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 under the mentorship of program officials and researchers on focused research projects consistent with the mission of the Office of Fossil Energy.
Research Interests and Special Skills
We encourage you to look at Berkeley Lab’s website to learn more about the Lab and any research projects that you would find interesting. You may view the Lab’s various scientific divisions at the Scientific Divisions webpage. It may also be useful to use keywords (research areas, project titles, or Berkeley Lab staff names) in the search field on the Today at Berkeley Lab and Berkeley Lab News Center pages.
Reaching Out to a Researcher
If you find a researcher whose project sounds like a good match, please contact that person to see if he or she is interested in hosting an intern. We have found this personal interaction to be a very effective way to match interns and mentors. You can get contact information for any scientist at Berkeley Lab by simply clicking “Directory” in the banner at the top of any page on the Lab’s website.
Have the researcher contact Nakeiah Harrell, Internship Manager, at nharrell@lbl.gov. Feel free to email Nakeiah with information about projects or researchers of interest, and Workforce Development & Education (WD&E) may contact them on your behalf as well.
Researchers are very busy and it may take some tenacity to connect with them. We encourage you to reach out to others in the department (e.g., an administrator) who may be helpful in redirecting you to other scientists with projects that would be a good fit for you as well.
Initiative is a very desirable quality in candidates for our programs; demonstrating initiative and your passion for science is likely to make a positive impact on our scientific staff. Connecting with a scientist and discussing your passion, acumen, and any collaborative opportunities via a WD&E internship is the best avenue to a successful placement. In your application, please speak to your passion for science and how it relates to some of the research we do at Berkeley Lab. This is helpful when mentors are considering applicants. Note: Lab experience is not required for acceptance into the program.
Visit the MLEF website to find out more.
