2012 PEER Summer Internship Program Details

Recent earthquakes in the US and around the world have repeatedly shown that earthquake resilience is essential to building and sustaining urban communities. Earthquake resilience will play an increasingly important role in the professions associated with earthquake hazard mitigation. To educate the next-generation of these professionals, the PEER Summer Internship program will be focused on the theme of Engineering Earthquake Resilient Communities.

With funding from NSF, PEER is inviting undergraduate students from universities and four-year colleges to apply to participate in the ten week summer program for 2012. The selected interns will conduct individual research projects that contribute to the internship theme.

What you will gain as an undergraduate PEER summer intern:

  • - Hands-on research experience
  • - Participation in a challenging but supportive interdisciplinary research team environment
  • - Exposure to the latest methodologies in earthquake research
  • - Occasion to work with established researchers
  • - Improved observation and communication skills
  • - Awareness of the diversity of earthquake research
  • - Interaction with graduate students who will serve as mentors
  • - Opportunity to judge whether a career in research is right for you
Watch a video on YouTube of the 2011 interns describing their experience and why all undergrads should apply

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Interns will be placed at the three partnering universities: University of California Berkeley, University of California Davis, and University of Washington. The students will be placed in pairs with a faculty and graduate student mentor to complete projects related to the seismic resiliency of infrastructure, ports, levees, and urban buildings. The proposed mentors have expertise in a variety of disciplines including structural and geotechnical engineering, urban planning, public policy and economics. This multi-disciplinary integration is an important aspect of this REU site because multi-disciplinary cooperation and collaboration is needed to achieve the broad goal of earthquake resilient communities.

During their summer research experience, interns are required to work 40 hours per week for 10 weeks from June 11, 2012 – August 17, 2012. Interns will regularly interface with others interns who are studying alternate disciplines and weekly engage with the full intern cohort.

ELIGIBILITY

The PEER Summer Internship Program is targeted to upper-division undergraduate students who have completed junior-level courses in engineering or a related field, however, PEER will also consider applicants from other grade levels. The program is intended to provide research opportunities for undergraduates who have shown an interest in earthquake engineering, demonstrated a high level of academic performance (generally GPA = 3.0 or above), and whose presence would enhance the diversity of PEER. Although PEER seeks racial, ethnic, and gender diversity, California law prohibits preferential treatment of individuals or groups on the basis of race, gender, color, ethnicity or national origin. Consequently, selection of award recipients is not based on these criteria.

Funding for this year's internship program comes from the National Science Foundation (NSF). NSF requires that all participants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree program at a university or college in the United States or its possessions.

STIPENDS

Interns will receive a $7,000 stipend (intended to cover summer housing and travel expenses to the summer project location). PEER will provide additional compensation for travel to conferences and meetings during the summer program. See the activities section below for more information on these events.

ABOUT PEER

The Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center (PEER) is a multi-institutional research and education center with headquarters at the University of California, Berkeley. Investigators from over 20 universities, several consulting companies, plus researchers at various State and Federal government agencies contribute to research programs focused on performance-based earthquake engineering in disciplines including structural and geotechnical engineering, geology/seismology, lifelines, transportation, risk management, and public policy.

The PEER mission is to develop, validate, and disseminate performance-based seismic design technologies for buildings and infrastructure to meet the diverse economic and safety needs of owners and society. PEER's research defines appropriate performance targets, and develops engineering tools and criteria that can be used by practicing professionals to achieve those targets, such as safety, cost, and post-earthquake functionality.

ACTIVITIES

The 10-week summer program for the undergraduate interns will begin with an Orientation Program at the University of California Berkeley. This orientation program will include the following items:

  • - Earthquake Resiliency Workshop: The definition and concept of earthquake resiliency will be explored and discussed through activities and presentations by various mentors. The workshop will highlight the multi-disciplinary nature of the topic.
  • - Communication skills: This module provides the students with tips on how to communicate their research project and results coherently. It will include instruction on oral and poster presentations, and writing a technical paper.
  • - Library research tools: This will be a session in the National Information Service for Earthquake Engineering Library. The students will learn about how to complete a thorough literature review and how to effectively find documents necessary to write a research results paper.
  • - Graduate school: The graduate student advisors in Civil Engineering at UC Berkeley will provide tips on how to successfully apply to and pay for graduate school. A graduate student round table discussion will also be arranged so the students can ask questions of current graduate students.
  • - Research Ethics: Tools and case studies will be used to introduce and discuss ethical issues related to engineering practice and engineering research.

The interns at all 3 research sites will participate in web-based weekly meetings. During the first weekly meetings the students will each present an overview of their research project using PowerPoint so that the entire cohort learns about the various intern research projects being completed. At the following meetings the interns will be required to present updates on the status of their research project as well as discuss some research challenges. The final group meetings at the end of the summer will give the interns the opportunity to present a final, complete research presentation that includes their project overview, results, and how their project contributes to future community earthquake resiliency.

The final experience for the interns will be their participation in the PEER Annual Meeting, which is typically held in October. The students will participate by (1) attending the entire conference to learn more about the numerous multi-disciplinary PEER research projects and seeing how a professional conference works, (2) presenting their research via a poster session at the conference, and (3) having their research papers published into a PEER report that is available at the conference and on the PEER website.

Based on the student activities explained above, the students will be required to submit the following deliverables by the end of their research experience:

  1. Oral presentations as required for the weekly meetings (minimum of 3)
  2. Poster of their research project and results for presentation at the PEER Annual Meeting
  3. Research paper for inclusion into a PEER report that serves as a compendium of all the interns research papers

SELECTING A PROJECT

The available projects are described below:

  • Location: University of California, Berkeley
  • Topic: Damage Control for Structural Concrete Walls
  • Emphasis: Structural Engineering
  • Professors: Professor Jack Moehle, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Number of Internship projects: 2

Reinforced concrete structural walls are one of the most common lateral-force-resisting systems used worldwide. In regions with ductile detailing practices, common designs rely on transverse reinforcement to confine the wall boundaries. In thin walls, cover spalling can lead to damage requiring repair. The spalled cross sections also can become too thin to reliably support axial forces, leading to wall lateral buckling. This study will explore alternative mechanisms to reduce cover spalling, thereby improving safety and post-earthquake repairs. Possible approaches include use of high-performance fiber reinforced concrete and addition of buckling-restrained boundary elements. The study will be a companion study to a larger test program under way at UC Berkeley. Each undergraduate student will be assigned a specific, largely independent study topic that they will carry through from inception through construction, testing, and reporting.

  • Location: University of California, Berkeley
  • Topic: Maximizing Learning from Real Earthquakes
  • Emphasis: Structural Engineering
  • Mentors: Professor Stephen Mahin, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Number of Internship projects: 1

While experiments are done in the laboratory to provide information needed to improve analysis methods and devise more effective design methods, the largest and most realistic source of information is from the response of actual engineered structures to earthquakes. This research project will focus on one type of structure such as hospitals, tall buildings, unreinforced masonry structures, bridges, residential housing, etc. (selected based on the student's interest). The research will utilize the new PEER structural performance information management system. To maximize learning from past and especially future earthquakes, the student will help develop pre- and post-event plans for gathering quantitative information about the type of structure selected, and begin gathering and interpreting information according to the plan developed. Particular structures selected might be ones are instrumented or located near strong motion instruments, have been studied or inspected following past earthquakes, have been retrofit, have been identified as being vulnerable to future earthquakes, provide a particular crucial role in post-earthquake emergency response or recovery,etc.). The student will work with faculty, students and researchers working on this project, and learn a lot about the performance of engineered structures during earthquakes.

  • Location: University of California, Davis
  • Topic: Bio-Cementation of Sands for Liquefaction Prevention
  • Emphasis: Geotechnical Engineering
  • Professors: Associate Professor Jason DeJong, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Number of Internship projects: 1

A novel process in which bacteria are used to transform loose liquefiable sand into sandstone is being developed. Critical to field implementation of this technology is developing the technique stimulate native bacteria in natural soils for cementation. This research project will consist of gathering soil samples from different locations in northern California, preparing specimens of the soil in the laboratory, treating the soil to induce cementation, and then assessing the extent to which their potential for liquefaction has been reduced. This project is experimentally based and will occur primarily in the laboratory. During this project the student will be exposed to geotechnical, microbiological, and geophysical techniques, and will work in collaboration with the faculty advisor and other graduate students.

  • Location: University of California, Davis
  • Topic: Evaluation of the Liquefaction Potential of Intermediate Soils
  • Emphasis: Geotechnical Engineering
  • Professors: Associate Professor Jason DeJong, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Number of Internship projects: 1

Intermediate soils – clayey sands, silty sands, etc. – exist in widespread deposits beneath many of California’s dams and levees. Characterization of these materials is difficult since their behavior and engineering properties depend on the drainage conditions during loading. If loading is sufficiently slow they behave similar to a sand, while if their loading is rapid they behave more similar to clay materials. This project will include laboratory and model or field testing of intermediate soils from different levee/dam sites to assess how their behavior varies as a function of drainage conditions. Visits to field locations may also be necessary. This project self-standing, but will also link with and leverage data and knowledge generated by other research activities in the group.

  • Location: University of California, Davis
  • Topic: Risk representation for levee design
  • Emphasis: Risk Analysis
  • Professors: Professor Jay Lund, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Number of Internship projects: 1

This work will examine the variety of ways that probabilistic levee failure can be estimated and represented for larger levee risk analysis modeling. Example failure mechanisms include overtopping, erosion, slope failure, and boils. This will mostly be an organization of the literature on probabilistic representation of levee failure. Some familiarity or interest in probability and geotechnical engineering is desirable.

  • Location: University of California, Davis
  • Topic: Risk-based design of systems of levees
  • Emphasis: Risk Analysis
  • Professors: Professor Jay Lund, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Number of Internship projects: 1

Risk-based analysis is often employed or advocated for a single levee. This work involves identifying optimal designs for systems of levees considering probabilistic performance, construction costs, and flood damage consequences. Example applications will be to the Central Valley of California. Optimization will includes models mostly in spreadsheet form. Some familiarity or interest in probability and system modeling is desirable.

  • Location: University of Washington
  • Topic: Testing column-to-footing subassemblies for new bridge bent system
  • Emphasis: Structural Engineering
  • Professors: Professors Marc Eberhard and John Stanton, Dept. of Civil Engineering
  • Number of Internship projects: 2

UW researchers have developed a precast column and cap-beam bridge bent system that can be constructed much more rapidly than conventional cast-in-place bents. This feature greatly reduces the traffic congestion caused by construction activities. The system, which was deployed in a bridge over I-5 in 2011, is expected to perform similarly during earthquake as conventional bents. To improve the expected seismic performance (e.g., reduce damage, decrease residual displacements), the system is being modifed to incorporate column pretensioning and high-performance, fiber-reinforced concrete. Two interns will assist a graduate student in testing two column-to-footing subassemblies. In addition, each of the students will be responsible for analyzing and documenting the data from non-contact instrumentation for one of the tests, and comparing it with the results of previous datasets.

  • Location: University of Washington
  • Topic: Structural integrity testing of steel structures
  • Emphasis: Structural Engineering
  • Professors: Assistant Professor Jeffrey W. Berman, Dept. of Civil Engineering
  • Number of Internship projects: 1

Structural integrity requirements for steel structures are aimed at ensuring that localized failures to do not result in disproportionate collapse of structures, i.e., that local failures remain local. An often overlooked component of ensuring structural integrity is ensuring that steel gravity frames (i.e., those frames not associated with the lateral force resisting system) are robust and can limit collapse in the event of unanticipated local failures, specifically if the gravity frame columns are damaged. UW researchers have been testing common steel gravity frame connections under combined loading (shear, moment and axial load) to determine their strength, ductility and overall robustness when subjected to such demands. One intern will assist a graduate student in testing several connections. They will have primary data analysis responsibilities for at least one connection test and will also develop a simplified computer model of the connection that could be used in a structural engineering design office.

APPLICATION PROCESS

The selection team will evaluate the applicants based on their interest in earthquake engineering, past educational performance, writing skills, and completion of necessary coursework relevant to specific summer research projects. The selection team will then assign the selected students to specific projects and research sites based on the student’s ability, interest, and site preferences. Applications by women and individuals who are from underrepresented groups are encouraged, although all qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin.

Students are required to be available for the entire 10 week session from June 11 – August 17, 2012. Start and end dates for the program are not negotiable (except for students at universities with finals from June 11 - 15).

BEFORE COMPLETING THE APPLICATION BELOW, please be sure to assemble all necessary information because you cannot save your application entries to finish at a later date and must complete the application form in one attempt. Download a blank copy of the application form to view the exact questions asked in the web-based application form.

Items necessary to submit your application:
  • - Contact Information (Name, Email, Phone Number, Current Address)
  • - Citizenship
  • - Current and Former University Information: name, location, start date, end date, major field of study, cumulative GPA, major GPA, expected graduation date, expected degree
  • - Unofficial Transcripts for your current university (Please use the following naming convention for your file: Lastname_Firstname_transcript.pdf ) Project Selection (ranking of top 3 projects)
  • - Short Essay #1: Describe your ranking selections above. Are there any educational or logistical reasons why you chose those projects? (max 200 words)
  • - Short Essay #2: Describe how your education and work experience to date have prepared you to complete research related to earthquake engineering and earthquake resilient communities. Also discuss the strengths that you will bring to your research project if selected. (max 500 words)
  • - Short Essay #3: Provide a statement of purpose that describes your academic and career goals. How would this internship research experience help you achieve these goals? (max 500 words)
  • - Resume (Please use the following naming convention for your file: Lastname_Firstname_resume.pdf )
  • - Contact information for two references: one faculty member or academic advisor, and one supervisor or someone for whom you have recently worked.
  • - Demographic information (optional)

Complete and Submit the 2012 PEER Summer Internship Application Form

Application deadline: Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 8:00 am Pacific Time.

Application review is currently underway. Applicants will be notified by email in early April 2012. The application form will remain open until all positions are filled, however applicants are strongly encouraged to apply before the deadline.



Find more information about the PEER Internship Program.

Funding for the 2012 PEER Internship Program is provided National Science Foundation under Grant No. EEC-1063138. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation (NSF).