Off-Campus Research Opportunities

The majority of the interns at the Woodrow Wilson Center serve as research assistants or scholar interns for visiting scholars. Research assistants are talented students from universities around the country who combine part-time hours at the Center with their studies and with other activities.

The Center for Legislative Archives offers several internship programs, including: Electronic Records/Web Archiving Internships, Archival Internships, and Public Outreach Internships.

The Institute for Policy Studies is the nation’s oldest and largest multi-issue think tank promoting progressive thought. The paid summer internships offered by IPS are intended to serves as professional development for young activists who seek a long-term career in social change.

AEI internships provide students with an opportunity to work with some of America’s most renowned scholars, economists, political scientists, and foreign policy specialists conducting research on today’s prominent public policy questions.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities specializes in research and analysis oriented toward practical policy decisions and produces analytic reports that are accessible to public officials at national, state and local levels, to nonprofit organizations and to the media. The internships offered by the center include: Media, Health Policy, Housing Policy, International Budget Partnership, Food Assistance, National Budget and Tax Policy, Outreach Campaigns, State Fiscal Project and Welfare Reform and Income Support Division.

The President’s Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) in Washington, D.C. offers full-time internships during the summer. Interns at the CEA are responsible for assisting the staff in researching a wide range of macroeconomic, microeconomic, and international issues, providing assistance in making charts and analyzing data. Administrative duties to support the work of the Council are also involved.

The USDA Economics Research Service offers paid summer internships to students enrolled in an accredited institution. The internship program is part of the Pathways Program which prepares undergraduates for a career in government service.

The Governor’s Summer Internship Program (GSIP) was created to introduce college students to the unique challenges and rewards of working within Maryland State Government. For 10 weeks, GSIP interns will: work on substantive projects with senior-level public administrators and policy makers, in departments or policy areas that closely correspond with each intern’s field of study or career interests.

American Geosciences Institute seeks outstanding geoscience students with a strong interest in federal science policy for a spring, summer, or fall internship in geoscience and public policy. Interns will gain a first-hand understanding of the legislative process and the operation of executive branch agencies. They will enhance their oral and written communication skills and develop web publishing skills.

The Amgen Scholars Program, hosted by thirteen different universities, provides undergraduate participants with premier research experiences with faculty mentors, while receiving a generous stipend, housing, meal plan, GRE Prep, and transportation to and from the host campus.

The National Science Foundation funds a large number of research opportunities for undergraduate students through its REU Sites program. Each student is associated with a specific research project, where he/she works closely with the faculty and other researchers on topics in the sciences, engineering, ethics, education, and human resources.

Some federal agencies have programs that support undergraduate research. Review some of the opportunities below:

National Aeronautics and Space Administration: Undergraduate Student Research Program

National Institutes of Health: Summer Internship in Biomedical Research

Department of Energy: Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: Undergraduate Opportunities

Sigma Xi awards grants of up to $1,000 to students from all areas of the sciences and engineering. Students use the funding to pay for travel expenses to and from a research site, or for purchase of non-standard laboratory equipment necessary to complete a specific research project.

The Mayo Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program, sponsored by Mayo Graduate School, allows undergraduate students from universities across the U.S. to conduct a small research project or work on part of an ongoing research investigation for 10 weeks. The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program award is $5000 for 10 weeks.

NIST is one of the nation’s premiere research institutions for the physical and engineering sciences and, as the lead Federal agency for technology transfer, it provides a strong interface between government, industry and academia. NIST embodies a science culture, developed from a large and well-equipped research staff that enthusiastically blends programs that address the immediate needs of industry with longer-term research that anticipates future needs.

The Naval Research Enterprise Intern Program (NREIP) provides an opportunity for students to participate in research at a Department of Navy (DoN) laboratory during the summer. The goals of the NREIP are to encourage participating students to pursue science and engineering careers, to further education via mentoring by laboratory personnel and their participation in research, and to make them aware of DoN research and technology efforts.

The United States Energy Information Administration (EIA) internship program offers students on-the-job experience that could lead to a full-time career with EIA upon graduation. Relevant careers include Mathematical Statisticians, Survey Statisticians, Industry Economists, Operations Research Analysts, and Engineers.

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) offers paid full-time and part-time internships throughout the year. All opportunities are located at the AAAS headquarters located in downtown Washington, DC, and last up to 12 weeks. AAAS internships are open to undergraduate and graduate students and recent college graduates.

The Prosecution Project (tPP) is a long-term, Open-Source Intelligence research platform tracking and providing an analysis of felony criminal cases involving illegal political violence occurring in the United States since 1990.”

Join a semester cohort of tPP and get involved with applied research focused on violence, terrorism, extremism, hate crimes, and political protest.

Time Commitment:

• 2-3 hours per week for asynchronous work
• 2 hours per month for Zoom check ins (1 on 1 work with a senior member of our team)
• Minimum one academic year commitment preferred

Pre-Coders can do their work whenever is convenient and appointment times are scheduled according to availability.

Pre-Coder Responsibilities Include:

• tracking down state and federal court records,
• locating news sources on criminal cases, 
• deciding whether or not a case warrants inclusion or exclusion, 
• adding the case entry to our database

Team members are Pre-Coders for the first four months (approximately a semester), then have the ability to become Coders and work cases through to completion.

Apply Here

Visit the tPP website to learn more about their work.

Research internships are available for undergraduate students through the Mohonk Preserve in New York. Research interns work with Preserve Research staff, world-class scientists and land managers on at the Preserve’s Daniel Smiley Research Center on bird surveys and habitat analysis; invasive species management; recreational impact assessment; and detailed data collection and management.

The National Park Service offers a variety of internships and fellowships for undergraduate students and recent graduates, many of which are funded opportunities. Some of the opportunities offered by the National Park Service include: the Cultural Resources Diversity Internship Program, the Future Park Leaders of Emerging Change Program, Geoscientists in the Parks Internship Program, and Latino Heritage Internship Program.

The Apacheria Research Fellowship is intend to support non-destructive research in the natural sciences, with emphasis on conservation ecology focused on species, communities, ecosystems and ecosystem services.

The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) offers this seven week program in order to fully immerse students in PEC’s nationally recognized regional movement for land conservation and land use planning. The program consists of field trips, classroom discussions, speakers, and individual projects.

The Hubbard Brook Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) is designed to appeal to students interested in both ecosystem research and, importantly, the interpretation and communication of science to society in general.

The Navy History and Heritage Command offers internships to students who desire experience in areas related to their educational programs and career goals. In addition to undertaking historical research, writing and editing, the NHHC operates the Navy Department Library. The Navy Museum and maintains collections of naval archives, photographs, artifacts, and art.

The Smithsonian Institution, the world’s largest museum complex, looks for talented students to help them produce our world-class programs, exhibits, and research. Smithsonian interns have opportunities to make an impact, develop personally and professionally, and learn from people who are experts in their fields.