Virtual National Science Foundation internships aren’t just a pandemic stopgap – they can open up opportunities for more STEM students

Students who participated in the virtual Research Experience for Undergraduates at Purdue reported stronger gains in research skills than in-person summer interns.

By: Lisa Bosman, Purdue University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: January 6, 2026

Words: 999

Last Updated: 3 days, 10 hours ago

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By Lisa Bosman, Purdue University

Many engineering and science undergraduates are approaching January application deadlines for prestigious summer internships and study abroad programs – or, in some cases, a spot in the National Science Foundation’s highly competitive Research Experience for Undergraduates, a specialized, paid summer research internship.

Roughly 6,000 American undergraduates take part in this internship each year. Landing this competitive research internship is a big deal. It can give young people interested …

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