Paradise Valley Community College (PVCC) student Julian Douglas has been selected for the highly sought-after internship at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, one of the United States Department of Energy’s premier research facilities. He is among just 1,049 undergraduate students and 90 faculty members nationwide chosen to participate in the DOE’s competitive and transformative summer research programs, which are designed to cultivate the next generation of scientists and engineers.
Douglas, who recently completed his second year at PVCC, is pursuing an Associate of Science degree with plans to transfer to a university that offers nuclear engineering or physics. His academic trajectory and passion for science led to his acceptance into the DOE’s Community College Internships (CCI) program, part of a broader initiative to support a highly skilled scientific and technical workforce equipped to tackle the nation's most pressing energy, economic, and security challenges.
“The selection to be a participant at Oak Ridge is very humbling,” said Douglas, who emphasized that he is participating in the program purely for its educational value and is not affiliated with the federal government in any official capacity. “I’m incredibly honored to have been one of 135 community college students across the country to be accepted at one of the many prestigious national labs. It’s honestly surreal—and even with a flight booked, I’m still coming to terms with just how amazing this opportunity is.”
A passionate learner with aspirations to pursue his bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering and potentially a master’s or doctorate, Douglas is keeping his transfer options open but considering Texas A&M, University of Tennessee Knoxville, and Arizona State University.
“I really want to thank my physics professor Dr. Casey Durandet and my chemistry professor Dr. Linda Stearns for writing me letters of recommendation,” Douglas said, expressing his profound gratitude toward the PVCC faculty. “Without them, I wouldn’t be able to participate in such an amazing opportunity. They are some of the best professors you can find—their support and passion for inspiring others into the field of science is truly exemplary.”
Dr. Durandet, who herself conducts summer research at Fermilab in Chicago, praised Douglas’s character and potential: “Julian is one of those students who is humble and committed to his education. He will benefit tremendously from this prestigious summer internship at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. This young man will make wonderful contributions to the advancement of our society.”
The CCI program is one of three educational opportunities offered through the DOE’s Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS), alongside the Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI) and the Visiting Faculty Program (VFP). These programs are designed to immerse students and educators in cutting-edge research environments at DOE national laboratories and facilities.
The 2025 summer cohort includes 914 undergraduate students from two- and four-year colleges and 135 community college students, hailing from 389 academic institutions across 44 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia.Participants will collaborate closely with DOE scientists and engineers, contributing to real-world research projects in areas ranging from renewable energy to advanced computing and nuclear science.
To learn more about PVCC’s Physics and Astronomy programs or any other academics, visit the website.