Two University of New Orleans computer science students have been selected for paid summer research internships by the Naval Research Enterprise Internship Program (NREIP). NREIP provides competitive research internships to college students at Department of the Navy research laboratories during the summer.
The nationally competitive internship program, which is administered by the American Society of Engineering Education, averages 800 awards yearly. Many of the recipients join Department of Defense laboratories after graduation.
Selection for an internship is based on academic credentials, recommendation letters and personal statements.
The summer 2023 NREIP recipients from UNO are Amanda Xuan Nguyen and Daijohn Gustave. They will intern at the Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) in New Orleans.
“I am looking forward to experiencing this internship and working alongside NIWC’s experienced Information Technology professionals,” Nguyen said. “The many computer science courses I have taken at UNO will be instrumental in making my internship with NIWC a successful and rewarding experience.”
A main goal of NREIP is to make interns aware of the research activities of the Department of Navy laboratories in order to facilitate employment by that agency after graduation.
NREIP undergraduate recipients receive a stipend of $7,500 for the 10-week summer research internship.
Gustave, who was selected for the NREIP internship for a second year, said the experience has helped to hone his IT skills and broaden his career development.
“It is my great honor to be selected for the prestigious NREIP internship for a second year. I am glad to have the opportunity to work closely with a team of Navy IT experts,” Gustave said. “I am excited to learn more about the technologies within the Navy and use them to create software applications that will have an impact after this internship.”
UNO’s computer science department is an important pipeline of IT professionals for NIWC-New Orleans, said Mahdi Abdelguerfi, chair of the computer science department.
“The upcoming Educational Partnership Agreement between UNO and NIWC will further cement the existing strong partnership,” Abdelguerfi said.