The NCNR is a major national user facility and resource for industry, universities, and government agencies. Neutrons are unique, powerful probes of the structure and dynamics of a wide range of technologically-important magnetic, chemical, biochemical, ceramic, metallurgic, polymeric, and environmental materials.

Examples of Research Activities: Battery materials, hydrogen-storage materials, superconductors, nanoscale materials, polymers and plastics, complex fluids (e.g., salad dressing, milk, petroleum, and oil, etc.), organic solar cells and photovoltaics, magnetic refrigerants, biological membranes, magnetic storage media.

Relevant Academic Interests and Coursework: Computer science (with emphasis on data reduction, analysis, and modeling), physics, chemistry, biochemistry, mathematics, and chemical engineering.

The Summer High School Intern Program (SHIP) is a NIST-wide summer intern program for students who will have finished their junior or senior year of high school by the start of the program and are interested in scientific research only. All other high school applicants who do not want a summer research position should go to NIST Student Employment Programs for information on other NIST Programs. Students selected for this competitive volunteer program will participate in cutting-edge research at NIST, and will work closely with NIST staff scientists and engineers on a specific research problem.

Previous NCNR SHIP Projects

1. Creating an Enhanced Web Interface for the NIST Center for Neutron Research Data Repository
2. Using Tomography To Scan and Create a 3D Model
3. Improving and Applying the Phase Segmentation of X-Ray and Neutron Tomography
4. Neutron Spin Flipper Optimization using Active Learning and Fitting Algorithms
5. Investigating Magnetic Dead Layers in Rhombohedral Perovskites
6. A Collection of Scripts for Ab Initio Calculations: Migrating from Python 2 to 3
7. Optimizing Neutron Crystallography Measurements through Reinforcement Learning

During their tenure at NIST in Gaithersburg, MD, the students will not be paid, and are expected to provide their own housing and transportation. The program requires a commitment for a contiguous 8-week period (nominal hours of 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM). This program is open only to United States citizens.

The following links will provide more information about SHIP:

• Application Process
• Selection Process
• SHIP Research
• SHIP Program Flyer

Program Dates:

The online application, including letters of recommendation, is accepting applications only between January 1 and February 14, 2023.

The 8-week program is tentatively scheduled to start on Tuesday, June 21, 2023. The SHIP poster sessions (which all students are required to attend and participate in) will be held August 9-11, 2023 for Gaithersburg, MD/ August 10-11, 2023 for Boulder, CO.

If you have any additional questions, please write to ship@nist.gov .

About NCNR

The NCNR is part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Its activities focus on providing neutron measurement capabilities to the U.S. research community.

It is a national center for research using thermal and cold neutrons, offering its instrumentation for use by all qualified applicants. Many of its instruments rely on intense beams of cold neutrons emanating from an advanced liquid hydrogen moderator.

Our mission is threefold:

1. To operate the NCNR safely as a cost-effective national resource.
2. To conduct a broad program of research using neutron techniques, and to develop and apply new neutron measurement techniques.
   • NCNR Instruments
   • Why use Neutrons? How are they useful?

• An in-depth article about the scientific work done at the NCNR:
  • "Materials Research With Neutrons At NIST", R. L. Cappelletti et al., J Res NIST 106 pp. 187 (2001)

1. To operate the NIST Center for Neutron Research as a national resource for researchers from industry, university and other government agencies.
   • NCNR Scientific Programs
   • NCNR Educational Programs (includes the Summer School Program)
   • Neutron Interactions and Dosimetry Group
   • Nuclear Methods Group