“These bright and motivated young scientists and engineers gained invaluable hands-on experience contributing to cutting-edge research projects that support the Navy’s mission,” said NRL Commanding Officer Capt. Jesse Black. “The internship program offers midshipmen the unique opportunity to apply their academic knowledge to real-world challenges, working alongside world-renowned scientists and engineers.”

The midshipmen expressed their gratitude for the mentorship and support they received from NRL staff during their tenure at the laboratory. NRL’s internship program is designed to provide midshipmen with a comprehensive understanding of the Naval Research Enterprise. Interns have the opportunity to network with leading experts, develop technical skills, and gain exposure to the latest advancements in science and technology.

“My biggest takeaway from this internship is that NRL takes mission readiness to new levels,” said Midshipman 1/C Sanjana Basu Mallick, a USNA Chemistry major. “Almost anything you can imagine is studied, tested, and improved on here. I spoke to midshipmen that have interned at NRL in the past, and they hold this lab to a very high regard based on the projects they’ve contributed to and the people they’ve worked with.”

USNA interns received a command overview and a tour of multiple NRL divisions, including the Laboratory for Autonomous Systems Research, Far Field Range, Software Reprogrammable Payload, and Plasma Physics Space Physics technologies.

“I am so grateful to have worked with Dr. Kristina Nyland at NRL because she was thoughtful and compassionate enough to find a research project related to my passions and my future interests in research at the Naval Academy,” said Midshipman 2/C Olivia Rae Achenbach, a USNA Astrophysics major. “She taught me how integral astronomy is to the Fleet through its navigational uses.”

Achenbach gained a better understanding of the evolution of galaxies by examining a Hubble Space Telescope image of an active galactic nucleus that began emitting radio jets. Upon uncovering the true image of the galaxy, Nyland and Achenbach discovered a morphology that was not expected, and this assured them that there is so much more about the Universe that we do not understand.

“It is critical that astronomers uncover these mysteries as active galactic nucleus and pulsars are heavily relied on for advancing our global positioning systems used by the Fleet,” Achenbach said.

NRL is committed to fostering the next generation of scientific and engineering talent. By providing internships to midshipmen, the laboratory plays a vital role in developing future leaders for the Navy and Marine Corps.

 

About the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory

NRL is a scientific and engineering command dedicated to research that drives innovative advances for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps from the seafloor to space and in the information domain. NRL is located in Washington, D.C. with major field sites in Stennis Space Center, Mississippi; Key West, Florida; Monterey, California, and employs approximately 3,000 civilian scientists, engineers and support personnel.

For more information, contact NRL Corporate Communications at (202) 480-3746 or nrlpao@us.navy.mil.