OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Dec. 1 -Applications are now being accepted for the Volkswagen Distinguished Scholars Program, a research internship administered for Volkswagen Group of America by Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) on behalf of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Applications can be submitted online at www.orau.org/volkswagen through February 12, 2010.

The program is a two-summer internship that awards students with a paid stipend, housing allowance (where applicable), and mileage for one roundtrip to/from the internship site if more than 60 miles from the student's home. It offers students the opportunity to participate in research for ten full weeks during the first summer at ORNL. At the lab, scientific mentors will select projects for individual students based on their interests and degree fields. Students will have an optional internship in the second summer to participate in research projects at the new Volkswagen production facility in Chattanooga, Tenn. Current program participants will be notified at the end of their first summer regarding the following summer's opportunities.

Eligible applicants must be undergraduate juniors/seniors or graduate students (who have not yet finished coursework) with a GPA of 3.5 or above who are U.S. citizens majoring in a field of interest to Volkswagen and who are attending one of the following universities: Fisk University, Tennessee State University, the University of Memphis, or the University of Tennessee in either Knoxville or Chattanooga. Participants are selected based on application materials, major discipline, academic excellence, motivation, and enthusiasm for automotive-related science and technology. Examples of current research areas in the automotive science and technology fields are low-cost carbon fiber, battery storage, biofuels, engines and emissions, intelligent transportation systems, and sustainable manufacturing.

The Volkswagen Distinguished Scholars Program is part of the Volkswagen Group of America's "Partners in Education" program, which is a 5-year, $5.28 million dollar initiative for educational enrichment and workforce training in the state of Tennessee.

Although the number of internships varies each year, it is anticipated that 10 internships will be hosted this term. However, the number of second summer internships will be based on a mutual agreement between Volkswagen and the student. The names of selected participants will be announced by March 31, 2010.

Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) is a university consortium leveraging the scientific strength of 97 major research institutions to advance science and education by partnering with national laboratories, government agencies, and private industry. ORAU manages the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education for the U.S. Department of Energy.

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