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Ames Lab has research opportunities for diverse students
Work is on government projects in national security
and solutions to energy-related challenges;
students work with scientist mentors
 The Ames Laboratory (Ames, IA) is one of ten Office of Science research facilities of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Iowa State University (Ames, IA) operates the lab on behalf of DOE.
More than 250 scientists and engineers with specialties in chemistry, physics, materials science or a closely- related engineering or science discipline handle research on a range of projects to enhance national security, improve industrial competitiveness and bolster U.S. economic security. Most employees have PhDs, and there are often jobs for recent PhD recipients, says lab director Dr Alex King.
Students make up more than 20 percent of the paid workforce. For bachelors and masters degree holders, the lab offers opportunities through Iowa State’s PhD programs, where students can enroll and pursue research at the lab. There are also research support positions for lab assistants, computer technicians and administrative staff.
The lab got its start in the 1940s with Iowa State’s development of a highly efficient process for producing high-purity uranium for atomic energy. The Ames project produced more than 1,000 tons of pure uranium for the Manhattan Project. In 1947, the Atomic Energy Commission formally established the Ames Laboratory.
King says that the hiring outlook for 2009 depends on the U.S. government’s new initiatives in energy and the environment. “If we receive substantial new research funding, hiring will go up considerably,” he says. “If not, we’ll be hiring at roughly the same level as last year.” Many new hires are post-doctoral researchers.
The lab relies on the efforts of Iowa State and the DOE’s Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists for recruiting. Both regularly attend job fairs sponsored by groups like NSBE and SWE.
King says that the lab recently initiated a program called Faculty and Student Teams (FAST). FAST is a summer program that matches a group of students from an HBCU, a minority serving institution or a tribal college with scientist mentors; each team works on a research project for ten weeks. The lab pays for the team members’ travel and living expenses and gives each student a stipend. “It’s a great research experience for all involved,” King says.
Another summer program, Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI), brings in undergrads majoring in a science or engineering field to work with scientists or engineers on research projects. “We target colleges and universities that don’t have strong research opportunities of their own,” says King.
The program offers talks and tours given by scientists, including Iowa State research that takes place outside the lab. “For example, our SULI students will tour the virtual reality cave at ISU and the haptics lab for computational sensing and robotics,” says King. “We’ve also taken students to the Science Center of Iowa.”
Out of the seventeen students in SULI this past summer, ten were female and seven were male. “This is the first time female students have outnumbered the males in the program,” says King. “We try very hard to identify minority students who would be good candidates for our program, and we’ve been successful in attracting some.”
The lab boasts one of the best safety records of any U.S. national lab. King says that the orientation process for new hires is extensive. “Each employee’s job is evaluated to determine the training needed, much of which focuses on safe working practices.”
Junior employees get additional support through a formal mentoring program. “It’s voluntary, but the lab strongly encourages participation,” King says. Many Iowa State University engineering students have part-time jobs at the lab or take part in research projects. They, too, have Ames Lab mentors.
Iowa State’s campus offers support for women at the lab through the University Committee on Women, Margaret Sloss Women’s Center, Women’s Leadership Consortium and Women’s Network.
There are also resources on campus for multicultural students and employees. The lab has had a long-standing relationship with the ISU chapter of the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers and supports many of its activities.
“The Ames Laboratory is committed to the development of new generations of researchers to keep America competitive in an increasingly global technological economy,” says King. “And our symbiotic relationship with ISU provides special opportunities for training.”
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