Two new features — Research Associate Spotlight and Mentor Profiles — will be published quarterly to showcase the valuable contributions made by interns at NETL and the important role the Lab’s researchers play in guiding them toward success.

In this quarter’s Research Associate Spotlight, Kristyn Johnson, a graduate intern, explains how her NETL internship has offered “every imaginable opportunity and advantage” to prepare for a rewarding career. Johnson also discusses how she has enjoyed collaborating with world-renowned researchers, including her mentor Don Ferguson, developing new skills and accessing powerful tools such as the Lab’s supercomputer Joule 2.0 to complete projects.

NETL interns make valuable contributions to address real-world issues. Johnson describes how she is conducting impactful research to develop rotating detonation engines and create a new generation of powerful, fuel-efficient turbines.

In the Mentor Profile, Ferguson, a member of the Thermal Sciences Team within the NETL Research and Innovation Center, discusses the value of his own experience as an NETL intern, why he has served as a mentor since 2008 and the important contributions that NETL interns make to develop new technologies.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory develops and commercializes advanced technologies that provide clean energy while safeguarding the environment. NETL’s work supports DOE’s mission to ensure America’s security and prosperity by addressing its energy and environmental challenges through transformative science and technology solutions.