There's still time to apply for the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Repperger Research Intern Program. The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education says the summer 2026 application is open, but it will close soon.
The deadline to apply is January 19. The summer program runs from June 1 to August 7. This 10-week internship gives undergraduate and graduate students a chance to work on research projects with AFRL scientists as mentors.
One of those mentors, Bryan Stevens, was responsible for AFRL recruiting/ talent acquisition, employee development, HR data products and analytics, training, and HBCU/MI workforce initiatives.
In this role, he led corporate recruiting, talent acquisition, diversity and inclusion, employee development, HR data products, analytics, and training programs for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and minority-serving institutions (MSIs).
Stevens and his team hosted a successful job fair in Career Communications Group’s STEM City metaverse, part of CCG’s effort to introduce more people to the metaverse.
At the event, attendees could interview with a technology directorate from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and the innovation arm of the Department of the Air Force.
In an email to USBE Online, Stevens said he chose STEM City USA for the event because he saw the platform’s vision for future hiring and connecting people in a virtual space.
He explained that the virtual platform lets people experience a hiring event in a digital world designed to mirror a traditional in-person event.
While this event focused on one directorate, AFRL offers opportunities in many areas, such as engineering, contracting, human resources, and mathematics.
Stevens encouraged applicants to learn about AFRL, as this will help them show their interest to experts or recruiters on the platform. STEM City USA is also the online gateway for the BEYA STEM Conference in February 2026.
Stevens earned his bachelor’s degree in engineering from the University of West Florida in 2004. He later received a master’s degree in business administration and management from Central Michigan University.
As a technical advisor to DAF LEGACY, Stevens contributes to an Air Force program designed to develop the next generation of our nation’s scientific and technical workforce.
The Leadership Experience Growing Apprenticeships Committed to Youth, or LEGACY, program is an Air Force program aimed at building interest in science, technology, engineering, and math through summer craftsman camps and paid summer apprenticeships while showing how STEM applies to the world around us.