The intent of IGERT internships is to improve the research experience of IGERT trainees through catalysis of new ideas, access to specialized research facilities, and development of professional relationships that will last well beyond their graduation. IGERT trainees are allowed to tailor internships to meet their specific needs. For some trainees an optimal period for internship might be as little as two to three months, with the intent of observing a range of research projects or of gaining specific knowledge on one subject or research tool. Such an internship might also provide new ideas for research as the trainee develops his/her own dissertation proposal. Other trainees might utilize unique facilities at a host-institution toward completion of their research over six to nine months.
Four institutions are currently committed to host IGERT trainees, and were selected based on their expertise in one or more key components of indoor environmental science and engineering, as well as their enthusiasm for, and commitment to, mentoring IGERT trainees. Areas of expertise afforded by each institution are described below.
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL - Berkeley, California) - Indoor Environment Department (IED): Composed of one of the largest groups of researchers dedicated to indoor environmental quality. The IED is divided into programs on pollutant sources, dynamics and chemistry, airflow and pollutant transport, building ventilation and environmental quality, and exposure/risk analysis.
http://eetd.lbl.gov/ie/
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST - Gaithersburg, Maryland) - Indoor Air Quality and Ventilation Group: Includes researchers with expertise in measuring and modeling airflow and contaminant transport in commercial and residential buildings; methods to assess energy and IAQ impacts of different ventilation strategies and IAQ controls; technology, guidance and predictive tools for building protection against chemical/biological/radiological agents; and economic analysis tools for enhanced building performance.
http://www.bfrl.nist.gov/863/iaq.html
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (RTP, North Carolina) - Exposure Measurements and Analysis Branch (EMA) within the Human Exposure & Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD): Composed of researchers who focus, amongst other issues, on indoor air quality in large buildings, children's exposure to toxins, advanced methods for exposure monitoring, statistical modeling of human exposure, and risk assessment.
http://www.epa.gov/heasd/emab/emab.htm
The University of Texas Health Science Center (Houston) - School of Public Health (UTHSC-SPH): Composed of researchers who engage in human exposure analysis, including design and implementation of personal sampler technologies for large-scale field studies. The UTHSC-SPH provides flexibility for students who, for various possible reasons, have difficulties traveling to more distant host institutions.
http://www.sph.uth.tmc.edu/
