission of the Office of Fossil Energy.

During the 10 weeks, students will work at one of several locations. At the conclusion of the internship, students will attend a "Technical Forum" where they will present their research project and tour several technical sites located nearby (the location of the technical forum changes every year). 

Candidates will receive a paid stipend during the program, in addition to approved transportation expenses to and from the internship site and technical forum location. The MLEF program allows students to gain valuable experience in DOE/FE mission-related research programs, and offers an "inside view" of federal employment which encourages students to consider future opportunities within the Department of Energy.  

Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for the program, students must:

• Be 18 years of age;
• Be a citizen of the United States;
• Be currently enrolled full-time in an accredited college or university (sophomore year or higher); and
• Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

MLEF: A Paid Internship Opportunity
Students will be paid:

• A weekly stipend of $600 for undergraduate students;
• A weekly stipend of $750 for Master's students;
• A weekly stipend of $850 for Doctoral and Post-Doctoral students;
• Approved travel costs to and from the host site; and
• Approved travel costs to the Technical Forum for presentations and awards.        

Each student will be a part of a collegial research team, including a faculty project supervisor and a graduate student mentor, and will work on a challenging research project. The projects will be designed to match each student’s interest and to maximize the potential for making a contribution during the session.

The projects hosted by the Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics (LCSR) and the Computer Integrated Surgical Systems and Technology Engineering Research Center (CISST ERC) are funded by the National Science Foundation. Participating students will receive instruction on technical communication, oral presentation skills, and research ethics to aid in the completion of the required final research report and presentation. The participants may also have an opportunity to be part of a poster session at the end of the program. The students will have the opportunity to tour a local government laboratory and a private company. The students will also have the opportunity to take part in social events.