The internship provides undergraduate students the opportunities to experience and conduct research, participate in professional development, build community with young scientists, and learn to navigate a career in maritime and oceanographic science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) fields. The internship is hosted by APL-UW, beginning in mid-June and running through mid-August. Interns receive a stipend of $6000, housing, and limited travel expenses.

Application deadline: 28 February 2025 @ 11:59 PM Pacific

APPLY NOW. Complete the Application Form linked under Requirements on this page.

Questions? Contact:

The following documents are required and must be submitted by the 28 February deadline:

Short answers to the following:

APL-UW conducts research in many fields: oceanography and polar science, ocean observations, ocean acoustics, software and environmental engineering, data analysis and signal processing, oceanographic sensors, and autonomous underwater vehicles.

Internships are awarded to undergraduates who are currently registered at universities, community colleges, and technical schools. Graduating seniors are also eligible to apply. All projects are matched to the student's level of experience. By the start of the intership, students will need to have completed one year at their institution, have one term of pre-calculus (or equivalent), and have one term of a basic science or engineering course. Experience in a lab-based course or with computational software (like Excel, Matlab, Python, R, etc.) is helpful, but not required.

Applicants may be studying any STEM field, but must have an interest in ocean sciences and other types of research conducted at APL-UW. Falling short of prerequisites will not necessarily result in rejection, so all are encouraged to apply if this program is of great interest to you.

Air-Sea Interaction and Remote Sensing. Conducts research on the air-sea interface using a variety of remote sensing techniques. Interests include global scale processes of climate change and ocean circulation, regional studies of nearshore and coastal processes, and the small-scale physics of air-sea heat and gas exchange.

Environmental and Information Systems. Investigators pursue three core research areas. (1) Acoustics and signal processing, (2) Environmental sensing and modeling, and (3) Information and control systems. Expertise is applied to the needs of the Department of Defense, other federal agencies, and industry.

Electronics and Photonic Systems. Develops and builds state-of-the-art solutions to challenging problems faced by the U.S. Navy and provides engineering solutions for the installation and support of cabled ocean observatories.

Acoustics Department. Studies the propagation and scattering of sound in the ocean. Its primary focus is to study the ocean and ocean structure using theory, numerical modeling, and field experiments.

Ocean Engineering Department. Delivers science and technology solutions at sea. The department serves as a resource to scientists at APL-UW, other research and development organizations, and the U.S. Navy.

Ocean Physics Department. Investigators pursue research focused primarily on small-scale and meso-scale oceanographic processes and design and build unique instruments to facilitate these studies.

Polar Science Center. Conducts interdisciplinary research on the oceanography, climatology, meteorology, biology, and ecology of ice covered regions on Earth and elsewhere in the solar system.

Do I need to be a U.S. citizen?
No, but you do need legal permission to attend school or work in the U.S. because we cannot sponsor students at this time.

Can this internship lead to other opportunities at APL-UW?
Yes, you will be exposed to different researchers, scientists, and technicians at APL-UW who may have future opportunities for you. This may also be how you decide where to go to graduate school or apply for future job opportunities. This is a great way to network and learn about different career options as well.

Will my application be considered without my recommendation survey submitted at the same time as my application?
No, you must complete your application through the Qualtrics application. If you have any extenuating circumstances, please contact Amanda Labrado.

What are you looking for in your applicants?
Applicants need to demonstrate a strong interest in oceanography, which is a broad area of research, be curious about the natural world around you, and have a willingness to learn from your mistakes.

If my background is in biology, will there be a project for me?
Yes, APL-UW conducts a variety of research, including marine biology.

If I'm transitioning from community college to university, am I eligible?
Yes, as long as you are enrolled in an institution or within a year from graduating, you are eligible.

Will I personally pay tuition for the seminar summer course?
No, the program covers the cost of your tuition for the summer course you will be enrolled in through this program. However, please let us know if you receive financial assistance throughout the rest of the year if you are a UW student as this may impact the rest of the year's amount you are eligible to receive. If you are not a UW student, this is not a concern for you.

Where should we express our preferences and things we want you to know about us in the application?
Please express any specific interests you have in the first application question.

If I live in Seattle, do I need to live in the dorms provided?
It is not required to live in the provided housing accommodations, but it is very encouraged.

Do I have to complete the summer course at UW?
Yes, you will be enrolled in a seminar course, which will be transferable to your home institution.

What will day-to-day look like?
This depends on your project and mentor. Some may have more field or lab work than others while others projects may be more technical or focused on data processing. However, our programming includes opportunities to experience field work and hands-on laboratories.

What is the time commitment?
You will be expected to complete 40 hours/week, except on holidays. We highly recommend that your focus is solely on this program since you will be required to: (1) Write a scientific report and present your research project at the end of the summer, (2) Complete the seminar course, (3) Complete internship programming, including professional development, lab and field days, and potentially assist others in your cohort.

Are we working toward a main goal at the end of the summer?
Yes, you will present your research at two poster sessions: the APL-UW Summer Intern Research Symposium and UW Office of Undergraduate Research Summer Symposium.

Are there any preparations I should do before I begin my project?
Yes, you will meet with both the internship's program coordinator and your mentor prior to your first day at APL-UW. However, your main focus before the internship begins should be to rest so that you are ready to begin as soon as you show up.

How many mentors are there, and how will I get my mentor?
There are enough mentors for each student to be paired with their own mentor, unless you have co-mentors. Most mentors will only have 1 student and the match depends on your interests and their projects. However, if you and your mentor(s) meet during orientation and decide it is not a good fit, we will rematch you with a project and mentor that is better suited for you.