Goals & Objectives

The NNSA Internship Program was created as a partnership of SACNAS, SHPE and MAES along with the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration to enhance the number of Hispanics/Chicanos and Native Americans coming into the STEM workforce. The program seeks to recruit the most highly qualified applicants using a competitive selection process.

SACNAS, SHPE and MAES have access to a large membership base as well as faculty at academic institutions where Science Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) are part of the curriculum. All Consortium organizations are exceptionally strong at reaching and recruiting students attending rural colleges, Hispanic Serving Institutions (HIS's) and large mainstream universities.

In the "Blueprint for Change, Obama's Plan for America," President Obama set forth a STEM agenda for their administration, which includes goals to:

• Improve science and math education in K through 12 to prepare more students for these studies in college
• Increase the number of science and engineering graduates and encourage undergraduates studying math and science to pursue graduate studies
• Increase the representation of minorities and women in the science and technology pipeline
• Tapping the diversity of America to meet the increasing demand for a skilled workforce

The Consortium's goals are aligned with President Obama's STEM objectives. The Consortium is uniquely positioned to execute these plans by reaching as many qualified minority students as possible for recruitment into the NNSA Internship Program. This program is an excellent way for students to gain hands on experience at technical and scientific professions, increase their skills and knowledge base, and consult with a mentor in their field who can be relied upon when guidance is needed.

In addition to outreach through existing channels, each organization sponsors a national conference each year to foster education, professional growth, and career advancement among their members and associates.

SHPE Conference
MAES Symposium
SACNAS National Conference

Once student internships are underway, SHPE administrators will monitor and evaluate their experiences, and actively support them while they are working, often at a location away from their homes and universities.

The Consortium provides a forum for interns' professional experiences on this Web site. When students complete their internships, their experience is captured in a written profile or first-person Blog that describes their work at an NNSA site or laboratory. By reading these stories, prospective student interns and their professors can easily gain more insight about the work conducted at the NNSA and ascertain if this would be complementary to their academic studies.

For more information about student interns, read profiles of students who have completed a NNSA Internship.