*New* Livermore Summer Program
Georgetown & Lawrence Livermore National Lab
Join us this summer for an immersive research opportunity at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in Northern California! This summer 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).
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 two students along with Professor Shauna Bennett to LLNL last 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.
This summer, Professor Bennett will be returning to LLNL with four to five Georgetown undergraduates. Once selected, students will be 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. The LLNL mentors who have been identified are listed below.
LLNL Mentor
Area of Study
Carbon cycling and climate change
Viruses and extreme environments
Bacterial infections and microbial ecology
Biogeochemistry and isotopes
Participants will receive a $6,000 stipend, as well as housing just four minutes away from LLNL.
Allegra Mayer, one of the LLNL mentors, currently works at both UC Berkeley and at LLNL’s Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (CAMS).
The Luquillo Experimental Forest in Puerto Rico
“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
Lawrence Livermore scientist Jennifer Pett-Ridge. Photo by Julie Russell/LLNL.
How to Apply
Priority Deadline: 11:59pm on Tuesday, February 18, 2025.
Application review will begin on Wednesday, February 19th, and will continue until all spots are filled.
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 in the second half of February.
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.
Resources
Information Sessions will be held on Friday, February 7 and Friday, February 14 from 2:15 to 3:15pm.
Meet with Professor Shauna Bennett, Professor Sarah Johnson (Georgetown’s Faculty Director for Undergraduate Research), and LLNL scientist Gary Trubl (joining via Zoom!)
Interested students are encouraged to stop by in person (Earth Commons Conference Room, Regents 391G) or via Zoom! LLNL Summer Program Info Session Meeting Link
Students may also schedule an initial advising appointment with CRF Program Coordinator, Araceli Becerra (ab3401@georgetown.edu).
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 23rd and August 23rd (arrival and departure dates are flexible). For scheduling conflicts or accommodations, please reach out to undergradresearch@georgetown.edu.
Is housing provided?
Yes! Students will each have their own room just minutes away from LLNL.
When will I hear back?
Selections will be announced by the end of February.
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 hosts extraordinary centers like the National Ignition Facility, which Georgetown students were able to tour last summer.
Students, John Henry Lotz-McMillen and Ruby Gilmore, present their work on the viral ecology of antarctic soil microbial communities.
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.
In 2024, LLNL installed a new, state-of-the-art NanoSIMS. The LLNL group has pioneered NanoSIMS use in environmental microbiology.
Georgetown student Ruby Gilmore in Downtown San Francisco.
Students had a chance to explore Mount Diablo.
Ruby Gilmore, Professor Shauna Bennett, John Henry Lotz-McMillen hiking in Muir Woods.
A weekend excursion to the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco.