K-State receives grant to manage environmental professional student intern program

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Source: Brian Hanson, 785-532-4996, hanson@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Mary Rankin, 785-532-6715, mrankin@k-state.edu

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

K-STATE RECEIVES GRANT TO MANAGE ENVIRONMENTAL PROFESSIONAL STUDENT INTERN PROGRAM

MANHATTAN -- Engineering Extension at Kansas State University has been awarded a $675,000, five-year contract to recruit, evaluate, train and provide student interns to the Environmental Protection Agency Radiation and Indoor Environments National Laboratory in Las Vegas, Nev.

The Radiation and Indoor Environments National Laboratory is dedicated to protecting the public and the environment by minimizing exposure to radiation and indoor air pollution through environmental measurements, applied technologies and education.

Over the next five years, Engineering Extension, in K-State's College of Engineering, will manage the Environmental Professional Student Intern Program, which will provide full-time paid internship opportunities to K-State undergraduate and graduate students in areas such as environmental science, physical science, health physics, engineering, computer science, chemistry, communications and public relations.

"EPA's purpose for this intern program is to increase the number and diversity of students seeking careers as future environmental professionals," said Brian Hanson, coordinator of the intern program at K-State. "Providing on-the-job training and practical experience for students at the Radiation and Indoor Environments National Laboratory in Las Vegas is a strong step forward in achieving this goal."

The program will provide ongoing opportunities for semester- and summer-long paid internships at the national laboratory, where students can expect to earn competitive wages while gaining valuable hands-on experience. The first set of internship opportunities is available for the spring 2007 academic semester. Detailed position information and applications is online at http://www.engext.k-state.edu/internships.asp

Christopher Velasco will serve as a graduate assistant on the project, handling student recruitment activities. Velasco, a master's student in architectural engineering at K-State, has a bachelor's in mechanical engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Washington.

Applications for the spring 2007 internships should be submitted by Monday, Oct. 2, to Hanson, 133 Ward Hall, or at bhanson@k-state.edu. They also can be brought in person during open interviews Oct. 9-11 in Ward Hall.