Joint Genome Institute (JGI)
The Department of Energy (DOE) Joint Genome Institute (JGI) is a national user facility located at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Supported by the DOE’s Biological and Environmental Research (BER) program, the JGI provides advanced genomic capabilities, large-scale AI-ready data and professional expertise to support the global research community in studies of complex biological and environmental systems. This valuable partnership provides UC Merced students with research experience opportunities in a national laboratory setting. The program typically runs from the end of May through the end of July each summer.
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UC Merced Interns Reflect on Their Summer Projects at JGI
Undergradaute students from UC Merced work closely with JGI scientists on research projects that contribute to the larger mission of the U.S. Department of Energy. Students also worked with their mentors to practice and develop presentation skills as well as build their network in the field of genomics and scientific research.
The topics students worked on ranged far and wide — from implementing new data visualization tools to using natural language processing techniques to categorize genetic information. Learn more about their work in a series of videos produced by JGI Communications & Outreach intern Ashleigh Papp.
Image Caption: Alumni, interns, mentors, and program associates marked the 10-year anniversary celebration of the UC Merced-JGI internship program in 2023. (Thor Swift/Berkeley Lab)
Undergraduate students from UC Merced work closely with JGI scientists on research projects that contribute to the larger missions of the U.S. Department of Energy. Students also worked with their mentors to practice and develop presentation skills as well as build their network in the field of genomics and scientific research.
Types of Research
Research projects involve laboratory and computational work. The topics students worked on range far and wide — from implementing new data visualization tools to using natural language processing techniques to categorize genetic information. Go here for more information on the program and example projects.
Program Eligibility and Requirements
To be eligible for selection, each applicant must:
- Be enrolled in a UC Merced undergraduate degree program through Fall 2026 in sciences, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM)
- Be in a good academic standing with a cumulative GPA 3.0, preferred but not required
- Be a US citizen or permanent resident (funding source requirment)
- Be able to demonstrate potential for success in a graduate program
- Prior research experience is preferred
- Agree to conduct research off-campus at the Joint Genome Institute (JGI) in the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
The following materials are needed to complete the JGI application:
- UROC online application
- Essay responses, as described in the online application
- One letter of recommendation
- One unofficial transcript from the my.ucmerced.edu portal
- Resume or CV
Summer 2026 Application open from November 1st, 2025 through December 7th, 2025!
Students can apply to other national labs through the SULI application.
US Department of Energy - Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI)
Contact Information:
Want to learn more?
Interested in learning more about the program that’s right for you? Email UROC at uroc@ucmerced.edu or schedule an appointment with the Outreach Advisor:
Horacio Aguilar: Schedule an Appointment
