Air Force Research Lab (AFRL)

6-week summer paid internship. Students can apply for ANY of the listed locations (UNM, NMT or virtual). Internships provide professional learning experiences that offer meaningful, practical work assignments related to a field of study or career interest. Interns develop and improve skills in communication, technology, research, and teamwork.

Students complete hands-on, minds-on activities while participating in a national program that provides opportunities to explore engineering, math operations and applications, physics, chemistry, technology, and STEM careers. 5th grade 25 hours of curriculum 25 contact hours Mission is conducted at the AFRL NM STEM Academy Teacher orientation provided Five 5-hour classes

We provide structured “Missions” during the school year that provide opportunities for students in 5th – 12th grades to explore a variety of STEM concepts: Mission to Mars DoD STARBASE NM DoD STARBASE Advanced Tech Mission Robotics Challenge STEM Challenge

Students work in teams to explore the basics of robotics and coding. Teams complete assignments that they submit online to earn points. The top 30 teams, based on points earned, qualify to participate in the annual Robotics Challenge Expo. 6th – 8th grade 15+ hours of curriculum 4+ contact hours Mission is school based Teacher training, materials, and online curriculum provided Culminating event in April / May for qualifying teams

Students work in teams with guidance from mentors who are STEM professionals. The teams design, build, and launch a rocket that will meet contect requirements for the national American Rocketry Challenge (ARC). 6th – 12th grade 40 contact hours School-based mentorship program offered during elective of afterschool time A Teacher Sponsor must be available at the school

Students work in teams to design, build, and test both launching and payload protection devices that will send an egg payload through a hula hoop towards a target a specified distance away. Teams complete challenges that they submit online to earn points. The top 30 teams, based on points earned, qualify to participate in the annual STEM Challenge Symposium. 9th – 12th grade 15+ hours of curriculum 4+ contact hours Mission is school based Teacher training, materials, and online curriculum provided Culminating event in April for qualifying teams

Students explore applications of basic STEM concepts and the engineering design process. Fall semester focuses on model rocketry content and spring semester focuses on satellites. 6th – 8th grade 15 contact hours Mission is conducted at the AFRL NM STEM Academy Teacher orientation provided 3 non-consecutive 5-hour classes at Kirtland AFB