SPARTAN SPARK: Stimulating Passion, Advancement, Research, and Knowledge for Next-generation Engineers in Advanced
Energy Systems
Dr. Liat Rosenfeld1,3, Associate Professor
Co-PI(s): David Parent,1,3, Nicole Neveu2, Chytchua Muyco2, Cynthia Melendrez2, Sebastian Aderhold2, Dorian Bohler2
1,3: San Jose State University, San Jose, CA, 95192
2: SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA, 94025
The SPARTAN SPARK program will provide substantive, hands-on research experiences for undergraduate students in the multidisciplinary area of energy science and engineering. Twenty-five (25) undergraduate students will be recruited, from all engineering disciplines to the SPARTAN SPARK program each year. The students will undergo substantive, year-long training at SJSU and SLAC National Laboratory. The academic year training will lead to a fully paid, 10-week summer internship at SLAC National Laboratory. Recruitment for the SPARTAN SPARK program will focus on first-generation (FG), under-represented minorities (URM), and low-income (LI) students from the College of Engineering at SJSU. The selection will prioritize Juniors, based on recommendations, and engagement with the program. The SPARTAN SPARK program will start at the beginning of the academic year (mid-August). During the academic year, the students will receive training in research skills such as performing a literature review, analyzing data with Python, group collaboration and data standards, documentation of hardware designs, and using GitHub to make open-source software contributions public. Project management skills, conflict resolution, and teamwork strategies will also be taught. SLAC scientists and engineers will introduce summer research projects to the students, who will also visit SLAC and be introduced to the various departments and research opportunities through site tours. To support the students both academically and personally and to ensure a strong connection between each student and their peers, faculty, and community; the PI and co-PI will run small group meetings where non-research related topics will be discussed, such as STEM career paths, graduate school, progress toward graduation, and professional development. External speakers will be invited occasionally to attend these meetings. The small group meetings will be held monthly. The program’s summer activities include a 10-week (June - August), fully paid internship at SLAC National Laboratory, where the participants will work 40 hours/week on-site. The students will work in small groups under the supervision and guidance of SLAC scientists or engineers on hands-on research projects. Some projects will be computational and suit students majoring in computer engineering, software engineering, and electrical engineering. Other hands-on projects will suit students majoring in chemical engineering, materials engineering, biomedical engineering, mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, and industrial systems engineering. The PI and co-PI will remain in contact with the participants throughout the summer through weekly check-ins and will help resolve any issues. At the end of the summer, the participants will submit a written report on their research project and present their work at the SPARTAN SPARK symposium. The students will also be encouraged to submit abstracts of their work to local and national conferences. The PI, co-PI, and research mentors will help support the abstract submission process. An external evaluator will conduct formative and summative evaluations throughout the program. Each student will receive a stipend for the academic year's activities, a fully paid summer internship, and housing support during the summer. The students will receive a laptop to support their research activities throughout the program and a Clipper Transportation Card to cover travel expenses from Bay Area communities to SLAC.
This research was selected for funding by the Office of Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
