The Internships in Nanosystems Science, Engineering and Technology (INSET) program brings science and engineering community college undergraduates to the UC Santa Barbara campus for a summer research experience. Interns gain first-hand experience in scientific investigation in a dynamic, collaborative research environment. They are matched individually with UCSB faculty and graduate student lab mentors who provide training and support. Interns attend weekly meetings, special seminars, and have the opportunity to develop their presentation skills throughout the summer. The INSET program is hosted by the California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI) , a collaborative effort established by the State of California, situated on the campuses of UC Santa Barbara and UC Los Angeles, which targets the scientific and technological possibilities of working at the molecular scale. |
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It is an integrative venture that calls upon expertise from a very broad scope of disciplines, including biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, materials science, computation, and media arts. The research at CNSI begins with nanostructure building blocks and determines new ways of seamlessly integrating those building blocks into new materials, devices and systems. By ‘mixing and matching’ components having different electronic, magnetic, optical, and structural properties, our ultimate goal is to create ‘designer materials’ and designer systems that will have capabilities far exceeding those found in nature.
This year marks the third year that CNSI will be working collaboratively with the Center for Nanotechnology in Society, a National Science and Engineering Center to study the societal implications of nanotechnology. With this collaboration there will be two to four social science research projects associated with the INSET program this summer which will allow students to explore the societal impacts of Nanotechnology. Please see the CNS website for more information. http://www.cns.ucsb.edu/
- The Summer INSET program will run from June 22 to August 14, 2009
- 14 Internships will be awarded in all areas of science or engineering within CNSI at UCSB.
- 2 internships will be awarded in the social sciences through CNS.
- The stipend for undergraduate interns is $3,000 total for 8 weeks at 35 hrs/week.
- We will provide up to $900 for housing expenses, or arranged accommodations in University apartments for free. (Students will arrange their own meals.)
- Travel costs to and from the UCSB campus will be provided.
Application Postmark / e-mail Deadline is February 28, 2009. Awards announcements will begin by April 13, 2009. All applicants will be advised whether they were successful or not once all places have been filled (typically mid to late April).
The INSET program is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF)
Additional support is provided by the Nanotherapy for Vulnerable Plaque grant, a component of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute’s Programs of Excellence in Nanotechnology. For more information please visit the following Web sites: http://www.nhlbi-pen.info/
