The future of the energy industry is our young people. Stirring their interest in energy careers is key to inspiring a new generation of innovators, researchers, and leaders.
The Office of Fossil Energy recognizes this too and offers a number of STEM workforce development programs. Assistant Secretary Steven Winberg shares some of these STEM opportunities in his new blog STEM Rising:
- Mickey Leland Energy Fellowship (MLEF) program. MLEF provides underrepresented students with hands-on research experience in the Office of Fossil Energy. It's a 10-week fellowship program where students train under the mentorship of scientists and program officials at the DOE headquarters or a DOE lab.
- K-12 STEM Education & Outreach Program from the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL). About 6,700 students in areas such as Pittsburg, PA; Morgantown, WV; and Albany, OR are currently involved in this program. It includes science fairs, career fairs, and public festivities designed to get students excited about STEM.
- NETL Energy Zone STEM Education Exhibit. This exhibit is located at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh and attracts over 140,000 visitors each year. This exhibit teaches kids about the importance of energy in our lives, how it works, and also how we can conserve and reduce energy usage.
Besides these programs, NETL also offers Graduate Education Programs available from undergraduate up through postdoc education.
I strongly believe it is our responsibility to help these students in their preparation for rewarding careers in STEM.
Steve Winberg, U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy
Winberg believes that students deserve access to high-quality STEM education and that it is our nation's responsibility to provide them the tools they need to pursue rewarding careers in STEM. We couldn't agree more.
For more information about the Energy Departments STEM efforts, visit their blog: www.energy.gov/STEMRising
