When junior Noor Emaan applied for an internship at Ames National Laboratory last fall, she still was deciding on a major. A fortuitous placement worked out well for everyone.
"I actually applied for the outreach and education area, but then I got referred to the procurement department," she said. "I think it was for the better, because I am an accounting major and I was still deciding at that time."
Emaan's skills learned in the classroom translated well, and she helped researchers with purchases of chemicals, machinery and anything else for their projects. She's one of 59 undergraduate students who've taken part in the ISU-AMES SCIENCES program supported by about $325,000 in Iowa State strategic plan funds. The program created internships at the lab in both operations and research to expand the state and nation's energy sciences workforce.