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Florida International University (FIU), the largest Hispanic serving educational institution in the continental United States, is one of the nation’s leading producers of scientists and engineers from underrepresented groups. In 1995, the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (DOE-EM) formed a unique partnership with FIU to support environmental cleanup technology development, testing and deployment at DOE sites. This partnership led to the creation of a research center at FIU dedicated to applied, environmental R&D. The center, now known as the Applied Research Center (ARC), has tackled and helped solve problems at 11 DOE sites. The partnership with DOE-EM supported the hands-on training of 824 FIU students from 1995 – 2006. ARC is located at FIU’s Engineering Campus and is equipped with state-of-the-art laboratories and facilities for conducting scientific R&D and for testing, evaluating, and validating new and innovative environmental technologies.

The DOE-FIU Science and Technology Workforce Development Program is an innovative program between the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management (DOE-EM) and Florida International University’s Applied Research Center designed to create a “pipeline” of minority engineers specifically trained and mentored to enter the Department of Energy workforce in technical areas of need. This innovative program was designed to help address DOE’s future workforce needs by partnering with academic, government and DOE contractor organizations to mentor future minority scientists and engineers in the research, development, and deployment of new technologies addressing DOE’s environmental cleanup challenges. Students selected as DOE Fellows will perform research at FIU and at a DOE site. Upon graduation and completion of this fellowship, the students are encouraged to pursue a career at DOE EM (via the Pathways Program) and/or with DOE National Labs and DOE contractors across the DOE Complex.

Objectives

The DOE-FIU Science and Engineering Workforce Development Program is designed to build upon existing DOE/FIU relationship by creating a “pipeline” of minority scientists and engineers specifically trained and mentored to enter the U.S. Department of Energy’s workforce in technical areas of need. The main objective of the program is to provide interested students with a unique opportunity to integrate course work, Department of Energy (DOE) field work, and FIU applied research into a well-structured academic program providing the successful graduate with the ability to leverage their education, skills, knowledge, and distinctive work experiences to the pursuit of careers in DOE, DOE National Labs, DOE contractors, other federal agencies, or STEM related industry.

Our Mission

Build upon FIU’s long research relationship with the U.S. Department of Energy to create a “pipeline” of minority environmental engineers and scientists.

Our Vision

  • Provide top quality minority students with a unique opportunity for hands-on research and a potential career with the DOE
  • Enhance the quality of student, faculty & staff R&D through close collaborations with scientists from national labs
  • Stimulate greater numbers of minority students entering STEM disciplines at graduate and undergraduate levels