Tips for future Argonne interns, from past Argonne interns

Student STEM Ambassadors draw upon their experiences as interns to offer advice on how to make the most out of an internship at Argonne National Laboratory.

Starting your first science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) internship can feel like a daunting task for college students, especially for those interning at national labs such as the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory.

For students embarking on an internship at Argonne, here are some tips from Argonne’s Student STEM Ambassadors (SSA), who themselves completed internships at the lab.

The first step toward success starts before the internship even begins. During the period between being accepted into a program and starting work at the lab, future interns should take the initiative to reach out to their mentors and brush up on the current state of the science they will study.

“It can feel intimidating to reach out to your mentor, especially if you don’t know what you’re doing. But the whole point of this internship is to learn, and the first step is realizing that you won’t be penalized for not knowing something; I wish I had known that before I started the internship.” — David Lopez, CCI intern and Student STEM Ambassador

“If you’re sitting at home and have nothing to do, just send your mentor an email,” said Alice Gao, who participated in the 2022 Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI) program.

“It can feel intimidating to reach out to your mentor, especially if you don’t know what you’re doing,” said David Lopez. He first interned at Argonne for the Community College Internships (CCI) in 2022, and he is returning for a second CCI program this year. ​“But the whole point of this internship is to learn, and the first step is realizing that you won’t be penalized for not knowing something; I wish I had known that before I started the internship.”

The learning process continues when students begin their internships. SSAs encourage interns to take things nice and slow for their first week at the lab.

“Be patient, and don’t try to rush into the research,” said Justin Griffith, a 2022 SULI intern. ​“Building a solid, theoretical foundation for your work is what the first couple of weeks are about — developing your understanding of the material, training, and plenty of reading.”

“For any questions you have about your research project’s goals, it’s best to ask your mentor about them early, because the longer you wait, the harder it becomes to fix the trajectory you’ve already set,” said Gao.

Though research remains a strong priority for internships, the SSAs emphasized the importance of social interactions throughout the experience. Students should try to attend as many events as they can and talk with others, even if it takes them out of their comfort zone.

“Go to as many events as you can, and talk to people about the cool science they’re working on,” said Griffith. ​“I got to know quite a few other interns that I still talk with now, a year later. It can be really easy to be caught up in your research, but being able to take an hour or half-hour of your day to attend a seminar, be part of a social event, or just grab lunch with an intern can be really helpful.”

Interns’ projects culminate in their greatest challenge: giving professional STEM presentations on their research at the lab-wide Learning on the Lawn.

“The best way to prepare is to practice casually; the more you talk about your research with others, the better you’ll be able to present your poster,” said Griffith. ​“It’s a great way to develop your communication skills while also showing off what you’ve learned. There is a satisfaction of being able to describe what you have done in that last 10 weeks. It feels very official, like you’ve done meaningful work.”

Finally, the biggest tip that the SSAs could give students is to apply for more internships. An internship can make a positive difference in students’ futures, as it has for these past interns.

“Argonne has helped me in my school life; I’ve actually used what I’ve learned from Argonne in my courses,” said Lopez. ​“Interning at Argonne is a rare chance at something new, and if you don’t take advantage of the opportunity, you may regret missing out.”

This work was supported in part by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS).

Argonne National Laboratory seeks solutions to pressing national problems in science and technology. The nation’s first national laboratory, Argonne conducts leading-edge basic and applied scientific research in virtually every scientific discipline. Argonne researchers work closely with researchers from hundreds of companies, universities, and federal, state and municipal agencies to help them solve their specific problems, advance America’s scientific leadership and prepare the nation for a better future. With employees from more than 60 nations, Argonne is managed by UChicago Argonne, LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit https://​ener​gy​.gov/​s​c​ience.