The NSF Center for Nanotechnology in Society (CNS) at the University of California Santa Barbara is seeking undergraduate social science, humanities, science or engineering majors who are interested in gaining social science research experience.   

This internship program is for current UCSB undergraduate students, and is an 8-week summer research experience on the UCSB campus.   

Interns will gain first-hand experience in the investigation of the societal issues relating to nanotechnology in a dynamic, collaborative research environment.   They will work with faculty and graduate student mentors in social science, humanities or science and engineering, who will provide training and support.   

Application deadline: April 15, 2009 

About the Internship Program

The program is structured around a ‘Nano Travels: Nanotechnology through the Global Value Chain’ project: interns will research a specific nanotechnology from its origin to its use in specific consumer products, analyzing the linkages between the steps of the supply chain.  Research questions may include:

• What are the benefits of this nano-enabled product and how does it differ from existing products?
• Where, how, and to whom does the use of nanotechnology add value (and cost) in the chain?
• What opportunities exist to apply this nanotechnology to other products?
• How does this technology relate to societal aspects, such as risk and risk perception, media framing, the public sphere, innovation, globalization, and historical context?

In addition to research, the interns will also participate in weekly group meetings to develop oral presentation skills, attend special seminars and present their results at an end-of-summer poster session.   

CNS-UCSB faculty work in the departments of Anthropology, English, Feminist Studies, Global and International Studies, History, Political Science, Sociology, and are engaged in several areas of inquiry including: the historical context of nanotechnologies; innovation and global diffusion; and risk perception and issue framing of emerging nanotechnologies. 
 

Program Details:

• The CNS Summer Internship program will run from June 22 to August 14, 2009.
• The stipend for undergraduate interns is $3,000 total for 8 weeks at 35 hrs/week. 
• We will provide up to $900 for housing expenses, or arranged accommodations for free. (Students will arrange their own meals)

Student Eligibility:

This program is open to any social science, humanities, science, or engineering undergraduate student (US citizen or resident) who will be enrolled as a sophomore, junior or senior at UCSB in Fall 2009. 
 

Application Process:

An internship application must include the following components (see application form for more details)

• A completed student application form (download here )
• A statement of interest (see application form for instructions)
• A copy of your unofficial transcript
• One letter of recommendation from a professor (download here )
  

Email your application to:  

Julie Dillemuth, CNS Education Director
Julie(at)cns.ucsb.edu 

Or via mail (must be received by the application deadline): 

Julie Dillemuth, CNS Education Director
ISBER Mail code 2150
Center for Nanotechnology in Society
University of California
Santa Barbara   CA   93106-2150
Fax: (805) 893-7995 
 

APPLICATION Deadline: April 15, 2009   

Award announcements will begin by May 1, 2009 

Only complete applications will be reviewed for awards. 

Questions or concerns?  Contact Dr. Julie Dillemuth, CNS Education Director by email at julie(at)cns.ucsb.edu, or by phone at 893-5929