College Student Summer Internships
Current college upper-classmen and graduate students, who are familiar with Native American culture and tribal issues, are needed to support Tribal Energy Program efforts with technical project tasks. College students are needed to assist a cross-disciplinary team to perform specific tasks at Sandia National Laboratories. Interactions will be with Sandia's renewable energy staff, Native American tribes interested in renewable systems, and Sandia's American Indian Outreach Committee. Instant immersion in these activities is offered to work directly with experienced and internationally recognized peers. Travel will be required, including field visits to renewable energy projects.
Current college upper-classmen and graduate students, who are familiar with Native American culture and tribal issues, are needed to support Tribal Energy Program efforts with technical project tasks. College students are needed to assist a cross-disciplinary team to perform specific tasks at Sandia National Laboratories. Interactions will be with Sandia's renewable energy staff, Native American tribes interested in renewable systems, and Sandia's American Indian Outreach Committee. Instant immersion in these activities is offered to work directly with experienced and internationally recognized peers. Travel will be required, including field visits to renewable energy projects.
Sandia interns mounting photovoltaic (PV) modules onto a sun tracker at the Crownpoint Institute of Technology.
Requirements
The student applicant must be a U.S. citizen and a Native American, defined as a member of a federally recognized tribe, Alaska Village, or Alaska Corporation (excludes state-recognized tribes; bands or groups; and first peoples of Guam or Hawaii). Specific interest in renewable energy is required.
Application Process
For information on the application process, see the 2012 registration form
or contact Sandra Begay-Campbell at (505) 844-5418 or skbegay@sandia.gov.
Hands-On Experience
Interns will gain experience with the following renewable energy systems:
The student applicant must be a U.S. citizen and a Native American, defined as a member of a federally recognized tribe, Alaska Village, or Alaska Corporation (excludes state-recognized tribes; bands or groups; and first peoples of Guam or Hawaii). Specific interest in renewable energy is required.
Application Process
For information on the application process, see the 2012 registration form
or contact Sandra Begay-Campbell at (505) 844-5418 or skbegay@sandia.gov.Hands-On Experience
Interns will gain experience with the following renewable energy systems:
- On-grid photovoltaic installations — New Mexico
- Off-grid photovoltaic electricity system — Arizona and New Mexico
- Off-grid PV/small wind hybrid system — Arizona, Utah (Navajo), and California (Ramona)
- Large-scale commercial wind farm — New Mexico (Taiban Mesa)
- Solar power tower — New Mexico (Sandia Labs)
- Distributed energy resource systems: large PV array, microturbine, fuel cell, large battery bank — New Mexico (Sandia Labs)
- 2008 College Interns: Gepetta Billie, Carson Pete
- 2007 College Interns: Nick Johnson, Cherylin Wilson
- 2006 College Interns: Terry Battiest, Jonathan Biron, Lani Tsinnajinnie
- 2005 College Interns: Jennifer Coots, Tanya Martinez, Deborah Tewa
- 2004 College Interns: Colin Ben, Jennifer Coots, Benjamin Mar, Deborah Tewa
- 2003 DOE Interns: Keith Candelaria, Velissa Sandoval, Shaun Tsabetsaye
"The collaboration among the DOE Tribal Energy Program, Sandia, and the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority supports renewable energy development. The interns learned a wealth of information about numerous clean and efficient renewable energy technologies that are available for Native American tribes according to their natural environmental resources. The installation field visits throughout Indian Country provided an opportunity for the team to research and interact with real installation projects, real people, and witnessing real energy produced." — Colin Ben, 2005
Field visit to New Mexico Wind Center — 2004 interns (pictured left to right): Benjamin Mar, Colin Ben, Deborah Tewa, and Jennifer Coots.