The Nebraska Center for Energy Sciences Research (NCESR) is now taking applications for the Energy Sciences Research – Summer Internships for Undergraduates. Up to eight internships are made possible through NCESR with support from Nebraska Public Power District.
Now in its thirteenth year, the Darrell J. Nelson Summer Undergraduate Internship in Energy Sciences Research provides students with an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in energy sciences research. Each selected intern will receive up to $6,000 for their research work during the Summer of 2026 .
In addition, the faculty sponsor may request up to $1,000 in travel support to cover expenses for the intern to present their summer research at a relevant academic or professional conference. To be eligible for the travel support, the intern must be enrolled at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) at the time of the conference.
The internship application deadline is Wednesday, November 5, 2025, at 5 PM CT.
This internship opportunity is posted on our NCESR website. For detailed information about eligibility and the 2026 application requirements, go to Instructions & Testimonials.
Application Requirements:
The applicant must submit all required information in one package at https://go.unl.edu/ncesr 2026 summer undergrad internship application. This is a DocuSign form so applicants need to sign in with their UNL ID and password.
1. Application Form. Complete the form in DocuSign at the above link and attach the required information, sign and date.
2. Applicant Letter. Attach a one-page letter that: (a) describes you, your major and your interest in energy issues and energy sciences research; and (b) describes the research project and the tasks you will complete as part of the energy sciences research summer internship.
3. Faculty Letter. Attach a one-page letter from the faculty who agreed to sponsor your application for the energy sciences research summer internship, if selected. The faculty sponsor needs to explain why they think you should be selected for the internship.
4. Transcript. Attach an unofficial transcript.
To learn more about previous NCESR summer undergraduate internship projects, go to Undergraduate Summer Internship Posters.
If you have any questions, please contact Sue Wesely at swesely4@unl.edu or Brenda Coufal at brenda.coufal@unl.edu.