The National Nuclear Security Administration Minority Serving Institutions Internship Program (NNSA-MSIIP) funds undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at Minority-Serving Institutions. The program is open to students from all academic backgrounds.
NNSA-MSIIP interns who joined the Lab this summer included:
Hai-En Tsai and Aegean Dela Cruz. (Credit: Maureen Thaete)
Name & affiliation: Aegean Dela Cruz, University of California, Santa Barbara
Project title: Efficient Guiding of Intense Ultrafast Laser Pulses in Hollow-Core Optical Fibers
Mentors: Hai-En Tsai and Tehya Anderson
Student quote: “Through this internship, I’m gaining hands-on experience with laser plasma accelerators and fiber optics, deepening my understanding of cutting-edge technologies that are shaping the future of science and engineering. It’s an exciting opportunity to apply theory to practice and contribute to real-world research.”
Brandon Friend (l) and Rob Jacob. (Credit: Matthew Fullmer)
Name & affiliation: Brandon Friend, University of Arizona
Project title: Correlating plasma density parameters to electron beam performance
Mentors: Rob Jacob and Hao Ding
Student quote: “My internship experience so far has shown me many fields of research and opportunities within the national lab environment and has helped guide my future goals. I have loved learning about the physics of laser-plasma acceleration at the BELLA Center and working on an impactful project for the Lab.”
Devin Pease (l) and Mauricio Ayllon Unzueta. (Credit: Matthew Fullmer/Berkeley Lab)
Name & affiliation: Devin Pease, University of Arizona
Project title: An open source python framework to run and manipulate MCNP files
Mentors: Arun Persaud and Mauricio Ayllon Unzueta
Student quote: “Supporting the Fusion Science and Ion Beam Technology group at Berkeley Lab, I’ve had the extraordinary privilege to develop technical skills in mathematics, computer science, software engineering, and particle physics while contributing to scientific research.”
Arun Persaud (l) and Joann Sum. (Credit: Matthew Fullmer/Berkeley Lab)
Name & affiliation: Joann Sum, Cal State Fullerton
Project title: Software development and user interface improvements for cross section measurements using a 14 MeV DT neutron generator
Mentors: Arun Persaud and Mauricio Ayllon Unzueta
Student quote: “Working on software for the associated particle imaging project has been a fantastic opportunity to sharpen my technical skills, learn some physics, and connect with an experienced, multidisciplinary team.”
Sean Vo (l) and Arun Persaud. (Credit: Matthew Fullmer/Berkeley Lab)
Name & affiliation: Sean Vo, University of California, Irvine
Project title: Measuring decay rates from Cs-137 embedded in plasmonic structures
Mentors: Arun Persaud and Mauricio Ayllon Unzueta
Student quote: “It’s one thing to learn in the classroom, but another to help make experiments happen. Being an intern at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has been a wonderful and enriching experience, and I am grateful to everyone at the lab for helping me along the way.”
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