A Student-Driven Internship Model: Customizing Research and Operational Experiences in the Atmospheric Sciences

We present an innovative and complementary approach to the traditional REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) model. Instead of pre-designing in-house research projects and recruiting students through a competitive process, our approach begins by inviting students to outline the specific experiences they seek for a summer internship. This model encourages students to explore not only research opportunities but also operational roles, broadcast meteorology, and science policy experiences. The internship organizer then curates or creates tailored opportunities by leveraging extensive contacts across the weather, water, and climate enterprise. We will share insights and outcomes from implementing this approach during the summers of 2022 through 2024 at two Hispanic-Serving Institutions with relatively small Meteorology/Atmospheric Science programs. We propose this model as a means to reduce or eliminate barriers faced by students from underrepresented and disadvantaged groups in their pursuit of careers in atmospheric sciences.