LLNL Externship

Georgetown & Lawrence Livermore National Lab

Spend your summer with an immersive research opportunity at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in Northern California! This program is open to all Georgetown students interested in conducting hands-on research at one of the nation’s premier applied science laboratories, part of the National Nuclear Security Administration within the Department of Energy (DOE).

Aerial view of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's main campus — Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s main campus fits into a one-square-mile footprint, sometimes called the smartest square mile in America.

Overview

In collaboration with the Georgetown Office of the President, the Center for Research and Fellowships sent five students along with Professor Shauna Bennett to LLNL this past summer. This pilot program was designed to enhance ties to the National Labs and foster collaborative research among DOE researchers and Georgetown students and faculty.

Students were paired with an LLNL mentor to further develop a summer research project that fits their interests as well as the interests of the lab where they are placed.

LLNL Mentor

Mavrik Zavarin

Gary Trubl

Vanessa Brisson (Rhona Stuart’s lab)

Allegra Mayer (Jennifer Pett-Ridge’s lab)

Area of Study

Carbon cycling and climate change

Viruses and extreme environments

Bacterial infections and microbial ecology

Biogeochemistry and isotopes

Participants receive a $6,000 stipend, as well as housing just four minutes away from LLNL.

Scientist collecting soil sample — Allegra Mayer, one of the LLNL mentors, currently works at both UC Berkeley and at LLNL’s Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (CAMS).

Snail on a leaf in a forest — Allegra Mayer, one of the LLNL mentors, currently works at both UC Berkeley and at LLNL’s Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (CAMS).

“At CAMS, I am measuring radiocarbon to analyze changes in soil carbon storage and turnover over three decades in the Luquillo Experimental Forest in Puerto Rico.”

-Allegra Mayer

Scientist in a lab — Lawrence Livermore scientist Jennifer Pett-Ridge. Photo by Julie Russell/LLNL.

How to Apply

Priority Deadline: TBA in Spring 2026

To apply, submit a 1-2 page resume and a 1-page cover letter to undergradresearch@georgetown.edu with the subject title “LLNL Summer Program Application.” Finalists will be invited to schedule an interview.

Eligibility

Applicants must be currently enrolled Georgetown University undergraduates to apply and during their participation in the research program.

We are seeking students eager to represent Georgetown’s scientific research community. Ideal candidates are collaborative, adaptable, demonstrate strong professionalism, and are committed to contributing to a dynamic research environment.

Frequently Asked Questions

I already submitted an application for the CRF Summer Research Fellowship. Can I still apply?
Yes! Students are welcome to apply for both opportunities.

What is the selection process like?
Students submit their CV and a cover letter. After initial review of application materials, certain students will be invited to schedule an interview as part of the final stage of the selection process.

What are the dates?
Students should nominally plan to spend ten weeks at LLNL between May and August (arrival and departure dates are flexible). For scheduling conflicts or accommodations, please reach out to undergradresearch@georgetown.edu.

Is housing provided?
Yes! Students are provided housing just minutes away from LLNL.

What should I include in the cover letter?
Please discuss your background, your interest in this opportunity, and how you see this unique experience fitting in with your overall academic trajectory. If you have questions, please attend an information session or schedule an advising appointment.

Program Experience

LLNL researchers working in the National Ignition Facility — LLNL hosts extraordinary centers like the National Ignition Facility, which Georgetown students were able to tour last summer.

Georgetown students presenting their research poster — Students, John Henry Lotz-McMillen and Ruby Gilmore, present their work on the viral ecology of antarctic soil microbial communities.

Georgetown students, faculty, and mentors standing on a dock in Northern California — Outside of working in the lab, Professor Shauna Bennett, John Henry Lotz-McMillen, Professor Sarah Johnson, Ruby Gilmore, and LLNL Mentor Gary Trubl had a chance to explore Northern California.

A new, state-of-the-art NanoSIMS — In 2024, LLNL installed a new, state-of-the-art NanoSIMS. The LLNL group has pioneered NanoSIMS use in environmental microbiology.

Georgetown student standing at a farmer's market — Georgetown student Ruby Gilmore in Downtown San Francisco.

Landscape of Mount Diablo — Students had a chance to explore Mount Diablo.

Students and faculty walking through Muir Woods — Ruby Gilmore, Professor Shauna Bennett, and John Henry Lotz-McMillen hiking in Muir Woods.

The Palace of Fine Arts at night — A weekend excursion to the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco.