The successes of E3S research internship programs as pathway programs to develop the next generation of engineers and scientists lie, in part, in the understanding of the need for follow-on engagement with undergraduate program alumni. The research experiences for undergraduates (REU) programs that are organized by E3S have provided both formal and informal follow-on engagement; the formal mainly in the form of travel grants for program alumni to present their research outcomes at professional conferences. New in 2016, E3S has awarded two research interns from the 2015 programs their second REU opportunity as i-ETERNs at the Laboratoire d’électronique des technologies de l’information of the Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA-Leti) in Grenoble, France. Enabled by a new NSF supplemental award to E3S, the i-ETERNs engaged in 9 weeks of research at CEA-Leti are:
- Imani-Kai Horton, an Electrical Engineering major at Hampton University and a 2015 UCB-HBCU Scholar, is hosted by Dr. Gaël Pillonnet, Research Scientist.
- Donato Kava, an Electrical Engineering major at University of Texas at El Paso and a 2015 E3S REU intern, is hosted by Dr. Louis Hutin, Research Engineer.
Dr. Louis Hutin, also an E3S alumnus, has been instrumental in expanding the partnership between E3S and CEA-Leti. He shared, “We are delighted that two undergraduates supported by E3S are research interns at CEA-Leti this summer. International research experiences can contribute not only to the building of the students’ research capacity, but knowing how to collaborate with others from different countries will help develop the scientists and engineers needed for the global economy. I speak from personal experience having had the opportunity to develop a professional network not only in France, but also in the US that has been enabled by my postdoctoral research experience at UC Berkeley.”
2016 Interns of the E3S REU & UCB-HBCU Programs
The i-ETERN Program is part of a large portfolio of programs in support of undergraduate education that E3S has organized for Summer 2016. The Center is welcoming 26 visiting undergraduates and 5 community college professors who have arrived at two of its member institutions to begin their internships / fellowships.
The E3S Research Experiences for Undergraduates (E3S REU) Program for upper-division undergraduates is welcoming 11 interns to UC Berkeley and MIT. Hosting of 3 undergraduates by E3S faculty at MIT has been enabled by the continuing partnership with the MIT Summer Research Program which has been an E3S programmatic partner since 2012.
Managed concurrently with the E3S REU Program is the UC Berkeley (UCB) HBCU Program which is sponsored by the University of California, Office of the President (UCOP). In 2016, four undergraduates from four different Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are joining the E3S REU interns for 9 weeks of hands-on independent research at UC Berkeley.
– Learn more about 2016 cohorts of the E3S REU and UCB-HBCU Programs. 2016 TTE Interns
Educating community college students continues to be a key focus of E3S. Founded in 2011, the Transfer to Excellence Research Experiences for Undergraduates (TTE REU) Program has hosted 71 students from 38 California community colleges, including the 2016 cohort of 11 students from 9 community colleges.
– Learn more about 2016 cohort of the TTE REU Program.
E3S also supports community college education through its programs for community college faculty. Funded by NSF through a Site award to Prof. E. Yablonovitch, E3S Center Director, the UC Berkeley Context-Based Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) Program is hosting 5 faculty members from San Francisco Bay Area community colleges at UC Berkeley for 9 weeks. Community College Teachers at UC Berkeley in Summer 2016 Community college faculty members have also received support to develop new teaching materials. In addition, the Center is hosting an assistant professor from Los Angeles Trade Technical College who is in residence at UC Berkeley for 6 weeks to develop new teaching materials for physics and engineering courses. The 6 community college faculty members are also receiving pedagogical support from the Center for Teaching and Learning as part of their fellowship at UC Berkeley.
Samir Abboud, Instructor, Laney College, is hosted by Prof. J. Wu , Materials Science & Engineering Department
Binod Dhakal, Lecturer, Diablo Valley College, is hosted by Prof. E. Yablonovitch, Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences
Leonard Filane, Adjunct Professor, Chabot Community College, is hosted by Prof. A. Javey, Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences
Rose-Margaret Itua, Associate Professor, Ohlone College, is hosted by Prof. D. M. Kammen, Energy Resources Group
Kofi Opong-Mensah, Adjunct Professor, College of Marin, is hosted by Prof. F. R. Fischer, Chemistry
Virgil Shields, Assistant Professor, Los Angeles Trade Technical College, is hosted by Prof. J. Bokor, Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences