USU Engineering Graduate Student Secures Prestigious Navy Internship

Utah State University graduate student Lori Caldwell will take part in the prestigious Naval Research Enterprise Internship Program, or NREIP. Caldwell, a former student president of the USU chapter of the Society of Women Engineers and founder of two successful science and engineering camps for local high school students, was one of approximately 75 graduate students nationwide to receive a 2019 NREIP award. Caldwell is concurrently pursuing a master’s degree in biological engineering, advised by Elizabeth Vargis, and a doctorate in engineering education, advised by Angela Minichiello.

NREIP is jointly administered by the Office of Naval Research and the American Society of Engineering Education. NREIP provides opportunities for outstanding science and engineering undergraduate and graduate students to participate in paid summer research experiences at one of 29 U.S. Department of the Navy (DoN) laboratories. The goals of NREIP are to encourage students to pursue science and engineering careers, to support science and engineering higher education through direct mentoring and active participation in ongoing DoN research and to increase science and engineering students’ awareness of DoN employment opportunities.

Caldwell’s 10-week summer internship award includes an $11,000 stipend and a housing allowance. From June through early August 2019, she will intern at the Naval Underwater Warfare Center in Newport, Rhode Island. Caldwell’s summer research will combine her interests in science and engineering education and biological engineering. She will work directly with the Undersea Technology Apprentice Program, an award- winning science and outreach camp that supports diverse high school students’ interests in becoming the next generation of DoN scientists and engineers. In addition, Caldwell will engage in biofluids research on topics including cranial fluid dynamics during concussion events and oceanic microflows around seal whiskers. 

“I’m excited to spend the summer working with fluid dynamics experts to use my experience with biological engineering to build more accurate flow profiles of living systems, and bring them back to USU to use in future STEM outreach projects,” said Caldwell.