Meet LLNL interns: Fitting in and standing out

Each year, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) hosts hundreds of interns across the Laboratory’s directorates. These interns gain hands-on experience in professions they want to explore in an engaging environment. As aspiring early career professionals, interns have the opportunity to work with their mentors at the Lab and dive into projects that will help develop their skills in their respective fields.

Laelah Morris
St. John’s University
Integrated advertising communications

Morris is an employee engagement intern with the Livermore Laboratory Employee Services Association (LLESA) organization. She is part of the National Nuclear Security Administration's Minority Serving Institution Partnership Program. Under the direction of her mentor, Colin Yamaoka, Morris has been helping plan work-life events, learning how to develop impactful communication and utilizing marketing materials to engage the LLNL student population.

“From what I’ve experienced, the culture at the Lab is very welcoming and very big,” Morris said. "There's no roadblocks or, if you hit a wall, there’s always a detour and there's always something else you can learn.”

While Morris fits into the Lab culture and has been able to make the most of her opportunity, she is more than 3,000 miles away from her home in Maryland. Currently attending St. John’s University in pursuit of her master’s degree, she acknowledges she had a bit of a nervous energy when she first came out to the west coast.

“I've had pleasant encounters with everyone, which has been a great transition being so far away from home,” she said. “My LLESA mentors are supporting my career aspirations.”

Throughout her time at the Lab, she has felt that challenges don’t feel like challenges.

“’I'm just going to have to do it’ is what I tell myself,” Morris said. “I don’t think of it as a challenge but more of a goal to accomplish.”

Through her hard work, she hopes to set an example of what it means to be an intern.

“I do not want to fail, and I am willing to do the work to accomplish my goals,” she said. “I have learned that I have tenacity and grit, which have helped me along my journey. Don’t be afraid to fail, otherwise you will hold yourself back.”

 

Kevin Maxwell
Case Western Reserve University
Chemical engineering

Maxwell is a summer intern for the Glenn T. Seaborg Institute in the Physical and Life Sciences directorate. He is a part of the Nuclear & Chemical Sciences division in the nuclear & radiochemistry group, performing chemical engineering tasks.

“It's a really good stepping stone for staying longer at the Lab,” Maxwell said. “I am aspiring to continue at the Lab after my internship.”

Maxwell recently graduated from Case Western Reserve University with an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering.

“The Lab has been a place for me to explore my passions and has helped me decide where I would like to attend grad school,” he said. “The projects I work on throughout the week excite me and have shown me this is what I am meant to do.”

The Lab environment is important to Maxwell. He feels comfortable in his workspace and that has allowed him to grow professionally and personally.

“The people at Lawrence Livermore are kind to everyone, including interns,” Maxwell said. “I’ve worked in lab environments and academia, and while everyone is nice, the people and culture here is a whole new level of welcoming and making me feel like I belong.”

Maxwell could not stress enough that the support from his mentors was the key to his success here.

“Ashley [Hastings] has been an awesome and great mentor, especially when it came to starting out,” he said. “She showed me the ropes of everything and helped me prepare for what I would be doing for the rest of the internship.” 

During his time here, Maxwell has been able to learn a lot about his profession as well as about himself and offers this advice for those who want to pursue an LLNL internship.

“Put yourself out there,” he said. “Try new things and immerse yourself in any experience you get to take part in. You will grow so much by putting yourself in uncomfortable situations.”

- Zachary Ardzrooni