The Department of Energy (DOE) has announced $17.3 million for college internships, research opportunities, and research projects that connect science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) students and faculty with DOE’s National Laboratories.

DOE facilities include the Argonne National Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and Sandia National Laboratories.

The awards include $11.7 million from DOE’s Office of Science and $5.6 million from its Office of Fossil Energy, and the awardees are Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other minority-serving institutions highlighting DOE’s commitment to supporting a diverse workforce that is equipped to tackle science, energy, environmental, and national security challenges.

“By investing in STEM students and faculty from diverse backgrounds, we can ignite the most creative and innovative ideas to solve our biggest problems and maximize our competitiveness,” said Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “DOE and the Biden Administration are committed to nurturing a skilled workforce that looks like America, and these awards will help us prepare rising stars everywhere to dream up the very best solutions for our nation and our people.”

The awards will fund several opportunities, including:

STEM internships for undergraduate and community college students, who will work directly with National Lab scientists and engineers this summer on research and technology projects that support DOE’s missions. These awards are administered through Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships and Community College Internships programs through DOE’s Office of Science.

Faculty at institutions historically underrepresented in the research community will collaborate with National Lab research staff this summer on projects of mutual interest. These awards are administered through the Visiting Faculty Program through DOE’s Office of Science.

Eleven universities, including two HBCUs, will receive DOE funding for research projects in areas like hydrogen production, improving water consumption, supply chain challenges for high-temperature materials, and 5G wireless solutions. These awards are administered through the University Coal Research program and the Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Other Minority Institutions program through DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy.

DOE National Labs and program offices offer a wide range of scholarships, educational workshops, and research opportunities geared towards underrepresented communities—including tens of millions of dollars each year from the Office of Science to fund research at MSIs, and recruitment programs through the National Nuclear Security Administration that prepare MSI students for the national nuclear security workforce.