How To Apply
Intern selection for the Summer 2009 program has been completed. Stay tuned for information on how to apply for the Summer 2010 program, which will be posted in September 2009.
WISE seeks applications from outstanding engineering students who display evidence of leadership skills and have a keen interest in public policy. Minority students are encouraged to apply.
Summer 2010 WISE Program
7 June - 6 August
To qualify for consideration, applicants must be juniors, seniors, or entering their final year of undergraduate studies in engineering (or computer science). WISE will also accept applications from engineering grads who are beginning Masters level study in a technology policy-related degree. Interns must be citizens or legal permanent residents of the United States of America.
Applicants are required to fill out an application form, write two brief (one page) essays in response to questions, arrange for two faculty references, and forward an official transcript.
WISE applicants should apply directly to their desired sponsor using the contact information provided. ANS, ASCE, ASME, IEEE and SAE sponsors only individuals who are members of their societies at the time of application.
To apply for a WISE Internship, select a sponsoring society(s), download a WISE program application and follow the instructions provided. The application period for 2010 internships opens 1 September 2009.
| Sponsoring Societies | Download Application Form |
| American Institute of Chemical Engineers
AIChE WISE Program 4201 Wilson Blvd, Rm 565 Arlington, VA 22230 Tel: 703-292-7030
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| American Nuclear Society
Attn: ANS WISE American Nuclear Society Outreach & Volunteer Development 555 N. Kensington Ave. La Grange Park, IL 60526 Email: outreach@ans.org
POC for WISE-related questions:
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| American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers Attn: ASHRAE WISE | |
| American Society of Mechanical Engineers Attn: ASME WISE Program | |
| ASTM International
ASTM International 100 Barr Harbor Drive West Conshohocken, PA 19428 POC: James P. Olshefsky Tel: 610-832-9714 <> Fax: 610-832-9599 | |
Institute of Electrical and Attn: WISE | |
| SAE International Attn: SAE WISE Program Director, Government Affairs Suite 800 Washington, DC 20005 Tel: 202-463-7318 or 724-772-7162 Fax: 202.434.8940 or 724.776.1830 Email: tim@sae.org |
In addition to the broad eligibility guidelines for participation in the WISE program, each sponsoring society uses its own criteria in determining which students to select from its applicant pool. If you have any questions about society sponsorship, contact the designated society coordinator.
Here are some answers to Frequently Asked Questions about the WISE program and application process.
TIP: If you belong to more than one sponsoring society, submit an application to each society of which you are a member in order to increase your chances of being selected.
TIP: If you are not currently a student member of a WISE sponsoring society, then consider joining.
For questions about the application process not covered in the FAQ, please contact the point of contact for the sponsoring society you are applying to (see above).
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Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
About WISE and the Application Process
Q. What are the dates for the 2009 program?
8 June - 7 August 2009.
Q. My college quarter/semester will not be finished by the WISE start date. Can I start the WISE program late?
Past Interns who have had this situation have been able to work out an arrangement with their professors to leave school early. Some have been excused from exams, others have been allowed to take them early or as "take home" exams while participating in WISE . Occasionally a society sponsor and the professor in charge of WISE will allow an Intern to begin the program a day or two late, but it is better if you can begin on the first day.
Q. How many interns is WISE planning to sponsor in 2009?
10-12, depending on the number of sponsoring societies.
Q. Do I apply to WISE or to the sponsoring society?
Apply directly to a sponsoring society. Contact information is provided on the application form. If you are a member of more than one sponsoring society, you will need to apply to each separately.
Q. What is the deadline date for submitting applications?
Application materials must be post-marked on or before 31 December 2008 to be considered for the Summer 2009 program.
Q. Is there a salary?
There is a stipend of $2,100, paid in 3 installments at the beginning, middle and/or end of the program. In addition, WISE covers the $2,700 cost for housing at George Washington University, as well as providing fare cards for use of the Washington Metro system.
Q. Do I have to belong to one of the sponsoring societies?
Yes. Consider joining to make yourself eligible for WISE.
Q. Are graduate students eligible to apply?
The program is open to recent engineering (or computer science) graduates beginning study in a technology policy-related Master’s program or law school.
Q. Are Freshmen or Sophomore students eligible to apply?
No. Students should have completed at least two years of undergraduate study. The program sponsors believe that the first two years of coursework are required to give you the grounding needed to relate your engineering training to public policy.
Q. Are Computer Science majors eligible to apply?
IEEE will sponsor individuals in a Computer Science degree program if they are also IEEE student members.
Q. When will I hear if I have been accepted?
The sponsoring societies begin reviewing applications in mid-January and then compare sponsorship lists (in case of overlapping choices and to aid those societies without student members). Once the choices are made, students are contacted with sponsorship offers, usually in mid-February. Once all slots have been filled, a notice is placed on the WISE webpage and all applicants will be send responses advising them of the status of their application.
Q. What happens if I accept a WISE Internship sponsorship offer and another opportunity comes along later.
It is very difficult to fill vacancies that occur within a month or two of the start of the summer program, and certain costs (e.g. the cost of the reserved dorm room) have to be absorbed by the program sponsors even if you elect not to participate. If you think you are likely to accept another Internship or anticipate some other contingency that would prevent you fulfilling your WISE internship, you are encouraged not to apply and/or accept a sponsorship offer. If by some circumstance you accept a WISE Internship, but are forced to withdraw from the program, you are strongly encouraged to give notice as soon as possible of your withdrawal so that an attempt can be made to fill the vacancy.
WISE SPONSORS
All WISE Interns are each sponsored by one of the engineering societies that participate in the WISE program:
American Association of Engineering Societies
Connie Kyle, ckyle@aaes.org
American Institute of Chemical Engineers
Dr. Maria Burka (NSF), mburka@nsf.gov
Darlene Schuster, darls@aiche.org
American Nuclear Society
Alan Levin, alevin@alum.mit.edu
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating
and Air-Conditioning Engineers
Doug Read, dread@ashrae.org
American Society of Mechanical Engineers Int'l
Melissa Carl, CarlM@asme.org
ASTM International
James Olshefsky, jolshefs@astm.org
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Erica Wissolik, e.wissolik@ieee.org
SAE International
Tim Mellon, tim@sae.org
In addition to jointly funding the internship with support from the American Association of Engineering Societies, the sponsoring societies are expected to fulfill various roles in support of the program. They work with their WISE Interns to select a research topic for the summer program. Society staff and/or volunteers serve as mentors to their WISE Interns. Sponsors also provide access to computer facilities and information resources available in their Washington offices.
If your society is not on this list of sponsoring organizations, ask them to join the WISE program. We'll be glad to provide information on the program and can follow-up your contact.
For more information on how you can become a WISE sponsoring society, provide program mentors, and/or make a tax-deductable contribution to support the WISE Program, contact Erica Wissolik at e.wissolik@ieee.org.
Links : WISE Website
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