The SIRI program is organized to give students real-life work experiences as a component of their academic program, experiences that can help them make career choices and, if they decide to go into some kind of technical work, help them chart future steps in their education.
Being a SIRI mentor requires a willingness to work with students. The program gives JPL scientists and engineers the opportunity to interact with students, and to contribute to their intellectual growth by serving as mentors.
Mentors must provide an Announcement of Opportunity for posting on this website to be viewed by Faculty Sponsors and students. It should be an interesting and challenging assignment that will enhance the student's academic program; the assignment should have a result, entail a clear step toward a desirable educational outcome, or identify a clear responsibility for some portion of the assignment.
Once students are offered the internship and JPL's Education Office is notified, mentors must:
Sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the student and JPL for the period of the internship. This is the agreement that establishes the terms of the internship.
Once students begin work, mentors must complete a Supervisor's Hazard Assessment and a Student Safety Orientation Checklist.
Interns are expected to prepare:
A project description in their own words, about two weeks into the program
A mid-semester progress report, and
A final presentation, with the advice and concurrence of their mentor
The SIRI program is organized to give students real-life work experiences as a component of their academic program, experiences that can help them make career choices and, if they decide to go into some kind of technical work, help them chart future steps in their education.
