Sandia University Partnerships Network

Five students working together around a computer.

Facilitating access to talent, ideas, and research & development capabilities

Sandia University Partnerships Network facilitates multi-faceted opportunities with key academic institutions across the nation. Partnering strategically with these universities enables creation and growth of research and development capabilities and enhances the trajectory of the scientific landscape.

Relationships

Sandia provides the next generation of great scientists and engineers with hands-on experience and the opportunity to innovate with world-class personnel through numerous internship opportunities. “It’s not just a job.” Hear about Sandia from the perspective of university interns working with the laboratory on important projects in a variety of fields.

Strategic and mutually beneficial relationships are essential to Sandia’s success. Sandia’s approach to university partnerships empowers leaders to break through silos and work broadly to align the multi-disciplinary resources to meet national challenges. This is accomplished by Sandia leaders and processes that  streamline connections with university faculty and students and provide joint research seed funding for specific technical programs.

  • Faculty at network universities engage tightly with Sandia and grow their professional network with other leading-edge researchers. This strong partnership with Sandia enables them to gain exposure to the many Sandia mission areas, enhance the educational experience of their students, and connect them to internship and postdoctoral opportunities at the nation’s premier science and engineering laboratory.
  • Students working on collaborative projects with Sandia conduct relevant research alongside some of the world’s foremost experts in advanced fields. Researchers on these projects experience multi-disciplinary teaming, which is essential to working on problems of national and worldwide magnitude. They also get a foot in the door at the national laboratory with the broadest range of research areas and some of the most advanced facilities and tools available. Hear from some interns who worked with Sandia.

Research

Universities in the network possess areas of expertise that are complementary to those of Sandia and may include unique capabilities. Conversely, Sandia’s broad scope can guide institutions to vector research relevant to national security needs. Together, these academic teams and Sandia go from innovative ideas to implemented solutions that solve problems neither institution could fully accomplish by itself.

Recruiting

The nation needs a pool of diverse talent, the brightest minds, and cutting-edge ideas to tackle the issues of today and tomorrow. By partnering with select universities across the country, top students are introduced to the work Sandia does and are able to contribute to essential research and development while completing their education. Networking with universities is a crucial component for talent pipeline development that allows Sandia to work with and recruit top graduates with innovative thoughts and unique perspectives to full-time work at the national level. Their passion for the work will enable solutions to future challenges faced by the world.

A team around a table claps after the winner is announced at a CyberForce event at Purdue.
A team of students claps as the winners are announced at a CyberForce event.