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The National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Mathematical Sciences (DMS) aims to provide opportunities to enrich the training of graduate students in the Mathematical Sciences through the provision of an NSF Mathematical Sciences Graduate Internship Program. This program will provide an opportunity for mathematical sciences doctoral students to participate in internships at federal national laboratories and research facilities. Participation in an internship will provide first-hand experience of the use of mathematics in a nonacademic setting. The internships are aimed at students who are interested in understanding the application of advanced mathematical and statistical techniques to "real world" problems, regardless of whether the student plans to pursue an academic or nonacademic career.

Am I Eligible?

You must meet the following to be eligible for an internship:

  • Be enrolled as a graduate student at an accredited U.S. college or university pursuing a doctoral degree in mathematics, statistics or applied mathematics.
  • Have a cumulative graduate GPA of 3.00 or higher on a 4.00 scale as of the Fall 2023 academic term.

The NSF MSGI program encourages applications from underrepresented groups, including women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and veterans, in order to broaden and diversify those participating in mathematical sciences.

Additional Information:

  • U.S. citizenship is not required for participation in the program. However, depending on the internship assignment, U.S. citizenship, or permanent residence may be required. For non-U.S. citizens, internships are contingent upon having a valid immigration status. ORISE will work with participants to determine eligibility.
  • Candidates selected for an internship appointment will be required to provide proof of enrollment for Spring term.
  • Students graduating with a doctoral degree prior to the Spring are not eligible to participate.
  • Participants are required to have health insurance coverage during the internship period and provide proof of coverage prior to the start of the internship.

DMS seeks to have equal representation across the mathematical sciences community by achieving roughly an equal number of placements in the 3 areas of pure mathematics, applied mathematics, and statistics.

What will I be doing?

The NSF Mathematical Sciences Graduate Internship (MSGI) program is aimed at students who are interested in understanding the application of advanced mathematical and statistical techniques to "real world" problems, regardless of whether you plan to pursue an academic or nonacademic career. Internship activities will vary based on the assigned project and hosting facility. As part of your application, you will identify your top 3 projects from a 2024 NSF MSGI Project Catalog currently in development. Review the 2024 catalog.

All projects are in disciplinary areas of the mathematical sciences supported by the NSF Division of Mathematical Sciences (DMS). 

  • Algebra and Number Theory
  • Analysis
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Combinatorics
  • Computational Mathematics
  • Foundations
  • Geometric Analysis
  • Mathematical Biology
  • Probability
  • Statistics
  • Topology

Applicants are encouraged to review the information about DMS research areas at https://www.nsf.gov/funding/programs.jsp?org=DMS.

What will I receive?

You will receive a stipend of $1,200 per week for your living expenses during the 10 week internship.

Travel reimbursement of inbound and outbound costs up to $2,000 is available for participants who live more than fifty miles, one-way, from the assigned hosting site.

NSF MSGI Participant Ryleigh Moore featured on the ORISE Featurecast Podcast!

Read about & listen to Ryleigh's experiences!

Application Requirements

Applications and supporting materials must be submitted by the application deadline through the Zintellect Online Application System.

A complete application consists of:

  • Profile information 
  • Essay Questions - Goals, experience, and skills relevant to the NSF MSGI program
  • Preferred project(s) - You must choose at least one, but no more than three projects from the 2024 NSF MSGI Project Catalog located at https://orise.orau.gov/nsf-msgi/project-catalog.html. While your preferences will be taken into consideration during the final selection process, you are not guaranteed that you will be offer one of the projects listed.
  • Academic Records -  For this opportunity, an unofficial transcript or copy of the student academic records showing enrollment in a doctoral program and GPA as of Fall 2023 must be submitted. For students in the first year of graduate school, academic transcript of the undergraduate or master's degree including the degree and date the degree was awarded must be provided instead. Academic records must include the name, logo or other identification of the academic institution, name of the student, completed coursework, and grades. Documents must have all social security numbers, student identification numbers, and/or dates of birth removed (blanked out, blackened out, made illegible, etc.) prior to uploading into the application system.
  • Current Resume/CV
  • Two (2) Recommendations - Applicants are required to provide contact information for two recommendations in order to complete the application. You are encouraged to request a recommendation from a professional who can speak to your abilities and potential for success as well as your scientific capabilities and personal characteristics. Recommendation requests must be sent through the Zintellect application system. Recommenders will be asked to complete a recommendation in Zintellect. Letters of recommendation submitted via email will not be accepted.

Appointment Details



  • Nature of Appointment

    This program is administered by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE).

    • ORISE is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) asset managed by Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) through a contract between ORAU and DOE.
    • You will be considered a program participant and will not enter into an employee/employer relationship with ORISE, ORAU, DOE, or hosting facility.
  • Conditions of the Appointment

    Information on commitment, health insurance, deliverables, and policies.

    Health insurance: You are required to have health insurance coverage during your appointment period and to provide proof of coverage prior to the start of your internship.

    Written report and Feedback Form: You will be required to write a final report about your internship experience and complete an online feedback form to help assess the effectiveness of the program.

    Policies/regulations of the Hosting Facility: You will be required to adhere to existing policies, regulations and procedures of your hosting facility and, upon selection for the program, to coordinate with your mentor to obtain access to the facility.

  • Citizenship/Immigration

    U.S. citizenship is not required for participation in the program.

    • U.S. citizenship is not required for participation in the program. However, depending on the internship assignment, U.S. citizenship, or permanent residents visa may be required.
    • For non-U.S. citizens, internships are contingent upon having a valid immigration status. ORISE will work with participants to determine eligibility. If you have questions or concerns regarding your citizenship/immigration status, please contact Immigration@orau.org.
    • Participants must provide suitable citizenship documentation (such as a photocopy of a U.S. passport, birth certificate, Certificate of U.S. Naturalization or Certificate of U.S. Citizenship, permanent residency, visa status) at the time appointment is accepted.
    • For more information please visit the ORISE Immigration website.
  • Appointment Dates

    Information about start and end dates for your internship.

    Upon selection for the NSF MSGI program, appointment start and end dates are determined in coordination with your mentor/hosting facility. Appointments are 10 weeks in the summer, typically between May and September. Internships may not be deferred.

Participant Experiences

  • Anadil Rao
    —Anadil Rao
    Read More
  • Diyi Liu

    “Doing research at a federal research facility is different from doing research in the industry. For a graduate student, it would be good to be exposed to both environments.”

    —Diyi Liu
    Read More
  • Olga Khaliukova
    “You will have a chance to work on emerging issues in your field of interest, deepen your knowledge, and improve your practical skills. I would recommend the ORISE program without reservation. The ORISE application process was clear, the instructions were easy to follow, and the support team was easy to communicate with.” —Olga Khaliukova
    Read More
  • Gideon Idumah

    "The relationship you will build while working in a collaborative environment is one that would be valuable for life. Also, while you may not get a project that completely aligns with what you are currently working on in school, you can broaden your understanding and learn about other scientific disciplines."

    —Gideon Idumah
    Read More
  • Hrishabh Khakurel
    —Hrishabh Khakurel
    Read More
  • Julia Ream

    “As a mathematician, it’s invaluable to experience how mathematics works in the variety of settings that national labs provide. This program is a great way to dip your toe into the other potential career paths that are open to us that we might not get to see otherwise.”

    —Julia Ream
    Read More
  • Ryleigh Moore
    “I think the NSF MSGI Program provides a unique glimpse into the world of researching at a national lab, and I am very thankful for that opportunity.” —Ryleigh Moore
    Read More
  • Gustavo Varela-Alvarenga
    “My internship was an excellent opportunity to collaborate with other brilliant researchers. It also took me out of my comfort zone by placing me in an area that uses a type of data that I've never worked with before. The challenge was exciting.” —Gustavo Varela-Alvarenga
    Read More
  • China Mauck

    "By far, the most important experience was simply being part of a team of scientists and engineers who were not mathematicians. It forced me to think about problems differently and ask new questions."

    —China Mauck
    Read More
  • Anthony Gruber

    “What I enjoyed most was the opportunity to learn how research is conducted in a non-academic setting. It was nice to discover that the research done at national laboratories is serious, and that there are research jobs available outside of universities…I now have both knowledge and skills that I didn’t have before, and that will help me should I decide to pursue a laboratory career.”

    —Anthony Gruber
    Read More
  • Derek Jung

    “Before this summer internship, I never had an experience in applying mathematics to the real world. My background was pure mathematics, and I thought it would be difficult to find an opportunity to apply my skills in an industry setting,” said Jung. “The experience was spectacular and unique. It was unbelievable how NSF-MSGI was able to set me up with a project and location that enabled me to contribute and feel comfortable.”

    —Derek Jung
    Read More
  • James Brunner

    "This program gave me the experience of working directly with biologists, and it taught me not only what sort of questions biologists are asking, but how they are asking them and how they expect to use mathematical tools to find answers. I would certainly recommend the experience to other young mathematicians.”

     

    —James Brunner
    Read More
  • Kasey Bray

    “My favorite part about the NSF MSGI program was the environment of collaboration and support for the advancement of colleagues’ projects and careers. There was an air of overall excitement within the group in a ‘Let’s talk about all the cool stuff we’re doing’ kind of way,” Bray said.

    —Kasey Bray
    Read More

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Mathematical Sciences Graduate Internship (MSGI) program) is managed by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) under an agreement between NSF and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). ORISE is managed by Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) for DOE.

To learn more about the National Science Foundation, visit https://www.nsf.gov/about/.

Stay connected with the all-new ORISE GO app!

The all-new ORISE GO mobile app helps you stay engaged, connected and informed during your ORISE experience and beyond. Use ORISE GO to search and apply for opportunities, learn about exclusive ORISE events, manage applications, accept offers, and more. Visit the ORISE GO page for more info on how to download the app to your mobile device.

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Questions? Contact Us

General Questions/Information

NSF-MSGI@orise.orau.gov

Ken Oswald
Project Manager

Mariah Roberts
Program Specialist

 

Immigration-related questions

Immigration@orau.org

Tamas Czeh
Immigration Specialist