Action	Spring	Summer	Fall
Program dates	January  – May (15 weeks)	June  – August (10 weeks)	August – December (15 weeks)
Online application opens	July	October	March
Applications accepted	July – October	October – January	March – May

Information on how to apply for the SULI program is available on the DOE’s SULI web pages.

To learn more about the application process, watch this video!

 

Submitting Your Application

All applications to the SULI program must be completed through the WDTS online application system (WARS).

The application requirements include:

1. Completion of all required fields in the application:

• Contact and education information
• Citizenship status
• Laboratory choice and technical interests
• Essays

2. Undergraduate transcripts, submitted online

Note: The minimum GPA required to gain acceptance into the program is 3.0. When providing a list of all college courses (title and number) you have completed and their respective grades, include a descriptive title for each course, e.g., CHEM 140A Advanced Inorganic Chemistry (not just CHEM 140A).

3. Two letters of recommendation, submitted online

The online application system will guide you through the application requirements.

Only complete applications submitted by the deadline will be considered for evaluation and placement.

Materials uploaded into the online application system will provide the sole basis for evaluation.

Application assistance can be found by video or by slide presentation.

Project Interests and Special Skills

We encourage you to look at Berkeley Lab’s website to learn more about the Lab and any projects that you would find interesting to work on during an internship. You may view the Lab’s various Scientific Divisions (e.g., Accelerator Technology & Applied Physics, Building Technology & Urban Systems, Energy Geosciences, Materials Sciences) and Operations Divisions (e.g., Environment, Health & Safety, Facilities, and Information Technology). It may be useful to use keywords (project topics, project titles, or Berkeley Lab staff names) in the search field on Elements and Berkeley Lab News Center, in order to locate additional information. Learn more about some WD&E mentors’ current projects on our News and Events page.

In your application essays, please make sure to include information about the technical or research projects at Berkeley Lab (or other national laboratories) that interest you, your passion for these subjects, and any connections between your interests and the Berkeley Lab mission. This will be helpful to Berkeley Lab project leads when they are reviewing applications to identify potential interns.

Note: Having previous experience working on a technical or research project is not required (nor expected) for acceptance into the program. Instead, write about the life experiences you have that may contribute to your success as an intern.

Reaching Out to a Project Team

If you find a project lead (or their colleagues) whose project sounds like a good match, please contact them by sending an email to see if they are interested in hosting an intern. We recommend that you keep your initial email short and “to the point.” Use a descriptive email subject, introduce yourself (e.g., what school you attend, your academic interests), state that you are interested in applying for an internship, and that you would like to learn more about the projects available for the internship term you’re applying to. This direct and personal connection can be effective in “matching” interns and mentors, and can make your application stand out. You can look up the contact email address of anyone currently working at Berkeley Lab in the Directory. 

Once you have established a connection with a project lead, have them contact WD&E Internship Program Manager Nakeiah Harrell, at nharrell@lbl.gov. She will be able to guide them through the next steps. If you are having trouble identifying and/or making contact with project leads, please email Nakeiah with information about certain projects that interest you and your own research or technical areas of interest. This will allow WD&E to contact them on your behalf, as needed.

Project Leads are often busy, and it may take a few tries to connect with them via email. Additionally, we encourage you to reach out to others in the department (e.g., their colleagues, department administrators) who may be helpful in redirecting you to other project leads with projects that would be a good fit for you.

Initiative is a great quality in candidates for our internship programs. If you can show interest in specific research or technical projects and/or topics when you reach out via email, that will increase the likelihood that you will receive a positive response. Connecting with a project lead, discussing the project, and conveying your passion is the best way to achieve a successful “match,” between interests, personality, and timing.

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.

Lab Selection

The SULI program is offered at all 17 national laboratories and participating at any one of them would be a great educational experience. For assistance with selecting DOE laboratories, please see the Laboratory Selection Tool on the WDTS online application system (WARS). If you are certain that Berkeley Lab is where you would like your internship, please be sure to select Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) as your first or only lab choice.

Application Essay

For the application essay, please keep in mind that scientist mentors will be looking specifically for your science background and interests in research. Be sure that your essay also references the areas of research that you have identified from searching on the Berkeley Lab website. Don’t list a specific person’s name, but do use as much detail about your interests as possible (e.g., “I am interested in energy research,” is not as strong or helpful as, “I am interested in researching advanced vehicles and fuels,” or “I am interested in building more energy-efficient infrastructures, semi-conductors, and metals”).

Letters of Recommendation

We suggest that you solicit three letters of recommendation from:

• A faculty member who can discuss the academic skills you have developed in your major that may be applicable to laboratory research.
• Someone who can comment on your general professionalism and work ethic (e.g., a past employer).
• Someone who can speak about your role as a student or leader (e.g., an organization advisor or counselor).

These recommendations will be used by WD&E and your potential scientist mentor to consider you for placement. Remember that potential mentors will be looking for your background and experience in science, technology, engineering, math, or research.

Requesting a letter of recommendation:

• Communicate with recommenders well before the application is due to let them know that you will need a letter by the deadline. They will most likely be difficult to contact over the semester/quarter break.
• Provide recommenders with a personal statement about your research interests and why you want to participate in the program.
• Include a WD&E undergraduate flier, or a link to the SULI page on the WD&E website.
• Confirm recommenders’ email addresses prior to submitting an application.
• Follow up with recommenders frequently to ensure all recommendations are submitted by the deadline.

Redact Personally Identifiable Information

Any applications found to contain Personally Identifiable Information (PII) in the form of Social Security numbers and/or dates of birth will be deemed non-compliant and will not be released to host laboratories or facilities for review or consideration.