A Summer Internship Opportunity Connects An SoC Student With An SoC Grad.

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Posted on August 27, 2024 by Keith Lynn

Keith Lynn

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Doctoral student and intern Tristan Clark and Research and Development Associate Tristen Mullins share more than just a name—they both graduated from the School of Computing in Spring 2022 and are working together this summer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Mr. Clark completed his bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and is now in his third year of the PhD program. Dr. Mullins, who graduated with her PhD in Computing, has been with ORNL since 2022. This summer’s internship brought them together.

Dr. Mullins, who considered teaching as a career before finding a passion for research, said, “I got involved with the internship program at Oak Ridge because I enjoy mentoring students and guiding them through their research experiences.” This summer, she is mentoring four students from various colleges and disciplines, with Mr. Clark being the only PhD student and the only intern from the University of South Alabama.

Mr. Clark values the internship for its opportunity to meet new people, learn diverse skills, and gain exposure to real-world research. He noted, “The best thing about the internship is meeting new people who can teach me many different types of skills and have experience in the field. It’s also an introduction to real-world research, and I’m learning skills that will be invaluable for my future career in cybersecurity.”

Both Mr. Clark and Dr. Mullins are involved in research with the Department of Energy’s OMNI program at ORNL, which focuses on cybersecurity and information technology. Dr. Mullins explained, “I have the students working on two cybersecurity projects that test the vulnerability of devices. One project assesses the security of a satellite modem and the other is testing access control systems.” Dr. Mullins has had an interest in side-channel research since her days as a doctoral student at South.

Another connection between the two is that Mr. Clark and Dr. Mullins are CyberCorps Scholarship for Service (SFS) recipients, a program funded by the National Science Foundation and supported by the Department of Homeland Security. This program provides scholarships in exchange for a commitment to work in a government position upon graduation.

Mr. Clark shared, “One major reason for applying for SFS was the opportunity to join a network of other students and researchers within the program. Not only do we get access to an exclusive job fair in Washington D.C., but the program is also highly recognized by government employers. I am pursuing a career in a national lab or other agency because crucial work in securing the nation's critical infrastructure happens there, and it would be a great opportunity to contribute to such an important mission.”  

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