The United States government may appear be focusing all its attention on the upcoming presidential race, but even with that battle raging, the needs of students in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) fields haven’t been forgotten – an area that is admittedly often underrepresented.
STEMUndergrads.science.gov and STEMGradStudents.science.gov web portals have been created to connect STEM students to government websites and programs, by tapping into the extensive Science.gov portal consisting of 60 government-run databases, 2,200 websites, and 200 million pages of U.S. government scientific research and development results.
Both undergrads and graduate students can search the site through keywords, and narrow their search terms based on the type of program, eligibility level, discipline focus, location and region.
This allows students to find programs, internships, competitions and conferences offered by the myriad U.S. government science and technology agencies that are most relevant and appropriate for them. The relative ease and efficiency is what was so surprising about the site, considering the size and scope of the databases it connects to.
While the site maintains the somewhat dated look and feel found in most government websites, its layout and structure work quite well. The options given to narrow your search field are well defined, and the ease of navigation makes it a useful tool for engineers and other STEM subject undergraduate and graduate students to find the next step in their careers or education.
These next steps all lead to positions and opportunities within U.S. government agencies under the purview of the Science.gov Alliance, including the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, and Transportation, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.S. Government Publishing Office.
It’s important to note that these agencies represent approximately 97 percent of the U.S. federal research and development budget, and cover an incredibly wide scope of work.
While Science.gov has been running since 2002, these portals designed specifically for students are a recent addition to the website.
The launch of this tool can be attributed to Shaun Donovan, Director of the Office of Management and Budget. As stated in the White House blog, “These websites leverage Federal assets, expertise and partnerships to provide a single source of reliable information for both students and universities interested in Federally-sponsored STEM education training and funding opportunities,” wrote Donovan. “By improving access to training and funding opportunities, these portals will support existing Government efforts to better serve groups historically underrepresented in STEM fields and prepare today’s students for tomorrow’s STEM workforce.”
Now could be your opportunity to find the perfect federally sponsored internship or grant working for the Department of Defense or NASA, where there is always something interesting in development.
Get started at STEMUndergrads.science.gov and STEMGradStudents.science.gov.