Current DOE Technical Career Internship Program Students Present Summer Research at DOE Headquarters
August 12, 2009
The two current U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Technical Career Internship (TCI) Program at Penn State interns presented their summer research at DOE Headquarters on August 6, 2009. Dani Petrucci (Senior, Energy Engineering) and Doug Middleton (Junior, Energy Engineering and Energy, Business and Finance Major) are the current participants in the DOE TCI Program. The program was initiated in 2004 as a pipeline for employment within the Office of Fossil Fuel. The program is administered by Sharon Miller, director of the Office of Student Development at the Earth and Mineral Science Energy Institute.
Dani Petrucci was selected in 2008 to participate in a DOE Intern Program. Dani conducted her first summer internship at DOE Headquarters in Washington, DC and recently completed her 2nd summer internship in Germantown, PA. Dani’s 2nd summer internship research was titled "Coal-to-SNG (synthetic natural gas) and Coal-to-Chemicals" and presents a review of domestic and international gasification projects producing SNG and feedstock for the chemical industry. Dani has elected to continue in the program and will be conducting research at The EMS Energy Institute this year and report to DOE as a full-time employee in the Summer of 2010.
Doug Middleton was selected to participate in the program in 2009. Doug completed his first summer internship at DOE Headquarters in Washington, DC under the supervision of Robert Kane. Doug's presentation was titled "Carbon Capture and Grow" on the use of algae as a CO2 capture strategy. Doug is continuing in the program and will be conducting research at Penn State this year on the relationship of algae grow as a function of CO2 concentration.
Next year’s internship is slated for an undergraduate student in the Office of Oil and Natural Gas. An announcement will be released shortly after the start of Fall 2009 classes. Additional information regarding the TCI Program and student presentations can be found at www.energy.psu.edu/osd/doeintern.html.
Contact
Sharon Falcone Miller
sfm1@psu.edu