UTD students head to Ireland for summer research program

Poornima Hanumara and Steven Horne will spend 11 weeks participating in UREKA internship program.

University of Texas at Dallas undergrads Poornima Hanumara and Steven Horne are hard science majors. (Hanumara, 19, is into telecom engineering, while Horne, 19, studies physics.) Both Poornima and Steven will be flying off to Ireland soon to serve 11-week internships at the invitation of the Science Foundation of Ireland (SFI).

Not a photo of Poornima Hanumara and Steven Horne - though if they return to Dallas painted green, we'll know their internship experience was a success.

The internships will be administered through SFI's Undergraduate Research Experience and Knowledge Award (aka UREKA), and will involve separate research experiences for both UTD students. Hanumara will be joining 22 students from Ireland, England, Europe and Asia to conduct research at the University of Dublin. Horne will attend Tyndall National Institute in Cork along with 13 other students from around the world.

Each student intern will be assigned a task related to the research focus of the group. They'll be introduced to methods, equipment and software employed by scientists in their field of study, and can then apply their new skills to their individual assignments. At the end of the internship period, they'll each produce written reports and make oral presentations to their peers.

Fortunately for the student interns, the experience won't be all work and no play. A range of events have been organized for them, including tours of companies and universities in addition to social outings.

The deal includes all expenses (airfare and housing) in addition to a living allowance.

Luck of the Irish to Hanumara and Horne!

posted by JM