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The Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) REU program is now accepting applications for Summer 2026. Undergraduates in engineering, geoscience, and related field. You can spend 10 weeks at one of NHERI’s experimental sites to gain hands-on research experience in natural hazards. Participants receive a stipend, housing, and travel support while contributing to projects that strengthen disaster resilience across the U.S.

Meanwhile, researchers at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Commonwealth Fusion Systems have unveiled HEAT-ML, a new artificial intelligence tool that accelerates the search for “magnetic shadows” inside fusion reactors. By cutting calculations from 30 minutes to milliseconds, HEAT-ML could speed the design of next-generation reactors like SPARC and help bring fusion power closer to reality.

Upcoming Opportunities

👨🏾‍🔬 NHERI REU Summer Research Program 2026

The NSF-funded Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) REU Program offers undergraduates a 10-week summer research experience at one of ten multi-hazard engineering sites across the U.S. Students work on projects in earthquake, wind, storm surge, and tsunami engineering, as well as cyberinfrastructure, data science, and social science. Participants will gain hands-on skills while contributing to research that helps communities prepare for and recover from natural disasters.

📅 Program Details

• Application Deadline: January-February 2026

• Program Dates: June – August 2026

• Location: Hybrid (on-site at NHERI research facilities + online)

• Duration: 10 weeks

• Stipend & Benefits: $6,000 research stipend, housing subsidy, travel support, mentorship, and funding to present at the NHERI REU Research Symposium

• Register Here: [Website]

✅ Eligibility

• U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident

• Enrolled undergraduate student

⚠️ Bonus Opportunities You Should Know

• 🧪 NSF REU Summer Research Programs: List of funded undergrad research programs. (Search here)

• 🎓 Zintellect: List of scholarships, research fellowships, and internship opportunities funded by the U.S. government or private sector. (Search here)

• 💰 NASA OSTEM Internships: List of NASA Internships for high school and undergraduate STEM students. (More info)

• 🪖 Department of Defense (DoD) SMART Scholarship: $30,000-$46,000 scholarship awarded to top STEM students. (Link)

🌍 International Opportunities

• 🧲 Pathways to Science: List of upcoming internships, scholarships, and research programs hosted by any country [open to international students]. (Search here)

• 🔬 Amgen Scholars Program: Prestigious summer research program for undergraduate students in the U.S., Europe, or Asia. (More info)

• ⚛️ European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN): Search for any upcoming internships related to chemistry, physics, engineering, or data science! (Link here)

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Scientist’s Scroll

⚡ AI Supercharges Fusion Design By Mapping Heat Shadows in Milliseconds

A new artificial intelligence tool, HEAT-ML, developed through a partnership between Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), can rapidly calculate “magnetic shadows” inside fusion reactors—shielded areas that protect components from plasma heat hotter than the sun’s core.

Traditionally, these shadow maps took up to 30 minutes to compute with the HEAT code. By training a deep neural network on 1,000 simulations, HEAT-ML now generates results in mere milliseconds, enabling faster reactor design and real-time decision-making during operations.

Initially applied to CFS’s SPARC tokamak, HEAT-ML is expected to expand across fusion systems, helping researchers better protect plasma-facing components, optimize exhaust systems, and accelerate the path toward practical, net-energy fusion power.

🔗 Read the full article here —>

Let Me Help You!

As a Former STEM Major, I Get it!

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Tip of the Day

✍🏾 Publish with Purpose

Submitting your research is more than checking a box—it’s sharing your work with the world. Here’s how to publish smarter:

• Choose the Right Journal: Match your paper’s scope, audience, and impact level with a journal that fits your goals.

• Tell a Clear Story: Highlight the “why” behind your work, not just the “what.” Clarity helps reviewers and readers engage.

• Follow the Rules: Every journal has formatting, citation, and length guidelines—meeting them saves time during review.

• Revise Relentlessly: Strong papers go through multiple drafts. Ask peers to critique before submission.

• Think Long-Term: Each publication builds your research identity. Aim for quality over quantity.

Subscribe to explore daily research opportunities!

Today’s Theme: TikTok Tuesday

Tuesdays are better than Mondays, right?

Let’s enjoy an awesome TikTok learning about a huge step towards obtaining a cure for HIV!

@asapscience

This is a massive breakthrough and super exciting!

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📔 Still Confused About Class? Click Here to Book a Tutoring Session with Me!

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